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Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind,
flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to
everything.
It is the essence of order and lends to all that is good and just and
beautiful.
- Plato
A Story By Bryce
Casselman
Two years ago, my wife and I started our oldest daughter, then six years
old, in piano lessons. Both of us being musically oriented, we feel that
music instruction is just as important as enrolling her in soccer,
gymnastics or ballet.
But, when practice begins and the sound of scales badly played
reverberates through the house, I began to wonder what was I thinking?
Beyond the general discomfort of the first couple of years what are the
benefits children receive from piano lessons?
Actually, there are many beneficial attributes children acquire from
learning to tickle the ivory; the following are five of the most
prevalent:
1.
Piano Lessons help Children in School
Numerous
studies available show children who play an instrument, score higher on
both standard and spatial cognitive development tests alike. There are
also findings that show kids who play piano, in particular, scored higher
in math, especially on problems dealing with ratios and fractions.
In
one particular study conducted by Dr. Frances Rauscher (a psychologist at
the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh) and Gordon Shaw (a physicist at of
the University of California at Irvine) tested preschoolers who received
piano instruction. They found that preschoolers who received piano lessons
scored 34% higher than their nonmusical counterparts in tests measuring
spatial-temporal reasoning, which is the brain function used to understand
math, science and engineering.
2.
Piano Lessons Raise Self Esteem
Learning to play the piano is hard work and takes dedication. Not only
does each song mastered increase a child's self esteem but showcasing
their newly learned talents at piano recitals can boost their self esteem
as much as winning a game in a sports competition.
3.
Piano Lessons Increase Coordination
Increased eye-hand coordination is almost a given for children that learn
to play the piano, but there is more than that. Kids who play the piano
have improved fine motor skills and, unlike other instruments, the piano
requires both hands to work independently of each other, one moving fast
while the other may be moving at a slower rate. All of these things help
to increase a child's overall dexterity and complex thought processes.
4.
Piano Lessons help Children to Concentrate
Reading a piece of music takes a great deal of focus, causing a child to
interpret a note and a rhythm, translate it into hand movements on the
keyboard and then immediately go on to the next one. Reading and playing
music allows them to think both critically and creatively, which is a
skill that will assist them in anything they choose to undertake in the
future.
5.
Piano Lessons help Children to be Well-Rounded
Regardless of whether a child plays the piano for a short time or for a
lifetime, the long-term affects of their piano pursuance are many. Through
playing the piano, children are exposed to classical music that they may
otherwise have never heard. Kids may develop an appreciation for composers
like Bach or Mozart that stay with them for life. In addition, the skills
and knowledge they learn in piano may help them easily pick up another
musical instrument later.
So, as I sit and listen to my little one, pounding painfully away on the
black and whites, all I have to do is remember that as she continues to
practice, she'll be creating a great deal more than a few simple melodies,
which is truly music to my ears.
References
http://piano-lesson-software-review.toptenreviews.com/five-ways-piano-lessons-benefit-children.html
Foundation for Universal Music Literacy Research Materials. How Music Can
Dramatically Effect Your Child's Development and Life-Time Success. 18
Oct. 2005. <http://www.allegrorainbow.com/media/pdfs/ChildrenandMusicResearch.pdf>
Pianonet.com. Benefits of Playing the Piano. [2005] 18 Oct. 2005. <http://www.pianonet.com/articles/benefits.htm>
Pianonet.com. Discover Pianonet: Learn to Play. [2005] 18 Oct. 2005.
<http://www.pianonet.com/discover_learn.htm#>
Begley, Sharon. Pianoiseasy.com. Music on the Mind. [2000] 18 Oct. 2005.
<http://www.pianoiseasy.com/showpage.cfm?page=articles>
West Music. The Piano and Child Development. 18 Oct. 2005. <http://www.westmusic.com/rspages.aspx?DocID=244&contentcatid=5>
Essortment.com. Benefits of piano lessons for a beginner. [2002] 18 Oct.
2005. <http://ksks.essortment.com/pianolessonsbe_rbrw.htm>
VanLandingham, Cynthia. EzineArticles.com How Piano Lessons Benefit Young
Children. [2005] 18 Oct. 2005. <http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Piano-Lessons-Benefit-Young-Children&id=38953>
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