Learning how to play a musical instrument provides a multitude of benefits for a person of any age. For school-age students in particular, however, the power of music is tremendous. Not only does playing a musical instrument teach persistence and discipline, but it also increases students’ abilities to process sounds. This links to the ability to read and understand language, as well as focus in the classroom. For example, making sense of a variety of complicated sounds in band practice is similar to being able to focus on what a teacher is saying in a noisy classroom.

In a study conducted by Sylvain Moreno, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, musical training enhanced executive function in 90 percent of students. This includes their ability to “plan, organize, strategize, and solve problems.” Think about all of the skills required to play an instrument in a musical ensemble. You have to be able to coordinate the appropriate motor movements to produce the correct sound, simultaneously pay attention to the music around you and read your sheet music to know what to play when, plan ahead to properly execute what the composer is asking, manage your time to maintain a practice schedule, and much more. It sounds like this would be a lot of tedious, hard work, but for many students learning to play an instrument is an enjoyable, welcome challenge that can last a lifetime.

Given the boost to your brain that music provides, why not try picking up a musical instrument this summer?

Source: http://online.wsj.com/articles/a-musical-fix-for-american-schools-1412954652