What are the advantages and disadvantages of a musical education ...

meaning, it implies that today’s society may be confused by what the true meaning of a good
role model really is. It is quite a worrying thought to think that if a time arises in these young
girls’ lives when someone wants to take provocative photos of them on a videophone they
will think it acceptable due to the subliminal messages that are everywhere in today’s music.
The messages portrayed in some of these songs totally contradict the messages that are taught
by a lot of parents regarding safety, sex, and self-respect. Messages can be so easily
reinforced and embedded into the human mind through the use of music. If Beyonce gave a
public speech on how she likes to send provocative and sexually explicit images of herself on
her videophone or if Rihanna talked openly on television about how she took part in S&M,
there would be worldwide outrage. It is that exact message they are sending out in their
songs, yet when masked with a catchy melody and strong beat these lyrics are believed to be
totally acceptable for young children to listen to. In many cases it is quite probable that
parents are unaware of the lyrics to these songs and are just as sucked in and blinded by the
catchy melodies and well-produced backing tracks.
Music is commonly used as a form of mood management. If a person is stressed and has had
a long day at work they will be more likely to put on some music that is relaxing and
soothing, but if there are a group of girls getting ready to go on a night out then perhaps their
choice of music would be more upbeat. Music can be used to create or maintain a person’s
mood pattern and this same principle applies to children. Listening to angry and aggressive
music can have a negative effect on young children. It can have an impact on their
concentration, schoolwork and ability to communicate with others.
It is clear to see that a musical education at a young age can be very beneficial in many ways.
There are huge amounts of positive press surrounding music and how it can help with early
child development. As mentioned previously there is now new evidence that an early
education in music can help with concentration, coordination and now even maths and
science. ‘Researchers also have found a significant relationship between music instruction
and positive performances in such areas as: reading comprehension, spelling, mathematics,
listening skills, primary mental abilities and motor skills’ (Borgese, 2010).
This evidence is a huge breakthrough in terms of education but has also caused controversial
debate on whether all children have the same opportunities when it comes to music. It has
been argued that introducing music into the curriculum too early can cause social divides.
Doctor Hargreaves from the Cambridge University Press has said: ‘The effects of
socioeconomic status on musical development is fraught with potential problems, especially
when viewed in the context of comparable research abilities in general’ (1986, P.102). The
idea that music can cause social divides implies that richer, more well off families have more
opportunities and are more likely to encourage their children musically.
There have been studies carried out to find out whether children whose families can afford to
put them through private education perform better musically than those children whose
Music Education in Regard to Children CM6002 Emily McGregor 163930
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