| p>Disregard the popular image of rappers with | | | | participated in arts programs in selected |
| their ghetto blasters, terrorizing neighborhoods | | | | elementary and middle schools in New York City |
| with eardrum-splitting cacophony. Consider instead | | | | showed significant increases in self-esteem and |
| our delightful school bands and orchestras... and | | | | thinking skills. |
| ponder on whether those students might be | | | | The results of studies such as these are |
| becoming our best future citizens. | | | | promising for the future of our society, especially |
| Unlikely as it may seem, recent scientific research | | | | in the light of a 2003 Gallup Poll Survey showing |
| suggests this hypothesis might actually be true. It | | | | record numbers of Americans now play musical |
| appears studying music can, in fact, impact the | | | | instruments. |
| development of the human personality, especially | | | | This survey - conducted by the Gallup |
| in the area of socialization. In particular, music | | | | Organization (commissioned by NAMM, the |
| education encourages self-discipline and diligence, | | | | National Association of Music Merchants) - found |
| traits which carry over into other areas. | | | | that Americans are playing musical instruments at |
| According to statistics compiled by the National | | | | the highest levels since 1978. |
| Data Resource Center, students who can be | | | | Just over half, (54 percent), of households |
| classified as 'disruptive' (based on factors such as | | | | surveyed had a member who plays a musical |
| frequent skipping of classes, times in trouble, | | | | instrument. And in 48 percent of households |
| in-school suspensions, disciplinary reasons given, | | | | where at least one person played an instrument, |
| arrests, and drop-outs) total 12.14 percent of the | | | | there were two or more additional members who |
| total school population. In contrast, only 8.08 | | | | also played. |
| percent of students involved in music classes | | | | Ninety-seven percent of respondents agreed that |
| meet the same criteria as 'disruptive'. | | | | playing a musical instrument provides a sense of |
| Neurobiologist Norman Weinberger reports on | | | | accomplishment and encourages expression, and |
| another research study by Martin Gardiner of | | | | 85 percent believe it makes someone smarter. |
| Brown University. According to Weinberger, | | | | An equal number regretted not learning to play an |
| writing in the Winter 2000 Issue of MuSICA | | | | instrument and 67 percent said they would still like |
| Research Notes, Gardiner's study checked the | | | | to learn. |
| relationship between arrest records of teenagers | | | | Interestingly, the survey also showed that an |
| and their degree of involvement in music. He | | | | increasing number of young people are becoming |
| analyzed a large-scale data base that included | | | | involved in music, with the percentage of people |
| information gathered over a period of many | | | | ages of 5 to 17 who play an instrument at 31 |
| years for more than a thousand residents of | | | | percent, up from 25 percent in 1985. |
| Rhode Island. | | | | Of the total respondents a further 27 percent |
| Gardiner tracked people from birth through the | | | | were between the ages of 18 to 24. |
| age of thirty, and found that the greater the | | | | Most of those questioned began their music |
| involvement in music, the lower the arrest record. | | | | education before their teens with 64 percent |
| Teens who had music education were less likely | | | | saying they started music study between the |
| to get into trouble than students who didn't. | | | | ages of 5 to 11 and 18 percent between the ages |
| However, those who were also involved in playing | | | | of 12 to 14. |
| a musical instrument had even fewer brushes | | | | In his highly acclaimed book, A Users Guide to the |
| with the law. Those who had the most | | | | Brain, Ratey John J, MD notes: "The musician is |
| experience, including good sight-reading ability, had | | | | constantly adjusting decisions on tempo, style, |
| a negligible arrest record. | | | | rhythm, phrasing and feeling - training the brain to |
| Gardiner's study, which took place in 2000, is | | | | become incredibly good at organizing and |
| backed by others. The National Association for | | | | conducting numerous activities at once. Dedicated |
| Music Education publishes a fact sheet on its | | | | practice of this orchestration can have a great |
| website which quotes the Texas Commission on | | | | payoff for lifelong attention skills, intelligence and |
| Drug and Alcohol Abuse Report. According to the | | | | an ability for self-knowledge and expression." |
| January 1998 report, secondary students who | | | | Good citizens require many of these same skills in |
| participated in band or orchestra reported the | | | | order to live harmoniously with other human |
| lowest lifetime - and current - use of all | | | | beings. So as you move to a new town or take |
| substances (alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs). | | | | up a new job, it could just be worth enquiring if |
| And a 1990 study at the National Arts Education | | | | your neighbors and colleagues are musicians. |
| Research Center, concluded that students who | | | | |