Music
instruments improve mathematical ability, self-esteem and concentration
When Bill lived in Europe a few years ago, he
was fascinated at the white man’s interest in the piano. Conversations with
friends about children were rarely complete without a phrase like “she is doing
her piano lessons” or “his piano skills are amazing”.
One got the impression that a nine-year-old
English or French child who is not playing a music instrument was some sort of
paragon of bad parenting.
Upon doing some research, Bill learnt that
playing a music instrument could positively affect learning and thinking
abilities of children. But the theory seemed farfetched.
Last year, Bill, a man who easily mentally
works out his bill as shop attendants are still working their calculators, was
perturbed by his son’s average grades in mathematics. And so he tried the
musical experiment: he got a teacher to introduce the son to the piano. Now, Bill
is a parent on song.
The motivations could be different, but
Kampala seems to be teeming with parents waxing lyrical – literally – about pianos
and guitars. Individual music teachers and places like Kampala Music School are
inundated with requests to teach children of upmarket parents. One of President
Museveni’s granddaughters is among the learners, with reports of parental
pressure moving the child from uninterested to passionate about the violin.
Some of these parents just want children to
be kept busy during holidays. But others have found out what Josephat Nsimiire and Bill’s European friends have long known.
Now at Kampala International School, Nsimiire has been teaching children how to play the
guitar and piano for six years now. Among other things, Nsimiire says, playing
an instrument helps children to learn patience, dedication and tolerance.
CONCENTRATION
Bill could not agree more.
“One of the things I found out was that
learning the piano helps the child to develop the capacity to slow down and
consider the next note they need to play – something that will help them become
critical thinkers as adults,” says Bill, whose son is already demanding his own
keyboard at home.
Yet the excitement and eagerness that these
infants (5-10 years) present at the start of learning a musical instrument makes
one wonder if they can concentrate on anything. Nsimiire has had to deal with
this challenge, which, perhaps only shows why children need the instruments –
so they can replace that rushing with criticality.
“When they get to concentrate and know that
they cannot play all instruments at once, then the effects of concentration
develop so much so that a child is able to discern even the small or soft
sounds,” Nsimiire says.
MATHEMATICAL
A few months after Bill put his son on the
piano, the youngster brought home a report with a distinction in mathematics.
Bill thinks this could be a coincidence;
he believes any benefits may come much later.
Yet it may not be a coincidence. Because
music is associated with rhythm, says Natasha Chong, the deputy director of
Kampala Music School, a child playing a musical instrument is able to enhance
their mathematical skill.
In the process of a child learning to play a
musical instrument, the logical and creative parts of the brain are fully utilized
because music calls for their interrelated input. Owing to this fact, children
who know how to play instruments are usually better than their age mates in
other learning areas.
A study was done in the US where 22 children from age three to
four and a half years were given either singing lessons or keyboard
lessons. A control group of 15 children received no music lessons at all.
Both groups participated in the same preschool activities and the results
showed that preschoolers who had weekly keyboard lessons improved their
spatial-temporal skills 34% more than the other children.
LONGTERM BENEFITS
Playing a musical instrument also helps children enhance their
confidence, team work and obedience.
“The purpose of learning how to play a musical instrument is to be
able to play it in front of others,” Chong says. “The more children get up in
front of people and perform like at concerts, the more they reduce stage
fright.”
Bill adds that because
critical thinking is at the cornerstone of academic progress in the west, ‘musical’
children will grow up with what may appear a natural disposition to think through
and solve problems.
Last year, researchers at McMaster University in Canada revealed
that children exposed to classical music are more advanced in terms of motor
skills (eye and hand coordination) and linguistic and intellectual development
than babies who received no musical stimulus. This is because music sharpens
babies’ sensitivity to pitch, timing and timbre and as a result their capacity
to discern emotional intonation in speech. Scientists now believe that
listening to music is one of those “brain-building” experiences.
Yet, Chong says, many Ugandan parents are reluctant to let
their children learn musical instruments because they do want to invest in the
subject in terms of finances and time. Also, like Bill at the beginning, these
parents never played instruments themselves, and they can hardly see immediate
benefits.
STARTING
EARLY
Chong advises parents to interest their
children in playing music instruments at an early age because this opens up
many opportunities for development of cognitive skills and it is an enjoyable
way to build someone’s esteem.
For beginners (about 5 years) a piano, violin, recorder and guitar
because it is easier for a child as it involves coordinated hand movements on
the instrument to produce music. Wind instruments like the flute, trombone, trumpet
and bassoon among others are recommended for slightly older children.
Chong notes that the clarinet, a wind instrument used in brass
bands is among the difficult instruments to learn how to play because it takes
a lot of patience and determination to make coordinated sound.
Perfecting the art of playing a music
instrument may last three to six months for a child.
At Kampala Music School (KMS), the trend of
teaching music and learning how to play a musical instrument is usually 20 to
30 minutes and one hour for the older students. This is done once a week for a
term which lasts 12 weeks.
Later this year, the school will start
lessons for children less than five years.
Chong however cautions that everyone has to be careful to have an
all round education and not only put emphasis on learning musical instruments.
That is Bill’s thinking. He does not fear that the piano will
interfere with his son’s education. Rather, he wants it to enhance his learning
abilities. And for now results are looking good.
Teaching
music in Europe:
Unlike Uganda where many school
abscond teaching music because of limited qualified teachers and emphasis on
theory subjects, learning music is a compulsory subject from nursery to middle school in
Europe.
According to the European
Association for music in schools, nursery school the class teacher is fully responsible for
teaching music, which is part of aesthetic education including music, art and
drama. In the vast majority of primary schools music is taught by music
specialists. In primary schools, music is taught two lessons per week for 45
minutes. In secondary schools, music is taught one lesson per week for 45
minutes.
