In the fourth grade, a little girl enters the middle school band room. The shiny brass and the noise overwhelm her but leave her awestruck. By the end of the night, she picks the trombone, much to her mother’s reluctance.
Even though the little girl cried trying to play “Hot Cross Buns,” the trombone and instrumental music program would become some of the biggest parts of her life.
At least a year of instrumental music should be required for students in middle school.
According to High Resolution Audio, 82% of teens and tweens listen to music every day. That’s a lot of kids and a lot of music.
But who truly appreciates the music they listen to? Who notices what key signature a song is in, or if it’s in common or cut time?
Playing an instrument in school allows students to develop a stronger understanding of music. When I listen to music, after taking five years of school music, I notice the mechanics and math behind a song. I have friends who listen to Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” every day to analyze the bassoon part.
Not everyone has to take it that far, and I don’t expect every student to go home and listen to an hour-long classical piece or experimental jazz every night. Nevertheless, playing an instrument deepens one’s appreciation of music.
Music appreciation isn’t the only reason to play an instrument in middle school. The National Library of Medicine completed studies on the impacts of early musical abilities on kids in the late middle school age.
According to these studies, after examining the academic achievements of music and non-music students between seventh and ninth grade, they found that music students exhibited higher levels of academic achievement compared to non-music students.
Academic success is a large benefit of music education, which should incentivize middle schools to begin making it a requirement.
Music has made me a better listener and propelled my memorization skills in middle school and beyond. It has also made me a better team player, but not good enough to keep me sane during group projects.
Lastly, playing an instrument as a tween or teen promotes dedication and discipline. Being part of a band or musical group requires precision and practice.
According to the Music House School of Music, learning to play an instrument requires a constant, structured practice schedule. Keeping with this routine fosters discipline.
One may argue that forcing students to play instruments would lead to resentment and less appreciation of music. Tiger moms and overly cutthroat piano teachers may have led to this conclusion.
However, middle schools force students to do math and physical education because it is deemed necessary. The reasons above show that music is, in fact, necessary for students as well. The benefits outweigh the possibility of resentment, just like math class does.
Another might say that instrumental music is required in elementary school, which should be a sufficient amount of music education. But those kids need more. If we’re being completely honest, a class of 9-year-olds blasting air through recorders once a week can’t even be called music.
If middle schools require students to learn and play an instrument, students and schools will feel the effects as kids progress in their lives. Whether or not they end up playing in the San Francisco Symphony or never picking up an instrument again, the benefits will be felt.
