As the emphasis was put on raising test scores in the No Child Left Behind era, time devoted to music and other arts has been significantly reduced, with the perception that arts are nice but not essential to a child's academic experience. This has proved not to be the case, according to Edutopia.org. In fact, depriving students of musical education has had a detrimental impact on their ability to score well on standardized tests.
Studies show that musical intelligence is equal in importance to logical mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, kinesthetic and body intelligence and interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence, explains Howard Gardner, a Harvard psychologist. Students who are exposed to piano lessons are better able to recognize patterns and have better spatial-temporal IQ scores, which are used when doing mathematics. Another outcome of exposure to music is better self esteem.
Colleges recognize that those students who have been involved in music and the arts have a better appreciation of society and are more understanding individuals as well as possess superior intellectual development because music, in particular, enhances brain development.
We all have the inborn potential for musical growth but if it is not encouraged this natural talent can die. Babies enjoy music and are capable of learning and understanding the music of their culture. Babies actually sing on purpose by the time they are a year old and are developing their singing voices.
When a child is involved in music he learns to be cooperative, creative and how to communicate, which serves him well in his daily life.