Ted Ed video – How playing an instrument benefits your brain

Playing music is an end in itself, regardless of the level of ability attained. The joy of playing music, whether performing, playing with others or just playing for yourself is so uplifting – it calls to the part of us that needs to express emotion.

There is joy too, in the work of figuring out a new piece, or refining your technique, that gives us the satisfaction of meeting a challenge.

As if that wasn’t enough of a reason to encourage us all to take up an instrument, here is a 5 minute Ted Ed video on how learning an instrument benefits our brains.

“Playing music is the brain’s equivalent of a full-body workout, it engages practically every area of the brain. Disciplined, structured practice in playing music strengthens those brain functions, allowing us to apply that strength to other activities.”

“Music has been found to increase the volume and activity of the corpus callosum, the bridge between the two hemispheres, allowing messages to get across the brain faster, and through more diverse routes.”

“Musicians often have higher levels of “executive functions”, a category of interlinked tasks that includes planning, strategizing, and attention to detail, and requires simultaneous analysis of both cognitive and emotional aspects.”

“Musicians exhibit enhanced memory function.”

Click here to watch the video: Ted Ed – How Playing An Instrument Benefits Your Brain

Finding a Piano Teacher

I have been extremely fortunate in that I have never had to formally advertise myself. Right out of high school I was offered a job teaching piano in Upwey South primary school and Menzies Creek primary school. I was then offered a place at Mitcham primary school from the same connection. Meanwhile I was doing some private teaching, seeing family friends and students that old high-school teachers put through to me. When my uni commitments meant that I had to give up teaching at the schools, some students followed me, I began teaching at Music Works Magic, and through word of mouth my student base grew.

Now that I’m moving to Ocean Grove, I’m leaving many dear students behind, and am facing the challenge of starting all over again. For the first time I am going to have to advertise myself. I have created this blogsite as a means of connecting with potential students, as well as other music educators. I’m designing some flyers to drop around the area and to put in the foyers of the local schools. I have an advertisement on Gumtree, and have become a member of Music Teachers Online (view my profile here), I have a spot on Local Business Guide, I’m registered with the Victorian Music Teachers’ Association, I have a listing on True Local, Dlook, Start Local, and Active Activities. I have a linkedin profile. Am I missing anything??

I hope that these will get the word out and I can start teaching in term one. It’s quite sad saying goodbye to my lovely students and their families – I have been with a few of them for years. But I’m excited to meet new students and all the new challenges they will bring.

11 Facts about Music Education

I came across this little beauty today – 11 Facts about Music Education. It has compiled some well-known side-effects of having a sound musical education; children who study music score better in English and maths tests, are more likely to be high earners, and are less likely to use drugs. Even in early childhood the effects of a musical education are wide-ranging and profound; children who have a good musical education have a larger vocabulary and more advanced reading skills, and show greater brain development and memory improvement.

Learning a musical instrument also gives you social skills – students who study the arts have higher levels of self-confidence and work better in teams. They are more cooperative with their peers and teachers and are more likely to stay in school and pursue further education. Studying the arts also equips students to better express themselves and their ideas.

All of this is incredibly interesting, but even without the ‘added benefits’ I think that music education has an intrinsic value of its own; the pleasure of playing an instrument and the joy of having a deep understanding and appreciation of music make any music education a worthy pursuit, one worth promoting in schools and communities everywhere.