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| MUSIC IS VERY IMPORTANT TO A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT | |||||
Music and Children
Scientists and educators agree that music, as the often under-appreciated "seventh
science", strengthens many essential areas of a child's development, such as physical
coordination, timing, memory, visual, aural and language skills. In fact, as psychologist
Frances Rauscher of University of California-Irvine notes, music appears to strengthen
the links between brain neurons and build new spatial reasoning, improving a child's
spatial intelligence. Studies also show that music dramatically improves a kind of
intelligence needed for high-level math and science.
Dr. Frank Wilson, Assistant Neurology Professor at the University of California School
of Medicine, San Francisco, reports that his research has shown that music connects and
develops the motor systems of the brain in a way that cannot be done by any other
activity. Recent data from UCLA brain scan research studies show music more fully
involves brain functions (both left and right hemispheres) than any other activities
studied. Dr. Wilson feels these findings are so significant that it will lead to a
universal understanding in the next century that music is an absolute necessity for
the total development of the brain and the individual.
All of which means that making high quality music accessible and fun for children is business that we take seriously. The exposure to good music through good music education cannot be left to chance: It is the responsibility of the community to provide it. The Children's Chorus of Maryland is committed to this responsibility and to the promotion of musical art. We are proud to stand high among our peers in so doing.