A friend of mine recently sent me some statistical information concerning studying music and how it affects students over the short term and long term. Very interesting and some food for thought!
1. In a 1995 study in Hamilton, Ohio, string students who participated in pullout lessons
averaged higher scores than non-pullout students in all areas of the Ohio Proficiency
Test. 68% of the string students achieved satisfactory ratings on all sections of the test,
compared to 58% of the non-pullout students.
-Michael D. Wallick, “A Comparison Study of the Ohio Proficiency Test Results Between Fourth-Grade String Pullout
Students and Those of Matched Ability,” Journal of Research in Music Education, 1998.
2. More music teachers are role models for minority students than teachers of any other
subject. 36% of surveyed minority students identified music teachers as their role
models, compared to 28% for English teachers, 11% for elementary teachers, and 7%
for physical education teachers.
-”Music Teachers as Role Models for African-American students,” Journal of Research in Music Education, 1993.
3. Researchers at the University of California and the Niigata Brain Research Institute in
Japan have found an area of the brain that is activated only when reading musical
scores.
-”Musical Brain – Special Brain Area Found for Reading Music Scores,” NeuroReport, 1998.
4. The scores of elementary instrumental music students on standardized math tests
increased with each year they participated in the instrumental program.
-”Music Training Helps Underachievers,” Nature, May 26, 1996.
5. A 2000 Georgia Tech study indicates that a student who participates in at least one
college elective music course is 4.5 times more likely to stay in college than the general
student population.
-Dr. Denise C. Gardner, Effects of Music Courses on Retention, Georgia Tech, 2000.