| Articles on the Importance of Piano Lessons for Children and Adults |
Music Lessons may Open Mind to Math and Science
By Marilyn Elias
USA TODAY
Los Angeles—Parents take heart: If weekly music lessons show no sign of turning your kid
into a young Leonard Bernstein, they could be stoking the talents of a future Marie Curie or
Galileo. Just 15 minutes a week of private keyboard instruction, alone with group singing at
preschool, dramatically improve a kind of intelligence needed for high-level math and science,
suggests a new study. Music lessons appear to strengthen the links between brain neurons and
build new neural bridges needed for good spatial reasoning, says psychologist Frances
Rauscher of University of California-Irvine. “Music instruction can improve a child’s spatial
intelligence for long periods of time—perhaps permanently,” Rauscher told the American
Psychological Association meeting here. Her study compared 19 preschoolers who took the
lessons and 14 classmates enrolled in no special music programs. After eight months, she
found:
regularly with their kids and involve them in musical activities,” Rauscher says. She’s next
going to test grade-schoolers. “If we can show it enhances spatial IQ in primary kids, this is a
very powerful method to assure that every child reaches his or her potential in math and
science,” Rauscher says.
By Marilyn Elias
USA TODAY
Los Angeles—Parents take heart: If weekly music lessons show no sign of turning your kid
into a young Leonard Bernstein, they could be stoking the talents of a future Marie Curie or
Galileo. Just 15 minutes a week of private keyboard instruction, alone with group singing at
preschool, dramatically improve a kind of intelligence needed for high-level math and science,
suggests a new study. Music lessons appear to strengthen the links between brain neurons and
build new neural bridges needed for good spatial reasoning, says psychologist Frances
Rauscher of University of California-Irvine. “Music instruction can improve a child’s spatial
intelligence for long periods of time—perhaps permanently,” Rauscher told the American
Psychological Association meeting here. Her study compared 19 preschoolers who took the
lessons and 14 classmates enrolled in no special music programs. After eight months, she
found:
- A 46% boost in spatial IQs for the young musicians.
- A 6% improvement for children not taught music.
regularly with their kids and involve them in musical activities,” Rauscher says. She’s next
going to test grade-schoolers. “If we can show it enhances spatial IQ in primary kids, this is a
very powerful method to assure that every child reaches his or her potential in math and
science,” Rauscher says.
Preschool Exposure to Piano and Music Helps Social Skills
Chicago(UPI) Piano lessons and other exposure to music at an early age can help preschoolers
develop social and intellectual skills, says a piano professor at Western Illinois University.
“Music and children are a natural combination,” says Ann Collins. “Most children respond to
pitches and rhythms of music practically from birth, and they’re eager to express themselves
through movement, singing and playing an instrument.” Collins has written “Piano and Your
Preschooler, a free brochure for parents available from the National Piano Foundation. “By
studying the piano,” she says, “ a young child can learn much about the process of learning,
and develop an awareness of how self-discipline and daily practice can improve his or her
skills.” While many piano teachers have been reluctant to accept very young students, Collins
reports that “today, 4-,5-and 6-year-olds are beginning traditional piano study and surprising
their teachers and parents with the speed of their musical development. She also has found that
students who begin music lessons as preschoolers have stronger rhythmic skills, listen with
keener ears and are less inhibited about performing for others.
Chicago(UPI) Piano lessons and other exposure to music at an early age can help preschoolers
develop social and intellectual skills, says a piano professor at Western Illinois University.
“Music and children are a natural combination,” says Ann Collins. “Most children respond to
pitches and rhythms of music practically from birth, and they’re eager to express themselves
through movement, singing and playing an instrument.” Collins has written “Piano and Your
Preschooler, a free brochure for parents available from the National Piano Foundation. “By
studying the piano,” she says, “ a young child can learn much about the process of learning,
and develop an awareness of how self-discipline and daily practice can improve his or her
skills.” While many piano teachers have been reluctant to accept very young students, Collins
reports that “today, 4-,5-and 6-year-olds are beginning traditional piano study and surprising
their teachers and parents with the speed of their musical development. She also has found that
students who begin music lessons as preschoolers have stronger rhythmic skills, listen with
keener ears and are less inhibited about performing for others.
Expert Says Anyone can Learn Music
Chicago (AP) – There is no such thing as being too young or too old to participate in music,
says Dr. Frank R. Wilson, a neurologist and assistant clinical professor of neurology at the
University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco. “Humans are born musicians,” he
says “because we all have the neurological and muscular capability to develop musical skills.”
Wilson who is also a special consultant to the American Music Conference based in Chicago is a
leading authority on the relationship between the brain and an Individual’s capacity to play a
musical instrument. He first became interested in music and it’s connection to neuromuscular
control when he noticed his daughter’s progress on the piano. “I realized that a remarkable
physical and mental evolution was taking place in her which I couldn’t account for,” he says.
After several years of reviewing results of research on the brain’s control of skilled movement
and concluding that virtually everyone has the potential for developing musical skills. Wilson
began taking piano lessons at the age of 40. “I felt terribly clumsy during the first few months,
but knew that I should see results by the end of the first year,” he says, “I wasn’t disappointed.”
Another of Wilson’s conclusions, discussed in his recently published book, “Tone Deaf and All
Thumbs?: an Invitation to Music-Making for Late Bloomers and Non-Prodigies,” is that there is
“very little to distinguish the serious musician from the serious athlete” The only difference
between the two from a physical standpoint, he says, is that musicians are developing the
smaller muscles of the body-especially those of the hands and mouth-and that they rely on their
hearing more than on their vision. “The one difference that really does count is the effect of
age,” he says. “Time is on the musicians’ side. They can look forward to continued maturation
and refinement of their skills well beyond the age at which even the most durable football or
basketball player has retired to the sidelines. “The key to success in musical studies as in
sports, is having the right goals,” he explains. When the music student starts with his or her
hopes fixed on immediately sounding like a professional, that attitude will be defeating. If the
students are compelled by the knowledge that as they continue practicing they are reaching new
limits and can share the experience with others such as in a band or group lessons, they are
more likely to succeed. If they play a different piece more smoothly than before or move on to
something even more challenging, that becomes a very valuable reward for their study.
“Time spent learning a musical instrument is never wasted.” Wilson points out.
No matter at what age they start learning, Wilson believes that instrumental students will get the
most enjoyment and long-lasting reward if they remember these three points:
*Slow progress is the way it works. No matter how leisurely you progress in your musical
studies, time is on your side.
*You can’t fail. You are the only judge of the music you play and whatever you gain, it’s the
right thing for you.
*The best reason of all for playing music is because it’s fun.
Becoming a virtuoso shouldn’t necessarily be your goal. Many musicians who never perform
get a great deal of enjoyment form playing music for themselves.
Chicago (AP) – There is no such thing as being too young or too old to participate in music,
says Dr. Frank R. Wilson, a neurologist and assistant clinical professor of neurology at the
University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco. “Humans are born musicians,” he
says “because we all have the neurological and muscular capability to develop musical skills.”
Wilson who is also a special consultant to the American Music Conference based in Chicago is a
leading authority on the relationship between the brain and an Individual’s capacity to play a
musical instrument. He first became interested in music and it’s connection to neuromuscular
control when he noticed his daughter’s progress on the piano. “I realized that a remarkable
physical and mental evolution was taking place in her which I couldn’t account for,” he says.
After several years of reviewing results of research on the brain’s control of skilled movement
and concluding that virtually everyone has the potential for developing musical skills. Wilson
began taking piano lessons at the age of 40. “I felt terribly clumsy during the first few months,
but knew that I should see results by the end of the first year,” he says, “I wasn’t disappointed.”
Another of Wilson’s conclusions, discussed in his recently published book, “Tone Deaf and All
Thumbs?: an Invitation to Music-Making for Late Bloomers and Non-Prodigies,” is that there is
“very little to distinguish the serious musician from the serious athlete” The only difference
between the two from a physical standpoint, he says, is that musicians are developing the
smaller muscles of the body-especially those of the hands and mouth-and that they rely on their
hearing more than on their vision. “The one difference that really does count is the effect of
age,” he says. “Time is on the musicians’ side. They can look forward to continued maturation
and refinement of their skills well beyond the age at which even the most durable football or
basketball player has retired to the sidelines. “The key to success in musical studies as in
sports, is having the right goals,” he explains. When the music student starts with his or her
hopes fixed on immediately sounding like a professional, that attitude will be defeating. If the
students are compelled by the knowledge that as they continue practicing they are reaching new
limits and can share the experience with others such as in a band or group lessons, they are
more likely to succeed. If they play a different piece more smoothly than before or move on to
something even more challenging, that becomes a very valuable reward for their study.
“Time spent learning a musical instrument is never wasted.” Wilson points out.
No matter at what age they start learning, Wilson believes that instrumental students will get the
most enjoyment and long-lasting reward if they remember these three points:
*Slow progress is the way it works. No matter how leisurely you progress in your musical
studies, time is on your side.
*You can’t fail. You are the only judge of the music you play and whatever you gain, it’s the
right thing for you.
*The best reason of all for playing music is because it’s fun.
Becoming a virtuoso shouldn’t necessarily be your goal. Many musicians who never perform
get a great deal of enjoyment form playing music for themselves.
Gayle's Beginning Piano Lessons
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