What are the advantages and disadvantages of a musical education ...
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a musical education ...
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a musical education ...
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‘Let your child listen to whatever he likes. Anything with a good melody will do, although<br />
slow songs may work best for bedtime <strong>and</strong> fast ones for play. In <strong>the</strong> morning, play classical<br />
music (choose something pleasant <strong>and</strong> happy) so he'll wake up in a light <strong>and</strong> upbeat mood’<br />
(1997).<br />
In <strong>the</strong> book ‘Good Music, Brighter Children’, Habermeyer talks about <strong>the</strong> results <strong>of</strong> studies<br />
carried out by university students. ‘Recent scientific studies at some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most respected<br />
universities in <strong>the</strong> world indicate that children introduced to classical music at a young age<br />
read earlier <strong>and</strong> perform better on achievement tests’ (1999, P.344). One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most famous<br />
approaches to music is <strong>the</strong> ‘Mozart Effect’. It is an idea based around a set <strong>of</strong> results that<br />
indicate early exposure to classical music can help contribute to a child’s mental<br />
development. ‘The “Mozart effect” refers to claims that people perform better on tests <strong>of</strong><br />
spatial abilities after listening to music composed by Mozart’ (Thompson, 2001). It is already<br />
clear to see that with such conflicting ideas this subject causes much confusion. There has<br />
still not been any clear conclusion made on what music is definitely best for babies <strong>and</strong> at <strong>the</strong><br />
present time it is still being left to people’s personal (albeit conflicting) opinions.<br />
Children’s minds <strong>are</strong> so vulnerable. From <strong>the</strong> day <strong>the</strong>y <strong>are</strong> born <strong>the</strong>y <strong>are</strong> learning <strong>and</strong><br />
absorbing all that is around <strong>the</strong>m. A baby is born with no concept <strong>of</strong> right or wrong <strong>and</strong> it is<br />
up to <strong>the</strong> people around <strong>the</strong>m as <strong>the</strong>y grow to help feed <strong>the</strong>m with <strong>the</strong> information that will<br />
help determine <strong>the</strong> sort <strong>of</strong> person <strong>the</strong>y will become. If from <strong>the</strong> day a child is born <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
p<strong>are</strong>nts constantly teach <strong>the</strong>m that it is acceptable to steal, cheat, hate, or adversely to love<br />
<strong>and</strong> respect, that child will most likely grow up believing it is <strong>the</strong> truth. Young children <strong>are</strong> so<br />
easily guided by those around <strong>the</strong>m. It is for this very reason that children start school so<br />
young, start to learn <strong>the</strong> piano, or take up a sport. The young mind absorbs information better<br />
than at any o<strong>the</strong>r time in a person’s life. The older we get <strong>the</strong> harder it is to take in new<br />
information <strong>and</strong> learn new skills. We become set in our ways <strong>and</strong> new practices seem alien to<br />
us <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>refore a lot harder to integrate into our day-to-day lives. The vulnerability <strong>and</strong><br />
willingness to learn that young children have is so wonderfully powerful. Their minds <strong>are</strong> so<br />
precious <strong>and</strong> delicate but if placed into <strong>the</strong> wrong h<strong>and</strong>s or surroundings <strong>the</strong> effects can be<br />
devastating <strong>and</strong> sometimes fatal.<br />
Music plays such a huge part in today’s society. It is everywhere we turn: from <strong>the</strong> films we<br />
watch to <strong>the</strong> boy racers who drive past with explicit lyrical content <strong>and</strong> hard-core drum <strong>and</strong><br />
bass booming from <strong>the</strong>ir car speakers at an intrusively loud volume. It is almost impossible to<br />
last 24 hours without hearing some form <strong>of</strong> music. It is clear to see how introducing music to<br />
children at a young age can benefit <strong>the</strong>m in many ways, but not all types <strong>of</strong> music have <strong>the</strong><br />
same effects. ‘Listening to sexually explicit or violent music lyrics can affect children's<br />
schoolwork, social interactions, mood <strong>and</strong> behaviour’ (Elizabeth, 2009). Explicit <strong>and</strong><br />
provocative lyrics have become a huge part <strong>of</strong> today’s music culture. People seem to have<br />
become almost immune to <strong>the</strong> brutally violent <strong>and</strong> strong sex references that have taken over<br />
<strong>the</strong> music charts. Perhaps some people would be shocked to turn on <strong>the</strong> television at 3<br />
o’clock in <strong>the</strong> afternoon when most children finish school to find a distasteful <strong>and</strong> graphic sex<br />
scene on <strong>the</strong> BBC. This is why <strong>the</strong>re have been boundaries put on what can be shown on<br />
mainstream television before 9 o’clock. Yet at anytime during <strong>the</strong> day you <strong>are</strong> able to turn on<br />
<strong>the</strong> radio to hear popular artists singing about how <strong>the</strong>y go around <strong>the</strong> streets killing people<br />
Music Education in Regard to Children CM6002 Emily McGregor 163930<br />
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