Benefits of music to a growing Child

A strong foundation in music performance profoundly benefits a child’s development, equipping them with the cognitive and emotional tools necessary to excel in various spheres of life. When a child learns to play a musical instrument, their brain undergoes rigorous discipline and nurturing, helping them master the art and craft of music. This process shapes not only their musical abilities but also their mental faculties.

Music performance, characterized by creativity, allows a child to imagine and bring to life powerful musical expressions that resonate beyond the imaginable. Research shows that learning to play a piece of music on an instrument can be challenging, yet achievable, and those who master even the smallest goal in music develop a strong sense of pride and accomplishment. Furthermore, engaging with music stimulates and enhances a child’s creativity, making it one of the most catalytic aspects of the arts.
As an academic discipline, music fosters growth in multiple areas of life. It promotes independence, activates reflexes, instills discipline, and
nurtures a sense of responsibility.

Drawing from my own childhood experience, learning to play the piano enhanced my proactive approach to life. Reading musical scores required the ability to read ahead, anticipate the next notes, and react swiftly, all in milliseconds. This skill has translated into other areas of my life, enabling me to always prepare ahead and stay alert to upcoming challenges.

Music performance goes beyond the technical aspect of playing an instrument; it nurtures the brain, enriches creativity, and builds lifelong skills that shape a child into a well-rounded, disciplined, and prepared individual.

Music been the composition or creation of organize sounds which penetrates to the sub-consensus mind of an individual via the human ear comes with a lot of Catalytic Benefits; i.e.
*Music enlighten their sense of thinking; As a result of learning and playing the musical instrument the sense of coordination become part and parcel of a child’s way of reasoning and thinking .

* Music via playing the instrument help stimulate part of the brain that are related to reading math and emotional development.
* It help a child to be socially active learning and playing the instrument bring out the child from his or her hide out and showcase him or her to the public, thereby enhancing the child social well-being
*It builds up the confident of a child; According to Elizabeth Dotson Westphalen a music teacher and performer “learning to play a musical instrument can help your child to gain their confident”. Above all the art of music playing grooms a child to be well discipline in life.

PRAGMATIC APPROACH
Observing a pianist at a recital, converting musical notations into precisely timed finger movements on a piano can be a powerful emotional experience. It shows that the mastering of this skill, not only takes practice but also requires complex coordination of many different brain regions.
When we watch a pianist playing a musical piece we might think what he does is simple enough. It seems he just uses his two hands to the play piano keys, while reading his notes at the same time, but what he does is much more complicated than that, simultaneously his brain is coordinating his hands while playing two different movement i.e. , reading language of notes( a whole other language than the one he speaks),concentrating on playing rhythmically, interpreting the music to show its emotional side of playing louder, softer, slower, faster and analyzing what he is playing, watching the conductor and ensuring his or her pedal expression is adequately adhered to. When this process is happening his brain becomes active in many different ways at the same time. It builds unique connections between different parts of the brain and makes the brain more adaptable. No one other activity (mental and physical) can engage as many part of the brain at the same time as playing music does.

Below are 20 structural Benefits of Music to a child according to an article from Bachelor’s Degree

1. Musical training helps develop language and reasoning: Students who have early musical training will develop the areas of the brain related to language and reasoning. The left side of the brain is better developed with music, and songs can help imprint information on young minds.

2. A mastery of memorization: Even when performing with sheet music, student musicians are constantly using their memory to perform. The skill of memorization can serve students well in education and beyond.

3. Students learn to improve their work: Learning music promotes craftsmanship, and students learn to want to create good work instead of mediocre work. This desire can be applied to all subjects of study.

4. Increased coordination: Students who practice with musical instruments can improve their hand-eye coordination. Just like playing sports, children can develop motor skills when playing music.

5. A sense of achievement: Learning to play pieces of music on a new instrument can be a challenging, but achievable goal. Students who master even the smallest goal in music will be able to feel proud of their achievement.

6. Kids stay engaged in school: An enjoyable subject like music can keep kids interested and engaged in school. Student musicians are likely to stay in school to achieve in other subjects.

7. Success in society: Music is the fabric of our society, and music can shape abilities and character. Students in band or orchestra are less likely to abuse substances over their lifetime. Musical education can greatly contribute to children’s intellectual development as well.

8. Emotional development: Students of music can be more emotionally developed, with empathy towards other cultures they also tend to have higher self-esteem and are better at coping with anxiety.

9. Students learn pattern recognition: Children can develop their math and pattern-recognition skills with the help of musical education. Playing music offers repetition in a fun format.

10. Better SAT scores: Students who have experience with music performance or appreciation score higher on the SAT. One report indicates 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on math for students in music appreciation courses.

11. Fine-tuned auditory skills: Musicians can better detect meaningful, information-bearing elements in sounds, like the emotional meaning in a baby’s cry. Students who practice music can have better auditory attention, and pick out predictable patterns from surrounding noise.

12. Music builds imagination and intellectual curiosity: Introducing music in the early childhood years can help foster a positive attitude toward learning and curiosity. Artistic education develops the whole brain and develops a child’s imagination.

13. Music can be relaxing: Students can fight stress by learning to play music. Soothing music is especially helpful in helping kids relax.

14. Musical instruments can teach discipline: Kids who learn to play an instrument can learn a valuable lesson in discipline. They will have to set time aside to practice and rise to the challenge of learning with discipline to master playing their instrument.

15. Preparation for the creative economy: Investing in creative education can prepare students for the 21st century workforce. The new economy has created more artistic careers, and these jobs may grow faster than others in the future.

16. Development in creative thinking: Kids who study the arts can learn to think creatively. This kind of education can help them solve problems by thinking outside the box and realizing that there may be more than one right answer.

17. Music can develop spatial intelligence: Students who study music can improve the development of spatial intelligence, which allows them to perceive the world accurately and form mental pictures. Spatial intelligence is helpful for advanced mathematics and more.

18. Kids can learn teamwork: Many musical education programs require teamwork as part of a band or orchestra. In these groups, students will learn how to work together and build camaraderie.

19. Responsible risk-taking: Performing a musical piece can bring fear and anxiety. Doing so teaches kids how to take risks and deal with fear, which will help them become successful and reach their potential.

20. Better self-confidence: With encouragement from teachers and parents, students playing a musical v instrument can build pride and confidence. Musical education is also likely to develop better communication for students.
In conclusion music training and performance have been found to exhibit positive correlation to better language and mathematical skills, higher IQ and overall greater academic achievement. Scientifically and empirically the relevance of music has been subjected to several experiments between musicians and non-musicians and have been found in areas of brain related to hearing and movement among others. Finding suggest that music training during childhood for a period as brief as two years, can accelerate brain development and sound processing. Based on this premise, I conclude that music education is highly recommended for every growing child worldwide.

REFERENCES
University of Southern California(USC News): “Children’s Brain Develop Faster with Music

Training “The Brain and Creative institute (BCI) 2012

The Conversation,(2016) “Music training speeds up brain development in Children” August

Agba M.M., (2017) “Benefit of Music to a growing Child” Matt-Agba Music consult paper. April

Bachelor’s Degree, (2011) 20 Important Benefits of music In Our School, March.

Matthew Agba is a seasoned organist and pianist who has performed as both an accompanist and recitalist in numerous concert halls across Nigeria. His repertoire includes works from J.S. Bach’s Little Fugues and Preludes, oratorios by G.F. Handel, Josef Haydn, Caleb Simper, and Henry Purcell, among others. His notable piano recitals feature compositions such as Mozart’s Turkish Alla Marcia in 2010, Beethoven’s Für Elise in 2008, and Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer in 2015. He currently serves as the Assistant Organist and Pianist at the Chapel of the Healing Cross in Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria. In addition, Matthew actively volunteers as a piano teacher for Art Sphere Inc. in Pennsylvania, USA, and the Art to Heart Foundation in Alberta, Canada. He also serves as the Nigerian partner for the International Schools of Musicians, London, UK.