This past weekend I had the honor of teaching and performing for a group of talented young piano students in Escondido California on behalf of the MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California). This opportunity has given me time to reflect upon the importance of music education and I have some thoughts I would like to share with you.
I am lucky to have grown up in a musical household. My father Morton Estrin (www.mortonestrin.com) had an illustrious career as a concert pianist with dozens of recordings and hundreds of performances. He’s also a phenomenal teacher who’s had many successful students go on to professional careers in music. My mother was a music teacher in public schools – my sister is an accomplished pianist and successful teacher in Cleveland, and my wife is a concert flutist. My daughter and son are also musicians and pretty much everyone in my extended family is connected to the music world in one way or another. Needless to say, music is an incredibly important part of my life.
Unfortunately, music is commonly overlooked when it comes to public education. It seems like anytime there is a cutback in education funding, music is always one of the first things on the chopping block. It’s a shame there is a lack of music education available to young students – especially since studies have shown that learning a musical instrument actually helps with the development of the brain. There are so many benefits to music education and performance – from mental development to confidence building, to teamwork – there are countless ways that music education helps children and adults.
But beyond any of the benefits listed above, music is something that can bring joy to your life and the lives of those around you. Music is an art form and as such it’s a great way to express feelings and emotions and illicit reactions from those who hear it. Its unique expression enhances life.
Not everyone is going to be a professional musician, but that’s not the issue. With knowledge comes understanding; being able to appreciate the musical language and having an education about it only amplifies its effect on people. I’m sure those who have studied music for any length of time in their lives will tend to agree.
While music might be something that’s considered superfluous when it comes to budget cutting, it’s not something we should just disregard. It has many benefits beyond just learning to play an instrument. Please share any comments you have about this subject, it’s a very passionate one for me and I’m sure many others of you out there.
Thanks again for joining me, Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729
6 thoughts on “The Importance of Music Education”
I so totally agree! Well-expressed on your part. I’d like to share this with our local school district!
Amazing post, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the article. Would you please send a printed copy to my e mail so that I can share this with parents who think soccer is more important than music lessons? I will simply read it to them when I discuss enrichment as part of my student’s study. Thank you!
My sister Merrie Skaggs and I both agree as tot he importance of music being available to all children, especially those in public school. We have started a small company dedicated to teaching children from kindergarten through 5th grade how to learn music via the keyboard. We have a program involving 450 children in the Concordia, KS school district who are all playing keyboards with the help of MerrieNan Melodies. Feel free to visit our web site at ww.merrienan.com to learn what we are all about. We strongly believe that every student should have the opportunity to learn to read music, and that the learning should take place with a keyboard instrument, as that is the only instrument where one can “see” the notes. California has no music in its public school system, which is such a tragedy for every public school child in the state. Proving how important music is to one’s well-being and quality of life is difficult to prove to budget-conscious school boards across the country, and we are interested in doing our part to get this point across!
thanks, Robert — I teach piano at the French American School of Rhode Island as well as privately, and couldn’t agree more! 🙂
A great Video on Music Education. I love all of your videos.
I am a Certified Teacher, Michigan and National Music Teachers Association and have been teaching for 51 years. Is it possible for you to send me a printed copy of your message on Music Education so I can share it with my students and parents of students?
Thank you,
Mary Chartier