Strikingly, many high achievers told me music opened up the pathways to creative thinking. And their experiences suggest that music training sharpens other qualities: Collaboration. The ability to listen. A way of thinking that weaves together disparate ideas. The power to focus on the present and the future simultaneously.
– From NY Times article “Is Music the Key to Success?” by Joanne Lipman
How can music be beneficial?
The above excerpt is from an article that my music teacher read to the class. The article explores the relationship between a background as a musician and attaining success in modern society. Individuals ranging from corporate entrepreneurs and innovators, to actors and media correspondents, all noted the benefits of having prior musical training. Music builds the important skills of a strong work ethic, thinking creatively, and knowing how to work alone and in a team environment. Furthermore, music acts as a form of emotional catharsis and provides counterbalance in what can be a hectic, work-driven lifestyle. From all these different examples of high-achieving individuals, the author concludes that music does encourage success. But how about examples from current music students?
After reading the article to the class, our music teacher asked for our opinions. What was our personal relationship with music and how has it helped us? As a music teacher, she is obviously a strong advocate of music education, but it’s always interesting to hear it from a student perspective. She selected some of the comments that clearly illustrated the connection between music and other facets of life, and they were published on our school blog.
Students pointed out that music has taught them how to time-manage, allowed them to make life-long friends, and helped them in other subjects, particularly math. I have to agree with all of these thoughts. I felt inspired to write an article dedicated to the topic of music.
My Personal Relationship with Music
Music came into my life unexpectedly. I don’t come from a family of people who are in the fine and performing arts, so my first real contact with music was in Grade 7. Prior to that, I didn’t know I had an interest in music at all. I still remember the day we were selecting our instruments and I decided on the flute. Not because of the sound or anything, but simply because it was a compact and portable instrument. To this day, I am glad that I can just stick my flute case in my backpack instead of lugging around a heavy saxophone or tuba (no offense to people who play those instruments, I think you guys are awesome too!) As I began my process of learning the flute, my eyes (and ears) opened up to the world of music.
Fast forward to Grade 12 and music has become one of the great passions in my life. I wouldn’t consider myself a great musician by any means nor do I have any formal music training. However, it is something I am always interested in learning more about. I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg and there’s so much more to explore. Besides playing in a band, I’ve been fiddling around with composing and arranging. I’ve also done some conducting and that’s something I want to continue as well. I’d also like to start learning piano. There’s been ups and downs over the years, but music remains something that brings me and others great joy.Â
A Collective and Individual Activity
What initially drew me into music is the communal aspect. Being part of band, or any ensemble for that matter, is a unique environment. It is people from all different walks of life coming together for the common goal of making beautiful music. It is inherently based around the idea of collaboration and teamwork. The sounds of different instruments moving in unison and weaving a rich aural tapestry. While other academic subjects like English or Math have occasional group work, it’s not on the same scale as being part of a musical ensemble. When I interviewed Donovan Seidle, Assistant Concertmaster for the CPO, he described his experience playing in the orchestra as “being in a 70-piece marriage.”
I would describe it more like being part of a giant close-knit family. Through rehearsals, performances and field trips, you come to know the people around you both as musicians and as friends. Everyone brings their own personality, some quiet and preferring to listen, others loud and enjoy being in the spotlight. Each person matters though, because a band is the sum of its individual musicians. That’s why I find it a very supportive and encouraging environment as well. Everyone was once a beginner, so there is no judgment. Everyone is at different skill levels, but the focus is on the process of learning and improving. The group dynamic is only one half of the experience as musician though.
Music is also an intimately individual activity. Musicians can spend hours alone practicing and honing their craft. It is just them and their instrument. Squeaks and shrills, notes being too flat or sharp, not having enough air, and being frustrated with slow progress. Going over the tough section again and again, until they almost want to quit, but their self-determination says to keep trying. Finally, there are moments when everything clicks together and the sound rings proud and true through the air. They take a deep breath. Enjoy the moment. Before continuing to work again until they can get that sound every time. This is how I would describe my feelings when I practice.
Performing Music
Performing can be both the most frightening and fulfilling thing for a musician. When a musician performs, the audience only experiences a small part of what the musician went through. Countless hours could’ve gone into what is only a 10 minute performance. However, the audience can only judge based on what they heard. Many musicians experience post-performance blues, and that’s because musicians are their own worst critics. They pick apart their performance and it’s easy to beat themselves up over what they could’ve done better. Or perhaps, thinking “I played this so much better during practice“, but there’s no way to redo the performance. What’s done is done.
Personally, I sometimes get intense stage anxiety and it’s something I’m working on overcoming. My heart rate spikes, my body feels tense and my lips start quivering. It becomes painfully obvious because you can hear the shakiness and airiness of my sound. Still, I soldier through and I make it to the end. It takes me a few days to get over the post-performance blues, but then I end up feeling proud of my progress. It may not have gone how I imagined, but what matters is that I keep working. The old adage “practice makes perfect” comes to mind. Even if you are naturally gifted in music, you still require dedicated hours in order to sound good.
On the other hand, sharing music with others can be extremely fun. It just depends on the type of environment and attitude you bring into it. For example, I love arranging my favorite music and jamming out with friends. There’s no pressure. I must also mention that because of the digital age we live in, sharing music is easier than ever. Whether an original, a cover, or a remix of popular music, all of it can be found online. This brings me to my next point: listening to music.
Listening to Music
For many people, even if they’re not musicians, they enjoy listening to music. The great thing is everyone has their own musical tastes and there’s too many genres out there for me to even name. Each person has a unique relationship with music and they may listen to different music depending on their mood. Perhaps some classical music to relax or perhaps to help them concentrate while they do homework. Maybe they blast tunes while they’re in the car or in the shower. Sing along with their favorite bands and dance to electronic music. I once interviewed an athlete who said she would listen to hardcore, heavy-metal music to get herself pumped up before a competition. Whatever your taste in music is, it is clear that it evokes an emotional response.
Music is a universal language. It is the bridge across age, ethnicity, religion, all these things that tend to divide us. Regardless of where you’re from, everyone can come together and enjoy music, whether it’s through playing or listening. A recent example that comes to mind is 71-year-old Bernie Katzman, a.k.a. “pianoimproman“.
I discovered Bernie on Twitch, an online streaming platform, where he was improvising on piano for upwards of 90,000 concurrent viewers. Viewers would request all types of songs, ranging from Darude Sandstorm to Yiruma’s River Flows in You. He would listen to them only for a bit, say “I’m ready to play this” and then he would. The music would flow magically from his fingertips onto the piano. He had been streaming for 6 months with a modest following, but last Tuesday, he went viral.
I’ve been following him ever since, not just because he’s brilliantly talented, but because of his cheerful and silly demeanor. He’s been called the “Bob Ross of Music” and I would agree. An improviser since the age of 3, he went on to study at the prestigious Julliard School of Music. After a long and successful career in the professional music world, he now streams on a regular basis, sharing the joy of music with all of his friends. It should be clear from the video that he really loves music. He enjoys music it in a way that I hope I can experience for the rest of my life as well.
Teaching Music
For those that don’t know, I have applied to the music faculty at the University of Calgary with the goal of becoming a music teacher in the future. I still have to audition at the end of February, and that will determine if I get in or not. Even if I don’t, music will still be a central part of who I am and how I live my life. It is through my personal experience and the experience of others, that I can say with confidence that having access to music education will enrich your life. I am not saying that music is more important than your core academic subjects. I’m saying that having music in your life will mold you into a more well-rounded individual.
Most people who took music in high school won’t pursue it professionally after they graduate, but that does not mean the time was wasted.  Just like if you were on a sports team, being part of music will give you opportunities and experiences that you might have otherwise missed. The opportunity to learn about others, to learn about yourself, and learn about the world all around us. Music fosters self-discipline, accountability and the drive to be better. It is also a form of emotional expression and can be therapeutic. Music takes many forms and that’s what makes it beautiful.
Lately, my mind has been preoccupied with the topic of “growing up” and that has been the focus of my past few articles as well. I’ve been wrestling for a while about what direction I want to take my life. For now, I’ve decided with music. However, even though I’ve “decided”, there is a constant push-and-pull between self-doubt and self-confidence. There are times when I feel like I’m not good enough. Other times, I’m reminded of why I love of music and why I want to pursue it. Perhaps I’ll change my mind later on, maybe I won’t. Things won’t go exactly how I imagined it, but I’m excited to see what the future has in store.
