Influence of Music Lessons on Students

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The Influence of Music Lessons on Students
An individual’s life can be vastly influenced by events happening around the world. I am living proof of this statement, having played the flute from an early age. When I was younger, I did not see many students enrolling in musical classes since it did not have a developed academic status and was regarded as a hobby to the few who were interested. Recent growth and changes to the curriculum have seen music be recognized as an academic art to which is accorded the required resources and effort.
A news article by the San Diego Union-Tribune published in May of 2019 highlighted the current revolution underway in elementary schools. Part of the article states that “Over a number of years, music and art programs were cut in schools across the country. Schools say they do not have the money for it.” The article goes further ahead to give a rationale for the statement, “For many students in schools outside of San Diego, school music instruction was considered too costly. A beginner violin costs several hundred dollars. Private lessons run $30 to $40 per half hour”. As a result, students are not exposed to string instruments at an early age whereby there is the opportunity to hone their musical talent relatively early in their developmental learning stages. This situation reminds me of my own experience when I studied music in China before joining college.
Things are done quite differently in China, where priority is given to a particular talent in conjunction with regular academics. Music classes are started at an early age, with musical instruction taking place in specially dedicated institutions that are focussed on growing musical talent (Brenner 210). This happens due to the long heritage of a rich musical culture in China as documented by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, first established in 1927.
The introduction of these music classes is set to have a resounding influence on current elementary school students. Due to the necessity of budget cuts from the national government, a large number of music programs were dropped from school programs. With the recent shift in perception and having acquired some additional funding, American schools have found cost-effective means of re-introducing school-based musical lessons and the ripple effect is likely to show within a few years. In my experience, learning to play the flute was a way of releasing the fatigue brought about by monotonous classroom sessions each day. As I learned, I would focus on improving my skills and enjoying the tunes which helped me to build the enthusiasm for my next awaited lesson. While in China, I enrolled in a music class to learn how to play the violin. During the short time I was there, I witnessed how students found solace and delight at learning to play music, and the subsequent outcome in their lives brought about by music. Some students were simply musical prodigies who nurtured their talents as guided by their pare...