Music Education

This article struck me in particular because of its conclusion:

“Consider the qualities these high achievers say music has sharpened: collaboration, creativity, discipline and the capacity to reconcile conflicting ideas. All are qualities notably absent from public life. Music may not make you a genius, or rich, or even a better person. But it helps train you to think differently, to process different points of view — and most important, to take pleasure in listening.”

I think this is a very true statement that music helps train your brain to think differently and helps give you the ability to learn better because music requires practice, experience, and knowledge which are all things we talked about in class.

This reminded me of Plato’s arguments in Politics. Towards the end of the section we read, Plato would set up the education system with the four branches, music being one of them. He claims that music education would provide a intellectual outlet for leisure time (VIII.3 p.2123 1338a31-a32). In the NY Times article I found, the author here also mentions how many musicians are not professional, and use music as an outlet and to provide “balance” to their lives. Both Plato and the author of this article agree that music education is important not because it will make someone successful or provide a profession, but rather give people an intellectual outlet for their free time. Because no doubt practicing music allows people to learn and communicate more effectively, which the article argues as well.