By: Janice Kapp Perry
If your parents forced you to practice your scales by saying it would ‘build character,’ they were onto something.
The Washington Post reports that one of the largest scientific studies into music’s effect on the brain has found something striking: Musical training doesn’t just affect your musical ability—it provides tremendous benefits to children’s emotional and behavioral maturation. . . .
The study provides even more evidence as to why providing children with high-quality music education may be one of the most effective ways to ensure their success in life.
This statement confirms something that I have always felt and believed about the many benefits of learning to play the piano:
1) Increased self-esteem results from mastering progressively difficult music and performing it on recitals;
2) Eye-hand coordination is improved as both hands (and a pedal foot) learn to work independently of one another;
3) Ability to memorize improves;
4) Time-management skills increase from planning times to practice; and
5) Students become more well-rounded as they learn to appreciate the beauty of music.