tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post771068718169779945..comments2024-03-27T23:06:03.736-05:00Comments on The Music Salon: The Benefits of MusicBryan Townsendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-54873277846126823802013-03-08T16:26:58.625-06:002013-03-08T16:26:58.625-06:00I think I have been especially blessed with commen...I think I have been especially blessed with commentors! I can only recall one rude comment since I started the blog--and this is the Internet, after all.<br /><br />Thanks for that other article. It would certainly be my guess that playing music together is beneficial. And I won't mention that certain string quartet who, after many years of touring together, would all four eat at separate tables in a restaurant!Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-30759689131275914752013-03-08T14:53:30.017-06:002013-03-08T14:53:30.017-06:00Encouraging push-back is one of the reasons I like...Encouraging push-back is one of the reasons I like this blog so much!<br /><br />And yes, there has been research into the social impact of studying music- http://www.psmag.com/culture/making-music-together-increases-kids-empathy-41627/Nathan Shirleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14123467208814463388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-28063292277462233382013-03-08T07:53:40.830-06:002013-03-08T07:53:40.830-06:00Thank you, Nathan, for giving such a thoughtful pu...Thank you, Nathan, for giving such a thoughtful push-back to my post. It seems as if I was too quick to accept the research presented.<br /><br />The potential benefits of music training can be looked at in a very narrow way or a much broader way giving very different results.<br /><br />Perhaps one of the benefits of El Sistema is the cooperative nature of playing music in ensemble? I'm not sure if any research has been done on that?Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-89690765369620325462013-03-07T21:57:00.005-06:002013-03-07T21:57:00.005-06:00I think anyone, children especially as their brain...I think anyone, children especially as their brains are rapidly developing, greatly benefit from ANY creative practice. When arts are cut from schools, a great disservice is done to these kids. Governments around the world are trying to figure out how to get their schools to produce more young scientists. The best scientists are innovators, possessing a high degree of creativity. Creativity, like anything must be practiced and developed... what better way to practice than by learning the arts?<br /><br />Music, and especially the playing of music stimulates a much broader area of the brain than any other art form. This is what is being discovered by much of the brain imaging technology which is rapidly advancing.<br /><br />It is music therapy, not water-color therapy that has proven hugely successful in the treatment of all sorts of disorders- speech disorders, loss of gross motor control, Parkinsons, autism and on and on. I think this says quite a bit about the power of music on the human mind.<br /><br />As for lacking evidence of causation between music lessons and cognitive benefit- the general consensus now is actually that there is very strong evidence for this causation. Do a quick search and you'll find no end of research showing this (and I'm not talking about simply analyzing statistics).<br /><br />Here is one fairly recent study- http://www.psmag.com/blogs/news-blog/more-evidence-music-training-boosts-brainpower-51407/<br /><br />Some of these studies are better conducted than others, this was just the last one I remember seeing.<br /><br />It's very true that teaching music to some kids will be much more successful than to others, but it is very rare indeed to find a student who is completely tone deaf and/or has a total lack of rhythmic ability. Even if they lack dedication and talent, it seems there is quite significant reason to at least give them solid, basic music training.<br /><br />And what about El Sistema? Would these kids benefit just as much from water-color classes... or nothing?Nathan Shirleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14123467208814463388noreply@blogger.com