Your Child Must Learn Music

Soothing the savage breast: the benefits of music

Music has been shown to be beneficial to children in more ways than one. While the lasting impact of the much-hyped Mozart effect (which says that listening to music can improve a child’s IQ) is under question, various studies have shown that learning music may enhance math, spatial-temporal and verbal abilities along with improving general intelligence. Music is said to be capable of actually rewiring the brain’s circuits in a particular way, such that songs linked to new pieces of information can cause the latter to be imprinted in one’s mind!

Science aside, musicians, experts in the field, parents of children who learn music and the children themselves are all in agreement that learning music has many beneficial effects.

According to US-based Dr. Ajay Divakaran, who has a passion for, and training in, Hindustani music, “Children become more confident when they learn music. Some time ago, I started teaching a child with a speaking disability, and now, thanks to music, not only has he overcome his disability, but is also eager to perform on stage!”

Adds Smitha Krishnan, a proficient violinist (western and Carnatic styles) and vocalist (Carnatic) who lives in the US, “Learning music has been the most important thing in my life. Music taught me discipline. It taught me that dedication is required for anything and everything I do. It has taught me that while giving up may be the easy thing to do, it is not the right thing to do. Music has also helped me through a lot of stressful times.”