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The Sound of Music

The Influence of Music Education

By Carma Haley Shoemaker

No one is saying that if your son or daughter partakes in musical education that he or she will be the next pop super star, but it can have an influence on where your child goes after high school. "We look for students who have taken part in orchestra, symphonic band, chorus and drama," says Fred Hargadon, a former dean of admissions for Stanford University. "It shows a level of energy and an ability to organize time that we are after here. It shows that they can carry a full academic load and learn something else. It means that these particular students already know how to get involved, and that's the kind of campus we want to have."

Music can be shared or can be very personal and moving. Regardless, many – including students, parents, directors and musicians – feel that music must be enjoyed and preserved for our future generations.

"Civilizations are most often remembered for their art and thought. I have always believed in the definition of an educated man or woman as one who could, if necessary, redound his or her civilization. That means we must teach our students more than hard facts and floppy disks. We must teach them the rich artistic inheritance of our culture and an appreciation of how fine music enriches both the student who studies it and the society that produces it ... The existence of strong music and fine arts curricula are important to keeping the humanities truly humanizing and liberal arts education truly liberating."