Benefits of music education

Music is an important part of our everyday life in the society and societal practices as well as a means for us to self-regulate our feelings, moods and behaviours. Research has found music affecting concentration and learning (Huotilainen, 2019), brain rehabilitation and well-being (Särkämö, Tervaniemi, Laitinen, Forsblom, Soinila, Mikkonen, Autti, Silvennoinen, Erkkilä, Laine, Peretz & Hietanen, 2008) as well as affecting emotional and vitality control (Saarikallio

& Erkkilä, 2007). Creative subjects also teach necessary skills for living in a modern day society such as problem-solving skills, self-expression, cognitive skills and creative thinking. Basic education aims to prepare students for a good life teaching them the necessary skills. Kovanen (2019) highlights the importance of not just focusing on the skills required for employment but instead providing versatile meaningful experiences taking into account the tendencies of the students. Further societal discussion is required to shift the focus on art education contributing to holistic education and the general education goals as well as to note the benefits of art education for individuals and societies instead of art education being seen as something fun to do whilst “real” learning happens in other subjects. (Kovanen, 2019, 163-171.)

The benefits of music learning have been widely researched and discussed (Huotilainen, 2019; Hallam, 2010; Schellenberg, 2011; Welch & Ockelford, 2015; Seppänen & Tervaniemi,

2008; Linnavalli, 2019; Hodges, 2018; Kovanen, 2019, Saarikallio & Erkkilä, 2007). Hodges (2018) describes the benefits of music education through primary benefits resulting only from music and secondary benefits gained from music but also from other experiences. He continues to highlight that benefits gained from music may not be better nor worse than other experiences but they are different and experiencing a full range of human experiences is important for students. (Hodges, 2018, 96.)

Hallam (2010) divides the benefits of music to intellectual, personal and social development. She further categorises these benefits as perceptual and language skills, literacy and numeracy skills, intellectual development, general attainment, creativity, social and personal development, physical skills and health benefits. (Hallam, 2010, 2-17.) Perceptual skills link with perceiving musical stimuli and therefore also involve listening skills and elements of music theory. The varied benefits stated above also demonstrate the cross-curricular transfer of skills music education enables. Cross-curricular links and elements of music education such as listening activities and music theory will also be analysed in the music curricula of Finland and Wales. According to Welch and Ockelford (2015) long-term measurable social, cultural, psychological and physical benefits can be generated through active music learning over a sustained period. Music can not only support different aspects of intellectual functioning but also make a powerful and positive difference to health and foster social inclusion and cohesion. (Welch & Ockelford, 2015, 21.) Welch (2011, 248) is urging for music to be included in the core national curriculum subjects in the United Kingdom due to the broad benefits and positive societal effects music education has. Welch and Ockelford (2015, 245) also stress the importance of technology as a tool for learning and creativity as well as a vital part of engagement with humanities and arts such as music. The use of new technologies will also be analysed in the music curricula of Finland and Wales.

Research into music playschool affecting the maturation of children’s neural speech-sound discrimination and related behavioural linguistic measures has proven that musical interventions can support children’s linguistic development (Linnavalli, 2019, 5-65). Hodges (2018, 96-97) has collated researchers’ views describing the effects of music on the different areas of brain function: brain regions for music and language have an anatomical overlap; for precision shared neural resources are placed on a higher demand by music compared to language; physiological measurements and dopamine release correlate strongly with the

intensity of musical chills and successful learning requires emotion; repetition improves efficiency through the increase of myelination and the engagement of necessary networks;

focused attention resulting in intense concentration is required for music. According to Huotilainen (2009) physical changes in the brain can be seen with long-term musical activity with the thickening and widening of the areas utilised for musical activity. Exceptionally strong connections between the different areas of the brain have also been found with long-term musical activity. Short-term music exposure can engage the brain and enable the required mental state of focus for learning. (Huotilainen, 2009, 40.)

Huotilainen (2019, 153) describes music as a gym for a person’s brains developing perception skills, attention skills and memory. Research has also confirmed positive effects of musical training on cognitive abilities and IQ (Schellenberg, 2011, 190-192). Huotilainen (2019) notes that different forms of music and musical action may even be a necessity for the development of communication skills. According to some researchers, speech has developed after music as the communicative language for humanity to express details whereas music has existed first to express the simple and important issues. (Huotilainen, 2019, 153-179).

Seppänen and Tervaniemi (2008) state that research has also shown music training and processing changing both structural and functional elements of the brain. Particularly the processing of music-related complex stimuli and even the processing of speech signals are affected as a result of long-term music training of musicians. (Seppänen & Tervaniemi, 2008, 201.)

Music expresses the feelings of someone else which enables children to distance themselves from the feeling whilst still experiencing the genuine strong feeling (Huotilainen, 2019, 180). Mood and psyche can be controlled with music and through activating the brain music produces hormones generating the feeling of pleasure (Kovanen, 2019, 173). Saarikallio and Erkkilä (2007, 105) researched adolescents’ mood regulation with music finding that music provided resources for restoring and increasing well-being as well as being a versatile means for mood regulation and increasing emotional vitality. Music generates feelings and moods as well as providing a means of coping and a platform for the experimentation of negative feelings.

All of the research results presented in this chapter speak for the importance of music as a national curriculum subject providing a wide variety of benefits for children’s holistic education.

Active from birth or before, receiving of music is a natural creative process of the human mind (Trevarthen, 2012, 276). Children often imitate sounds or people, transform songs and patters as well as move and vocalise spontaneously demonstrating a convergence of self and music along with a sensitivity to the sonic environment (Custodero, 2012, 370). This natural creative process ties in with all aspects of music education and also highlights the importance of musical-kinaesthetic activities in music education and musical expression. Musical-kinaesthetic activities will be analysed in the music curricula of Finland and Wales. Musical materials compel to participate with creative action through their rhythmic vitality, melodic contours, harmonic intensity and phrase structures (Custodero, 2012, 370). Mandatory music education in schools is an opportunity for all students to further develop this connection with music, accessing the benefits of music education and finding their passion and joy for music. A good music curriculum is the starting point for ensuring every child has this opportunity.

In everyday language people often refer to someone being gifted in music simultaneously inferring that music education would only benefit those with the natural gift. This, however, is not the case. Huotilainen (2019, 151) highlights how research has confirmed the effect of singing and instrumental training whereas research hasn’t found any proof for the existence of natural giftedness in music. Creativity is for all. Hill (2012) has researched differing cultural values, belief systems and attitudes that liberate, restrict, encourage or inhibit musical creativity. She found widely varying beliefs about the “why”, “who” and “how” of musical creativity, making musical creativity straightforward and accessible to all in some music cultures whereas in some it was inaccessible to many and of a mystical nature. (Hill, 2012, 87-103.) Some of the music cultures she looked at presented some of the belief systems applicable to Finland and Wales such as Western classical music culture and Finnish contemporary folk tradition. Hill (2012) continues that in Western classical music culture there is a strong focus on repetition rather than improvisation and people are divided into composers, performers and listeners. This is a hierarchical system where creativity and especially composing is seen as a rare ability that only very few have. (Hill, 2012, 89-90.) This type of a belief system inhibits creativity limiting it to only the ones with an innate ability for it. According to Hill (2012) in Finnish contemporary folk music the belief is that everyone has the right to be creative and everyone is capable of composing and improvising. There is a focus on the folk creative process and expression whilst the traditional creative process is respected, learnt and expressed in one’s personal way. (Hill, 2012, 90.)

At the moment Western classical music tradition still has a stronghold in the societies and music education of Finland and Wales. However, research has demonstrated that everyone can truly be creative when they are given the support and encouragement for it in their social and societal environment. Cultural assumptions affecting policy, society, education and especially music curricula are very powerful. Hill (2012, 101) confirms that cultural beliefs are rarely questioned, deeply held and naturalised. Music curricula and music educators have the opportunity to challenge the limiting views of music creativity encouraging participation for all. Children have the right to varied music-making through singing, playing an instrument, making their own music, listening to a varied musical repertoire, finding emotion in music, exploring their sound environment, creating memories and experiences of playing music as well as finding and sharing the joy of music-making (Ruismäki & Juvonen, 2011, 227).