Why Music Matters

Why
Music
Matters
Quotes:
“There is a practical reason for music education: it teaches people to think, to solve
problems, to take risks, to think independently, to be an entrepreneur and innovator. The
virtues of music education are the virtues of free enterprise in general and of a high tech,
knowledge based society in particular: flexibility, adaptability, inventiveness, even
playfulness.”
William E. LaMothe, C.E.O., Xerox Company
“In the eyes of posterity the success of the United States as a civilized society will be
largely judged by the creative activities of it’s citizens in the arts, architecture, literature
and music.”
President Eisenhower’s Commission on National Goals
“Music is a way for young people to connect with themselves as well as a bridge for
connecting with others. Through music, we can introduce children to the richness and
diversity of the human family and to the myriad rhythms of life.”
Daniel A. Carp, CEO, Eastman Kodak
“Music is about communication, creativity and cooperation. By studying music in school,
students have the opportunity to build on these skills, enrich their lives and experience
the world from a new perspective.”
President Bill Clinton
“The arts are an important component of education. Music reaches us and teaches us in
ways that can enlighten, and inspire for a lifetime. Some people may see music as
entertainment, not relevant to the problems of the day, but music is very important in
giving a sense of direction and purpose to the youth of our society.”
John Bryan, CEO, Sara Lee Corporation
“During the Gulf War music brought me great peace of mind. I have shared my love of
music with people throughout this world, while listening to the drums and special
instruments of the Far East, Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Far North, and
all of this started with the music appreciation course that I was taught in a third-grade
elementary class in Princeton, New Jersey. What a tragedy it would be if we lived in a
world where music was not taught to children.”
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf — United States Army
“The things I learned from my experience in music in school are discipline, perseverance,
dependability, composure, courage and pride in results. . . Not a bad preparation for the
workforce!”
Gregory Anrig – President, Educational Testing Service
“A grounding in the arts will help our children to see; to bring a uniquely human
perspective to science and technology. In short, it will help them as they grow smarter to
also grow wiser.”
Robert E. Allen – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, AT&T
Corporation
“The back-to basics curricula, while it has merit, ignores the most urgent void in our
present system – absence of self-discipline. The arts, inspiring – indeed requiring – selfdiscipline, may be more basic to our nation's survival than traditional courses.”
Paul Harvey – syndicated radio show host
“In every successful business…there is one budget line that never gets cut. It’s called
‘Product Development’ – and it’s the key to any company’s future growth. Music
education is critical to the product development of this nation’s most important resource
– our children.”
John Sykes — President, VH1
“Music is exciting. It is thrilling to be with a group of people creating the same piece of
music. You are part of a great, powerful, vibrant entity. Music is important. It says things
your heart can't say any other way, and in a language everyone speaks.”
Dan Rather — CBS News
“Music is an essential part of everything we do. Music has an abstract quality which
speaks to a worldwide audience in a wonderful way that nourishes the soul.”
Jim Henson – film/television producer and puppeteer
“Helping our children become the most informed, well-rounded people they can be is the
greatest gift we can offer them. It will allow them to embrace the world and to reach their
full potential in both their personal and professional lives. It is our job, as parents,
educators, and friends, to see that our young people have the opportunity to participate in
music. In addition to learning the valuable lesson that it takes hard work to achieve
success, music education can provide students with a strong sense of determination,
improved communication skills, and a host of other qualities essential for successful
living.”
Edward H. Rensi – President, McDonald's
“Music, of all the liberal arts, has the greatest influence over the passions, and it is that to
which the legislator ought to give the greatest encouragement.”
Napoleon Bonaparte
“Music has a great power for bringing people together. With so many forces in this world
driving wedges between people, it's important to preserve those things that help us
experience our common humanity.”
Ted Turner - Corporate Executive
Why
Music
Matte
rs
Top
10
Lists
(Click on
your
choice
below)
Top Ten Top Ten
List for
List for
Parents Students
Top Ten Top Ten
List for
List for
Schools Everyone
Why Music? Top Ten List for Parents:
1. In a 2000 survey, 73 percent of respondents agree that teens who participate in music
are less likely to have discipline problems.
- Americans Love Making Music – And Value Music Education More Highly Than Ever,
American Music Conference, 2000.
2. Students who can perform complex rhythms can also make faster and more precise
corrections in many academic and physical situations, according to the Center for
Timing, Coordination, and Motor Skills.
- Rhythm seen as key to music’s evolutionary role in human intellectual development,
Center for Timing, Coordination, and Motor Skills, 2000.
3. A ten-year study indicates that students who study music achieve higher test scores,
regardless of socioeconomic background.
- Dr. James Catterall, UCLA.
4. A 1997 study of elementary students in an arts-based program concluded that students’
math test scores rose as their time in arts education classes increased.
- “Arts Exposure and Class Performance,” Phi Delta Kappan, October, 1998.
5. First-grade students who had daily music instruction scored higher on creativity tests
than a control group without music instruction.
- K.L. Wolff, The Effects of General Music Education on the Academeic Achievement,
Perceptual-Motor Development, Creative Thinking, and School Attendance of FirstGrade Children, 1992.
6. In a Scottish study, one group of elementary students received musical training, while
another other group received an equal amount of discussion skills training. After six (6)
months, the students in the music group achieved a significant increase in reading test
scores, while the reading test scores of the discussion skills group did not change.
- Sheila Douglas and Peter Willatts, Journal of Research in Reading, 1994.
7. According to a 1991 study, students in schools with arts-focused curriculums reported
significantly more positive perceptions about their academic abilities than students in a
comparison group.
- Pamela Aschbacher and Joan Herman, The Humanitas Program Evaluation, 1991.
8. Students who are rhythmically skilled also tend to better plan, sequence, and
coordinate actions in their daily lives.
- “Cassily Column,” TCAMS Professional Resource Center, 2000.
9. In a 1999 Columbia University study, students in the arts are found to be more
cooperative with teachers and peers, more self-confident, and better able to express their
ideas. These benefits exist across socioeconomic levels.
- The Arts Education Partnership, 1999.
10. College admissions officers continue to cite participation in music as an important
factor in making admissions decisions. They claim that music participation demonstrates
time management, creativity, expression, and open-mindedness.
- Carl Hartman, “Arts May Improve Students’ Grades,” The Associated Press, October,
1999.
(Back To Top of Page)
Why Music? Top Ten List for Students:
1. A 2000 Georgia Tech study indicates that a student who participates in at least one
college elective music course is 4.5 times more likely to stay in college than the general
student population.
- Dr. Denise C. Gardner, Effects of Music Courses on Retention, Georgia Tech, 2000.
2. On the 1999 SAT, music students continued to outperform their non-arts peers, scoring
61 points higher on the verbal portion and 42 points higher on the math portion of the
exam.
- Steven M. Demorest and Steven J. Morrison, “Does Music Make You Smarter?,” Music
Educators Journal, September, 2000.
3. Students who participate in All-State ensembles consistently score over 200 points
higher on the SAT than non-music students. This figure indicates that students can pursue
excellence in music while also excelling academically.
- Texas Music Educators Association, 1988-1996.
4. Students with good rhythmic performance ability can more easily detect and
differentiate between patterns in math, music, science, and the visual arts.
- “Rhythm seen as key to man’s evolutionary development,” TCAMS Professional
Resource Center, 2000.
5. Students in arts programs are more likely to try new things, and they can better express
their own ideas to friends, teachers, and parents.
- Champions of Change, the President’s Council on the Arts and Humanities, 1999.
6. College students majoring in music achieve scores higher than students of all other
majors on college reading exams.
- Carl Hartman, “Arts May Improve Students’ Grades,” The Associated Press, October,
1999.
7. Music students demonstrate less test anxiety and performance anxiety than students
who do not study music.
- “College-Age Musicians Emotionally Healthier than Non-Musician Counterparts,”
Houston Chronicle,
1998.
8. The average scores achieved by music students on the 1999 SAT increased for every
year of musical study. This same trend was found in SAT scores of previous years.
- Steven M. Demorest and Steven J. Morrison, “Does Music Make You Smarter?,” Music
Educators Journal, September, 2000.
9. A majority of the engineers and technical designers in Silicon Valley are also
practicing musicians.
- The Case for Sequential Music Education in the Core Curriculum of the Public Schools,
Center for the Arts in the Basic Curriculum, 1997.
10. Nine out of ten people with music experience are extremely pleased and satisfied that
they took part in music.
- “Music Ed Survey,” Giles Communications, 2000.
(Back To Top of Page)
Why Music? Top Ten List for Schools:
1. A group of second grade students in inner-city Los Angeles received piano training
twice a week, and they used specialized computer software that related the piano lessons
to math concepts. On standardized math tests, fifty (50) percent of the second graders
scored as well as fifth grade students in affluent Orange County, California. The scores of
the entire second grade group were equal to the scores of fourth grade students in Orange
County.
- “Music On the Mind,” Newsweek, July 24, 2000
2. In a 2000 Gallup Poll, seventy-five (75) percent of respondents believe music helps
students do better in other subjects, such as math and science.
- Gallup Poll Shows Strong Support for Putting Music in Every School’s Curriculum,
Giles Communications, 2000.
3. Second and third grade students who were taught fractions through musical rhythms
scored one hundred (100) percent higher on fractions tests than those who learned in the
conventional manner.
- “Rhythm Students Learn Fractions More Easily,” Neurological Research, March 15,
1999
4. Students involved in arts programs had significantly higher class attendance rates than
a comparison group.
- Pamela Aschbacher and Joan Herman, The Humanitas Program Evaluation, 1991.
5. Classroom teachers in Rhode Island noted improved behavior and attitudes among a
test group of students given intensive arts training.
- “Music Training Helps Underachievers,” Nature, May 26, 1996
6. More than nine out of ten people believe that schools should offer musical instruction
as part of their regular curriculum.
- Americans Love Making Music – And Value Music Education More Highly Than Ever,
American Music Conference, 2000.
7. Teachers in schools with strong arts programs report greater professional interest,
motivation, self-development, and increased innovation in the classroom.
- Champions of Change federal study, 1999.
8. States should mandate music education for all students, according to seventy-eight (78)
percent of respondents in a 2000 survey.
- Attitudes, NAMM (International Music Products Association), 2000.
9. Ninth grade students in a Chicago arts program achieved reading scores that were a full
grade level higher than students not in the program. All other variables, including race,
gender, and socioeconomic status, were equal in this study.
- CAPE Study, President’s Council on the Arts and Humanities, 2000.
10. When faced with a problem to solve, students in music and the arts produce more
possible solutions, and their solutions are more creative, according to a nationwide study.
- N. M. Weinberger, “Arts Education Enhances ‘Real Life’ Personal Skills,” MuSICA
Research Notes, Spring 2000.
(Back To Top of Page)
Why Music? Top Ten List for Everyone:
1. Ninety-five (95) percent of people responding to a 2000 Gallup Poll believe that music
is part of a well-rounded education.
- Gallup Poll Shows Strong Support for Putting Music in Every School’s Curriculum,
Giles Communications, 2000.
2. Practicing musicians demonstrate 25 percent more brain activity than non-musicians
when listening to musical sounds.
- Exposure to Music Is Instrumental to the Brain, University of Muenster.
3. In a 1998 study, retirees who participated in group keyboard lessons reported
decreased anxiety, decreased depression, and decreased loneliness when compared to a
control group.
- Scientific Study Indicates That Making Music Makes the Elderly Healthier, American
Music Conference, 1998.
4. People who participate in the arts live longer than others, according to a Swedish
study.
- British Medical Journal, 1996.
5. At-risk children participating in an arts program that includes music show significant
increases in self-concept, as measured by the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale.
- Project ARISE: Meeting the needs of disadvantaged students through the arts, Auburn
University, 1992.
6. Martin Gardiner of Brown University tracked the criminal records of Rhode Island
residents from birth through age 30, and he concluded the more a resident was involved
in music, the lower the person’s arrest record.
- “Music Linked to Reduced Criminality,” MuSICA Research Notes, Winter 2000.
7. The part of the brain responsible for planning, foresight, and coordination is
substantially larger for musicians than for the general public.
- “Music On the Mind,” Newsweek, July 24, 2000.
8. Students who participate in school msuic ensembles have the lowest levels of current
and lifelong use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs among any group in our society.
- H. Con. Res 266, United States Senate, June 13, 2000.
9. In a French study, the use of melodies was shown to stimulate speech recovery in
stroke victims.
- Neurology, December, 1996.
10. Taking a music elective course is a better indicator that a student will stay in college
than high SAT scores or high GPA.
- Dr. Denise C. Gardner, Effect of Music Courses On Retention, Georgia Tech, 2000.
(Back To Top of Page)
Why Teach
Music?
Music is a Science
Music is exact, specific: and it demands precise acoustics. A conductor’s full score is a
chart, a graph which indicates frequencies, intensities, volume changes, melody and
harmony all at once and with the most accurate control of time.
Music is Mathematical
Music is rhythmically based on the subdivisions of time into fractions which must be
done instantaneously, not worked out on paper.
Music is a World Language
The text of choral works utilize every known written language of the world. Most of the
terms are in Italian, German, or French; and the notation is certainly not English - but a
highly developed kind of shorthand that uses symbols to represent ideas. The semantics
of music is the most complete and universal language.
Music is History
Music reflects the society, environment and times of its creation.
Music is Physical Education
Music requires fantastic coordination of fingers, hands, arms, lips, facial muscles, in
addition to extraordinary control of the back, abdominal, diaphragmatic and chest
muscles, which must respond instantly to the sound the ear hers and the mind interprets.
Music is all of these things, but most of all, Music is art
Music allows a human being to take all these techniques and use them to create and
interpret feelings. This is one thing science cannot duplicate: the expression of emotions,
that which makes us human.
This Is Why We Teach Music:
So students can recognize beauty
So students learn to be sensitive
To provide something for students to cling to
So students will have more love, more beauty, more compassion, more life!
Of what value will it be to make a prosperous living unless you know how to
live?
This is why we teach music!
Mission Statement:
We believe that all students are innately musical. The Mason City Community School District vocal music program
enables the integration of the intellectual, physical, creative, aesthetic, and social skills which will develop
productive and well-rounded citizens for a global community.
High School Choral Program Philosophy:
Music is a language of special communicative powers that liberate and excite the human spirit. Music facilitates
student growth in an awareness and appreciation of themselves, exploring their feelings and emotions. The practice
and study of choral music enriches the lives of students by enabling an artistic experience for each individual within
the ensemble. The Mason City High School choral program strives to develop the intellectual, physical, creative,
aesthetic and social skills of the members of the choirs. Instructional goals relate to the following objectives:
1. To facilitate development of aesthetic expression and appreciation of choral music in an environment which
promotes students’ artistic appreciation, expression and creative thinking
2. To study a varied repertoire of choral literature that will demonstrate student mastery of vocal skills and create a
broader understanding of varied cultures and beliefs
3. To foster a sense of belonging and community for all students in the choir through tolerance, trust and respect of
individual similarities and differences
4. To engage audiences in artistic experiences in order to create an education of the mind, heart and soul for both
performer and listener
5. To promote student growth in self confidence by striving to elevate their level of performance through a
curriculum that promotes sequential vocal development
6. To develop the gifts, skills and attitudes of students that will encourage the use of the singing voice as a lifelong
instrument
7. To cultivate opportunities that generate student self-awareness and develop a positive self image
8. To create a safe and open atmosphere for critical analysis of individual and ensemble performance through
assessments that will monitor both group and individual student development
Vocal Music Program Standards and Benchmarks
1. The learner will demonstrate a functional knowledge of music
Benchmarks:
The learner will understand rhythm
The learner will understand melody
The learner will understand form
The learner will understand timbre
The learner will understand harmony
2. The learner will respond to music
Benchmarks:
The learner will respond through singing
The learner will respond through movement
The learner will respond by interpreting cues from the director
The learner will respond utilizing performance etiquette
3. The learner will utilize developmentally appropriate vocal technique
Benchmarks:
The learner will demonstrate proper posture
The learner will demonstrate appropriate diction
The learner will demonstrate appropriate vocal register
The learner will demonstrate vocal support
The learner will demonstrate appropriate balance and blend
4. The learner will understand and demonstrate developmentally appropriate musicianship
Benchmarks:
The learner will sing a varied repertoire alone and with others
The learner will interpret expressive musical elements
The learner will sing with appropriate ensemble blend and balance
The learner will sing with an understanding of appropriate musical and historical style
5. The learner will analyze and evaluate music
Benchmarks:
The learner will apply critical listening skills.
The learner will apply technical reading strategies to a variety of music
The learner will apply the fundamentals of music to interpret musical structures
6. The learner will experience and interpret a variety of musical styles
Benchmarks:
The learner will understand attributes of music from historical periods
The learner will compare and contrast elements of music of different cultures
The learner will experience musical examples of different genres
7. The learner will utilize technology to enhance musical learning and enjoyment
Benchmarks:
The learner will utilize MIDI to enhance musical practice
The learner will enhance musical understanding through computer aided instruction
The learner will utilize MIDI to compose music
Vocal Music Program Values
The Mason City Community School District vocal music program values the following imperatives for learning, and
will focus planning and decision-making through them:
• The uniqueness of each individual
• Learning as a process which requires the active engagement of all individuals
• Teaching and learning in a variety of styles and models to assure success for all students
• Continuing and ongoing improvement in teacher and learner interactions
• An outcomes-driven curriculum which provides feedback on performance to students, staff, parents, and the
community
• Lifelong learning
Vocal Music Program Philosophy:
Music has unique qualities that make it a most desirable medium of organized aesthetic education. People
universally respond to music and can find satisfaction and meaning through experience with it. Although abilities
vary, every person can find enrichment and enjoyment not only as a consumer but also as a producer of music. Who
can question the importance of the aesthetic experience in the life of a human being? Who can deny the prevalent
influence of musical art in all cultures throughout history? Who can challenge the fact that music lends itself to
organized instruction, group participation and enhances interdisciplinary learning? Therefore we believe that schools
and teachers are responsible for providing:
1. An environment which promotes aesthetic appreciation, expression and creative thinking skills
2. An awareness of music as a life-long activity and skill
3. Musical experiences that are free from sacred, secular, sexist, ethnic, physical and cultural bias
4. Opportunities that generate student confidence which will develop a positive self image
5. A curriculum that promotes sequential vocal maturation
6. A safe and open atmosphere for critical analysis of individual and ensemble performance
7. An interdisciplinary approach to musical knowledge, skills and abilities
8. Proper assessments that will monitor group and individual development
9. Communication with parents, guardians and the community to keep them knowledgeable of program expectations
and the importance of their involvement
10. Exposure to technology as it relates to/affects music
11. An awareness of career activities in the music field
12. Performance opportunities that will demonstrate mastery of vocal skills as deemed by the performance repertoire
District Mission Statement
To provide quality education for all in a caring and responsive environment.
District Learning Goals
Placing our emphasis on Learner Goals requires us to determine what is significant for all of our students to
demonstrate. When all our students can demonstrate these six learner goals, we know we will have accomplished
our mission.
• The student will perform as a self directed learner
• The student will communicate appropriately and effectively
• The student will accept responsibility in a diverse global society
• The students will think creatively and critically
• The student will access and use technology
• The student will participate in opportunities for personal growth and well-being
District Vision Statement
In the Mason City Community Schools every student will excel and develop into a responsible and productive
citizen. Our staff, parents and community will support and nurture students to reach their highest potential.
Guiding Principles
The district believes in the following guiding principles, and will focus present and future planning and decisionmaking through them:
• All individuals can lean given the appropriate opportunities, resources and time.
• A learning environment that is safe and intellectually stimulating promotes a quality education.
• Positive relationships enhance the learning process.
• Diversity enriches the learning environment.
• Partnerships among schools, homes and communities are essential to quality education.
All curriculum materials on this page are copyrighted by the Mason City
Community School District
M
u
si
c
Is
:
“Music is a labyrinth with no beginning and no end, full of new paths to
discover, where mystery remains eternal.”
Pierre Boulez
“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without”
Confucious
“Music is the medicine of the mind.”
John Logan
“Song is the pen of the soul.”
Rabbi Chaim Drizin
“Music washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
Berthold Auerbach
“Music is the triumph over chaos.”
John Cheever
“Chaos is a friend of mine.”
Bob Dylan
“Music, the mosaic of the air.”
Andrew Marvell
“Music is a human activity having for its purpose the highest and best
feelings to which humankind has risen.”
Tolstoi
“Music is the universal language.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“Music is the soul of geometry.”
Paul Claudel
“Musical sound lies within the very hearts of the atoms.”
Dr. Donald Andrews
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
“Nothing on earth is so well suited to make the sad merry, the merry sad, to
give courage to the despairing, to make the proud humble, to lesson envy
and hate, as music.”
Martin Luther
“Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast.”
James Bramston
“My essential purpose in singing is to help the listener understand reality.”
Pete Seeger
“The only reality in music is the state of mind which it induces in the
listener.”
Stendahl
“Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.”
Voltaire
“Laugh and be merry, remember, better the world with a song.”
John Masefield
“Soul is when you can take a song and make it a part of you.”
Ray Charles
“Music has no beginning and no end, for it is the very pulse of life itself.”
Larry Williams
“Music is enough for a lifetime - but a lifetime is not enough for music.
Sergey Rakhmaninov