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Ezra Simmons

Prof. Garrett

Eng. 1201

26 March 2021
The Effect of Music Education

With some high schools in America struggling for funds, many schools have resorted to

defunding a crucial part of students’ education: the music and fine arts programs. When schools

defund their fine arts departments, important questions arise. Some of the bigger questions

remain: ‘what benefits did music education bring the students?’ and moreover, ‘how much has

music education really affected the students’ futures?’

With the sudden spike in defunding of music education, one must wonder what caused a

shift in mindset? According to Jen McDonald of KMPreform, “When the No Child Left Behind

Act (NCLB Act) was passed, it put more focus in schools on core subjects like math and

reading,” (McDonald). Jen goes on to say that due to the focus on math and reading, the school

systems choose to give more money to those subjects so they can increase their standardized

testing scores. Programs like Band, or Orchestra, that require the purchase of many expensive

instruments, can be costly toward the school. Additionally, the mindset behind the arts education

cuts is that with the No Child Left Behind Act, more schools were required to look more in the

direction of standardized testing and academics for students. While testing for academic success

is beneficial in ways, one would be taking away a crucial part of a child’s development. Also,

while music education can be expensive, that doesn’t mean that the school board has to pay for

the instruments themselves. Schools can easily require the use of a student bought instrument

with minimal school-owned instruments, so that way costs and possible misuse of school
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property can be reduced overall. Music and art education directly help arts academics compared

to other extracurriculars in schools.

Because this movement of reallocating schools funds away from music and arts programs

is fairly new, one must look at the reasons why musical curriculum was initially implemented, or

in other words, the benefits it has on the students’ futures. With this, one can see not only the

impact that music education has on children, but also on their future, with some of the effects

ranging from increased performance in the brain, better academics, and improved graduation

rates, all of which help shape children into more successful individuals.

An increase in brain functionality and effectiveness in children and adults is an important

aspect to music education. One of the ways this can be established is through an increase in

neural plasticity.

Neural plasticity is the term used to describe the brain’s capability to learn new ideas; for

instance, someone whose brain is very plastic may understand concepts without much

explanation, while someone whose brain isn’t may have difficulty understanding them.

According to Nina Kraus and Travis White-Schwoch, it is stated that practicing music early in

life can increase neural plasticity (Kraus, White-Schwoch, 211). Put simply, this means that as a

child, practicing music early on in life can decrease the time it takes to learn new concepts.

Through surveying a variety of age groups on their brain function, hearing abilities, and

cognition, Kraus and White-Schwoch discovered that music leaves a lifelong imprint on the

brain. As an example, they stated that the neural responses from a 65 year-old musician were

indistinguishable from a 25 year-old’s (Kraus, White-Schwoch, 211). This means that by taking

time and establishing musical roots earlier on can help children grow in the future, and can give

them a headstart on brain functionality above others in their grade. Additionally, in his book
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Musicophilia, Oliver Sacks heavily researches and looks into answers for some of music’s

biggest questions with the mind, revolving around disabilities and music, to music and education.

In regards to a child’s plastic and teachable brain, Sacks quotes Takako Fujioka when saying,

“Takako Fujioka and her colleagues, [by] examine[ing] auditory evoked potentials in the brain,

have recorded striking changes in the left hemisphere of children who have had only a single

year of violin training, compared to children with no training,” (Sacks, 95). Sacks is saying that

sounds produced from the instrument created activity in the brain that wasn’t present when a

normal brain is observed, specifically on the logical side of the brain. This proves that there is a

difference in children practicing music compared to children who typically don’t play an

instrument based on brain activation and functionality, and that music education and practice can

help children develop into more learned individuals through a logical paradigm.

On the effectiveness side, private lessons, which are a subcategory of music education

primarily focused on the individual, are also proven to have a direct impact on IQ. E. Glenn

Schellenberg, under University of Toronto, conducted his own research in 2004 stating that

substantial increases in IQ were measured with IQ tests before and after thirty-six weeks of

lessons. A random assignment of individual children (six years of age) were used in the test, with

the lessons provided in vocals, keyboard, and drama. (Schellenberg, 319). Schellenberg also

went to the lengths to run a similar experiment, but this time with family income and education

provided in the analysis. The experiment was also completed on one-hundred and fifty

undergraduate students. Schellenberg states, “The association between years of playing music

regularly and IQ was smaller than the one observed in childhood but it was statistically reliable

even after accounting for individual differences in family income and parents’ education”

(Schellenberg, 319). This means that generally speaking adults in music have a higher tendency
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to develop higher IQ and logical skills, even when the disparity between results is closened.

Through Schellenberg’s study, this is proof that children when practicing music achieve a higher

IQ than would be observed from the average childs’ IQ. Additionally, this also proves that when

a child develops into an adult, that the IQ benefits provided from playing an instrument transfer

are statistically significant and above the average adult IQ.

The Mozart Effect, popularized by the media, has been one of the most commonly known

benefits of children listening to music. Sacks, the author of Musicophilia, says this surrounding

the Mozart Effect: “even a brief exposure to classical music can stimulate or enhance

mathematical, verbal, and visuospatial abilities in children - the so-called Mozart effect,” (Sacks,

95). Sacks is saying that even listening to Mozart for a brief period of time can positively affect

brain function. However, further research has been determined based on a study conducted by E.

Glenn Schellenberg that the Mozart Effect is actually based on one’s emotional response to the

music, which in turn also improves a variety of cognitive tasks (Schellenberg, 318). In addition

to a strong logical connection that comes with playing music, there is an emotional connection

that also comes to listening to music that benefits spatial awareness and other brain functions.

Schellenberg reached this conclusion by cross examining different composer’s pieces, one by

Albinini, and one composed by Mozart. Schellenberg states, “Our participants heard a fast-tempo

piece by Mozart in a major key, or a slow-tempo piece by Albinoni in a minor key,”

(Schellenberg, 318). Schellenberg then says that while there was an increase in spatial awareness

with Mozart, there was no spatial awareness with Albinoni - each compared to silence as a

control. This proves that with contrasting styles, modes, and tempi presented and written by the

composer, different effects are presented to the listener. This directly applies to music education

for a specific reason. In music education, one of the biggest benefits from a musical standpoint is
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exposure to pieces of different styles and genres. One of the genres that is constant no matter the

repertoire are marches - generally fast paced, ionian (major mode, happy sounding) pieces. This

is where the Mozart Effect thrives. While it may affect the emotional side of the brain, it is a

benefit that can contribute toward a child’s success and future.

It was stated prior that music, whether through the Mozart Effect, IQ, or otherwise, that

the function of the left hemisphere of the brain was improved through music.This can easily be

applied to academics and students’ achievement in the classroom.

In 2019, Joanne Heslop released a study titled, “Does Music Make You Smarter?” where

the correlation between music and academics was examined. The study was conducted in

England, and looks at roughly 150,000 students’ successes and futures. Heslop found that: “a

larger proportion of students with music experience achieved A’s and B’s (62.9%) than students

without music experience (51.2%),” (Heslop, 30). This is evidence that music students surveyed

overall achieved higher grades and academics because of band, orchestra, or music education in

general, by margins of up to 10%. In another study by S. Andy Whisman, Whisman studied a

Virginian class for four years, and compared the academic performance of students in and out of

arts participation. In an excerpt of the study, Whisman states, “students were about 1.3 times

more likely to reach proficiency [in mathematics] when earning 3 arts credits and 1.6 times more

likely when earning 4 or more,” (Whisman, 8). Whisman goes on to explain that the odds were

even better in terms of reading and language arts - with a slight increase in proficiency with two

credits, but a great increase with more than two credits. This is saying that when students earned

roughly three arts credits in language arts, there was an increase in proficiency times 1.6, and an

increase with four credits by 2.2 times average proficiency. From the math side of the spectrum,

this is saying that with three credits, students had a 1.3 times increase in proficiency on average,
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and with four credits taken, a 1.6 times increase in proficiency on average. Whisman also states,

“students who earn 2 or more arts credits during their high school tenure were about 1.3 and 1.6

times more likely to have scored at proficient levels for mathematics and reading/language arts,

respectively.” (Whisman, 6). This also shows that based on Whisman’s research, students that

have taken more than two arts education classes were more likely to be proficient in math

reading/language arts. This fact not only improves the academics of the children, but the

possibility of graduation and their academic futures.

Additionally, Whisman proved in their study was the effect of music education classes on

ACT scores. Whisman says, “Students who earned 2 or more arts credits throughout their high

school years were about 1.5 times more likely to have scored at or above the national average

composite score on the ACT PLAN (Table 4),” (Whisman, 8). Here, Whisman says that there is

a direct correlation between at or above average ACT scores and high school competence of two

or more art courses by a likelihood of 1.5%. This not only improves the futures and college

acceptance rates of children, but also improves the reputations of the individual schools.

Fig. 1. This graphic shows the average logistic regression for students who earned more than

two arts credits versus students who earned no arts credits (Whisman, 8).

Graduation rates on a are a huge factor in a school’s reputation, and also the students’

futures, even through schools with different focuses. Through a study by Victoria Warnet in

Florida on public schooling on publicly available graduation rates, it is evident that while
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graduation and graduation from band have a weak relationship, the graduation rates from seniors

without band classes compared to seniors who had been in band for five years were disparate,

with some examples even ranging from a 66 percent senior graduation rate to 100 percent band

senior graduation rate. In a separate study by Milton Vaughn Ruffin, Ruffin shows that in arts

focused schools compared to normal schools, the graduation rate was, “20.2 percent higher than

the host districts’ average, and 8.5 percent higher than the State average,” (Ruffin, 116). This

shows that despite school type, the evidence is still pointing in the direction of higher graduation

rates from students that have participated in the arts.

In Whisman’s study, “A Cohort Study of Arts Participation and Academic Performance,”

in West Virginia, a different result is found for graduation rates of students that have only stayed

in band from a range of one to two years. Whisman states, “The difference in graduation rates by

arts participation—1 arts credit (96.4%) vs. 2 or more arts credits (97.4%)—was of such small

magnitude as to be of little practical significance for further consideration in the analysis,”

(Whisman, 5). This states that when students have only taken one to two years of band, the

increase in graduation rates was stagnant. While this may be true for the first two years of band,

Warnet proves otherwise. Warnet shows that with an increasing number of consecutive years in

band involvement, graduation rates also increase. By using publicly available data in Ohio on

seniors that have stayed in band for five consecutive years, Warnet analyzed publicly available

graduation statistics and compared the band graduation rates to the average senior graduation

rates. Warnet says, “the band senior graduation rate ranged from 92.39% to 100% with an

average band senior graduation rate of 99.64%, while the overall school graduation rate ranged

from 63.37% to 99.43%, with a school average graduation rate of 84.58%,” (Warnet, 58). Here,

Warnet looks at the difference in graduation rates for seniors participating in band compared to
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seniors not participating in band. The data provided states that seniors in band graduate on

average in a range from 92.39% to 100%, while the seniors not in band ranged from 63.37% to

99.43%. Additionally, when comparing the complete averages of graduation, band senior

graduation laid at 99.64% while overall graduation rate laid at 84.58%. This shows that

graduation rates for seniors that participate in band for five consecutive years have a higher

graduation rate on average compared to the rest of the school’s average graduation rate.

The individual studies by Ruffin and Warnet are from Florida and Ohio respectively -

therefore positive changes with graduation rates and band are being observed through more than

just one location, and not coincidentally or causally - and with this increase in graduation rate

provided by music education, students' futures are set up to move in a positive direction.

Music education brings something new to the table - creativity of expression on a level

that cannot be offered by any other course. High school courses follow guidelines given to them

by high ranking members of the education chain - and while band classes do this, it is to a much

looser degree. The directors have free reign over what pieces are played, and what skills are

improved on because of that. This fact of curriculum choice for students on an individual level

alone should keep schools from defunding their departments, but it has become evident that

schools intend on defunding their music departments in times of financial crisis. With this,

however, comes only the absence of an entire unique scene within every school, and the absence

of the benefits that directly come with it - improved cognitive skills, emotional state, grades and

academic skills, standardized testing scores, and graduation rates - all of which can improve

students’ lives and futures. Ultimately, when does one begin to question whether it truly is the

right decision to defund music education departments, and begin looking to other outlets?
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Works Cited

Heslop, Joanne. “Does Music Make You Smarter?” 25 October 2019.

Kraus, Nina and Travis White-Schwoch. “The Argument for Music Education.” American

Scientist, 29 May 2020.

Mcdonald, Jen. “Funding For Schools’ Arts Programs Ending?” KMPerform, May 2016.

McDonald, J. (2016, May). Funding for schools' art programs ending? Retrieved April 26, 2021,

from https://www.kmsd.edu/site/default.aspx?

DomainID=312&FlexDataID=3316&ModuleInstanceID=1237&PageID=383&PageType=

3&RenderLoc=0&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108

Ruffin, Milton Vaughn. “Does Enrollment in Ohio’s Urban Arts Magnet High Schools Make a

Difference on OGT Scores and the On-Time Graduation Rate? A Descriptive Study.”

Ohio State University, 2013.

Sacks, Oliver. Musicophilia. Alfred A. Knopf, 2007. Print.

Schellenberg, E. Glenn. “Music and Cognitive Abilities.” American Psychological Association,

2005.
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Warnet, Victoria. “Band Enrollments and High School Graduation Rates.” The Florida Music

Education Association, 2019.

Whisman, S. Andy. “A Cohort Study of Arts Participation and Academic Performance.” West

Virginia Department of Education, 1 Aug. 2012.