Some things never change – now go practice
Music lessons pay off in higher earnings
TORONTO (Reuters Life!) – Those hours practicing piano scales or singing with a choral group weren’t for nothing because people with a background in music tend to have a higher education and earn more, according to a new survey.
The poll by Harris Interactive, an independent research company, showed that 88 percent of people with a post-graduate education were involved in music while in school, and 83 percent of people earning $150,000 or more had a music education. “Part of it is the discipline itself in learning music, it’s a rigorous discipline, and in an ensemble situation, there’s a great deal of working with others. Those types of skills stand you well in careers later in life,” said John Mahlmann, of the National Association for Music Education in Reston, Virginia, which assisted in the survey.
In addition to the practical skills gained from studying music, people questioned in the online poll said it also gave them a sense of personal fulfillment.
Students who found music to be extremely or very influential to their fulfillment were those who had vocal lessons and who played in a garage band. Nearly 80 percent of the 2,565 people who took part in the survey last month who were still involved in music felt the same way.
“That’s the beauty of music, that they can bring both hard work and enjoyment together, which doesn’t always happen elsewhere,” Mahlmann added in and interview.
Music education was part of the core curriculum when schools were invented in the Middle Ages. People think it’s some kind of Great-Society frill, but it’s always been an absolutely basic part of public and private education.
Dave,
Thank you for bringing this article to my attention. It certainly speaks well as to the value of studying music as it translates to other disciplines, and other activities. We should never lose sight that studying music makes us better, creative, and enlightened people. Music is truly the only active academic art form.
I have enjoyed reading your blogs. Thank you for promoting music and all its benefits!
Sincerely,
Travis J. Weller
I wonder if the income stats have anything to do with the fact that people who are into music and enjoy playing tend to be more creative in general (IMO).
taw