theVoice rockfordchamber.com
23
November 2013
Guest Perspective INSIGHT
Is music the key to success?
Improves intelligence, teaches teamwork, sharpens self-discipline That was the headline of a New York Times op-ed on Oct. 12. The author, Joanne Lipman, makes the case that serious music training leads to success in non-musical careers. Lipman asked that question to leaders in government and industry who had seriously studied music. Almost all claimed a direct relationship between music studies and their present-day success. Music enhanced their creative thinking, fostered collaboration and increased listening skills. Music helped them weave together different ideas and to focus simultaneously on the present and future. Consider this brief list: ■■ Condaleeza Rice, former Secretary of State, trained to be a concert pianist. ■■ Steven Spielberg, director and filmmaker, plays clarinet and is son of a pianist. ■■ Bruce Kovner, hedge fund billionaire, studied piano at Juilliard. ■■ Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, played clarinet and saxophone professionally. ■■ Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, guitarist (still plays guitar in a rock band). Lipman notes, “Multiple studies link music study to academic achievement.” Playing music requires complex interaction between the optical, auditory, motor, memory and language-processing areas of the brain. Reading musical notation and understanding musical rules and syntax develops superior spatial intelligence. Mastering difficult music teaches the value of perseverance and hard work. Playing in an ensemble teaches teamwork skills and discipline. Music is a means of selfexpression that contributes to self-esteem. It is “doing,” not simply observing, active rather than passive.
Art Justifies Itself How can it be that we have allowed music education to decline and even disappear? Ars gratia artis. This Latin phrase appeared at the beginning of old MGM movies. It means “Art for Art’s Sake.” Art justifies itself, and doesn’t need to be defended in terms of utility, moral value or financial worth. A noble concept, but hard to communicate, much like describing colors to one who has never seen. Years ago, I got a phone call from one of my high school choral directors. The school board was about to vote on whether to cut his position; would I please speak to the board in defense of the music program? “Of course,” I replied, and compiled a long list of studies showing the value of high school choral music. He was appalled: “Oh no, you can’t use any of this! Music
Steven Larsen Rockford Symphony Orchestra
is about beauty, not statistics and dollars. I only want you to tell them how important music is in your life. Anything else would demean the art.” I did what he asked. Hoping to hitch my cause to the wisdom of a Founding Father, I read them a quote from John Adams: “I must study politics and war, that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy … geography, commerce and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, tapestry, and porcelain.” For me, this was an inspirational prophecy of America’s greatness. Adams’ generation had fought for liberty, so that America could prosper through science, commerce and industry, creating a world in which art would be its crowning achievement, the highest aspiration of humankind. When the economy faltered, unemployment soared and tax revenues declined, then our educational system naively turned to “useful” and “productive” subjects, and dreams of art deferred to the future. It was an exercise in faulty logic: If A (liberty), then B (prosperity), then C (art): If NOT B (prosperity), then NOT C (art). It never occurred to them — or to most school boards who cut music programs — that art can create prosperity! In 2011, Arts and Entertainment was worth $591 billion, four percent of our Gross Domestic Product, surpassing Construction, Waste Services, Utilities, Mining, Corporate Management and Agriculture. This reflects only money spent directly on Arts and Entertainment. How could one ever measure the effect of music on the careers of people who don’t work in that industry, like Rice, Kovner, Greenspan or Allen? In the end, the board cut his position, citing (of course) statistics and dollars. Ironic, isn’t it, that we call music “the universal language,” but have so much trouble talking to those who have never learned to “speak” it? NBC Chief White House correspondent Michael Todd, who went to college on a music scholarship, credits music for his success. “Playing that solo one more time, working on that one little section one more time,” taught him that “There’s nothing like music to teach you that eventually if you work hard enough, it does get better. You see the results.” May we all look forward to seeing the results here! Steven Larsen is music director of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra. The views expressed are those of Larsen’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.