Listening to my daughter’s orchestra perform, led by the amazing Mrs. Frey, was inspiring. The performance included fourth- through sixth-graders performing Mozart’s “Ode to Joy” and other beautiful pieces on string instruments. The sound was impressive.
To be a better parent and educator, I always look for research on human development and productivity. Listening to the music concert, I couldn’t help but wonder if music can help children and adults.
We’re not one of those families that requires our children to learn to play a musical instrument. But I always encourage my children to explore music. When our youngest of three decided she wanted to take piano lessons a couple of years ago, I was thrilled.
Her piano teacher, Mrs. Koehler, is a retired kindergarten teacher and piano extraordinaire. Her methods have catapulted our daughter from beginning note reader to a capable player. My daughter will debut as the piano player for her friend to sing in a talent show.
Research is pretty consistent.
Studies such as those conducted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science support the benefits of learning to play an instrument. It can help build intellectual and emotional skills, facilitate children’s learning and strengthen other academic areas, such as reading and math. In 1997, researchers found a relationship between piano lessons and spatial-temporal IQ scores necessary for parts of math.
Either way you slice it, if your child takes up music, they will develop skills in other areas as well.
Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” I am an advocate for people finding their strengths and a profession to match. Strengths require you to be both good at a task and passionate about doing it. Research shows that employees who get to use their strengths at least once every day are more productive and fulfilled at work.
As kids, we are more in touch with what we love to do. We gravitate toward things we enjoy doing because we are not yet motivated by money or social requirements.
Marcus Buckingham, an advocate for the strengths-based career approach, asks people to think about the things they loved to do as a child. Music can help you reconnect with your inner voice and uncover your strengths.
Learning to play music as an adult can reawaken your creativity, expressive communication and confidence. These are the qualities we want in employees.
Music also is a stress reliever. I played piano and guitar for many years as a child. Now that my daughter is learning piano and bass for orchestra, I pulled out my guitar and started playing again. I won’t be playing in any bands or talent shows soon, but I find it soothing to concentrate on the music and retrain my creative side.
My remarkable dad is celebrating his birthday today. One of his gifts to me is an appreciation for music. My parents attend the local symphony and travel to music festivals in the summers. Unfortunately, a couple of months ago, my dad suffered a stroke. He’s rehabilitating, and I was delighted to discover research showing the benefits of music in stroke patients.
A February 2008 story in Science Daily stated, “Researchers from Finland found that if stroke patients listened to music for a couple of hours a day, their verbal memory and focused attention recovered better and they had a more positive mood than patients who did not listen to anything or who listened to audio books. This is the first time such an effect has been shown in humans, and the researchers believe it has important implications for clinical practice.”
So dust off your childhood instrument or take up a new one.
It’s never too late to sign up for music lessons. Reconnect with your inner voice and rediscover your strengths.
At the very least, turn up the music when you’re working around the house. It’s free therapy, and it can make you a more creative employee.
Don’t forget to call Mrs. Koehler, Mrs. Frey or your music teacher and let them know how important they were in your development. This one’s for my dad and mentor — happy birthday. May your heart always sing.
I look forward to seeing my dad and mom in a Volkswagen camper soon, heading to the next music festival.
Keli Hite McGee is an executive coaching and strategic planning consultant for Hites Consulting Inc. and an instructor for the UAF/TVC Professional Development and Corporate Training Program. She can be reached at hites@mac.com. This column is provided by the UAF Tanana Valley Campus Applied Business Department.
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