There's just a few days to go until PianoFest 2019! The Oxford Piano Group are playing the piano non-stop for 12 hours in order to raise funds so that more disadvantaged young people will have the opportunity to learn the instrument.
We are only too aware of the musical benefits that good quality piano lessons can bring. However, there's a lot more to playing the piano than it might first appear. The research into the power of music is quite extensive and rigorous.
Please do help us in our fund-raising efforts to pass on these substantial benefits.
We are only too aware of the musical benefits that good quality piano lessons can bring. However, there's a lot more to playing the piano than it might first appear. The research into the power of music is quite extensive and rigorous.
Please do help us in our fund-raising efforts to pass on these substantial benefits.
Music* reshapes the brain
‘Active engagement with music produces structural changes in the brain related to the processing of sound’. [1]
Music can help with phonics
Music can help with phonics
- Learning to read notation may have direct transfer effects to reading text as many of the underlying principles are the same
- There is lots of evidence that musical training provides individuals with better overall aural memory
- There is strong evidence that making music has an impact on spatial reasoning
- Rhythm and movement seem to be particularly important for us as a species
2. Musical training matters.
‘Children who experience musical training have an advantage across all subjects except sport’
- In research studies children who learnt an instrument made better progress in school, no matter the level they started from
- Start young!
- The longer the training the bigger the impact
3. Music has a direct link to our emotions
'It reaches the parts of the brain other things can’t do’.
- Music can improve our mood – how many pupils come into lessons with a frown and go out with a smile?
- Music can reduce anger
- Singing and playing with others gives a sense of belonging
4. Music improves self belief
‘When children engage in music and get positive feedback it helps them to develop a stronger self belief’
- The opportunity to perform with positive and constructive feedback can be highly motivating (performance can cover a variety of contexts including informal and more formal settings
This blog post was originally written by Dr Sally Cathcart for The Curious Piano Teachers
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