Music is an essential co-curricular option for elementary, middle school, and high school students. Nancy Ditmer, professor of music and director of the Scot Marching and Symphonic Bands at The College of Wooster, discusses the value of music education and the importance of preserving music programs in our nation’s schools.

Q. Why is music such an important part of a school system’s curricular and co-curricular programs?

A. Music, along with the other arts, is an integral part of the history and culture of every civilization. It is through the arts that cultures are defined and that humans can fully express themselves. All students should have access to a balanced and sequential program in music that allows them to develop their full potential as human beings. Studying music teaches students how to communicate, fosters creativity, improves cognitive and problem-solving skills, and improves student attendance. The National Skills Standards Board identified analysis, teamwork, communication, and decision making as important skills for the 21^st century workplace. Students can learn these skills through the study of music and the other arts.

Q. Can playing a musical instrument accelerate a student’s cognitive development?

A. There are numerous reports linking the study of music with increased academic success. High school students who have studied music achieve higher scores on the SAT and other learning aptitude tests. Studies of younger children have demonstrated links between music experiences and increased spatial-temporal reasoning. Other research has shown that students who participate in instrumental music achieve greater academic success than their non-participating peers. While there is no proof of a cause-and-effect relationship between music study and increased academic success, it is clear that there exists a strong positive correlation.

Q. What are some of the other benefits of studying music and/or playing a musical instrument?

A. While the most important reason for teaching music in the schools is that of its inherent value as an art, there are other potential benefits for students. The study of music enhances learning in other subjects and assists in the acquisition of educational goals such as responsibility, self-esteem, teamwork, and perseverance. Music fosters communication, creativity, and cooperation and in some cases may help some students maintain interest in their own success in school.

Q. Should all students be required to play a musical instrument?

A. The study of music should be a part of every student’s education for reasons outlined throughout this column. A comprehensive music curriculum should provide students with the opportunity to have varied experiences with music, including performing on different kinds of instruments. Students should explore the sounds made by classroom instruments such as guitars, recorders, xylophones, and rhythm instruments, but not all students will wish to pursue the extensive study of traditional band or orchestra instruments. As long as they are receiving appropriate music instruction in the curriculum, the decision about playing in the band or orchestra is probably best left to students and their parents.

Q. Why is music always one of the first targets when school systems are forced to make budget cuts?

A. It is a common misperception that cutting music programs from schools will save large amounts of money. Music teachers frequently have larger numbers of students in their classes than do the math, science, social studies, and language arts teachers. In reality, it may actually cost money to cut music programs. For example, if there are 100 students in a band, choir, and orchestra and those programs are cut, it may take as many as four teachers to supervise the same number of students who were being taught by one teacher in a large ensemble. There are many instances where it has actually cost school districts additional money when music programs have been reduced or eliminated.

Q. What would happen if music were eliminated from a school’s curricular offerings?

A. The arts, including music, are included in the core curriculum outlined in the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and in the more recent No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. States are required to develop plans to improve student achievement by creating and implementing challenging state standards for core academic subjects and Ohio is doing just that with Arts Content Standards that are scheduled to be adopted by the State Board of Education in December. Because music is defined as a core academic subject, the elimination of it from the curriculum is unacceptable and would deny students opportunities for increased success in school, in society, and in life.