Let's talk a little bit about the experience that your young student has when they stay the course on a music instruction program.
As we talked about before, the student gets a lot of technical music mastery and soft skills, like social skills, at the same time. In fact, one important part of this is that music instruction cultivates both a skill and an interest. This twofold track really enhances your young student's life in amazing ways.
But there is also another skill that your student learns, too. In fact, there are several, but let's focus on one in particular. Let’s talk about the value of active listening.
A good visual way to represent this is to think about that classic RCA Victor ad with the tiny terrier cocking his head to one side, and listening. That image shows the intent and the concentration that can be brought to the act of listening.
Active listening is something that can be taught, and it is something that's incredibly useful down the road. It helps students to get more out of what they are hearing, not just in the practice room or at a recital, but anywhere, at any time!
Music and Active Listening
In making his or her way through the program, your student is going to be actively listening to various sounds, and applying the knowledge that he or she gains in new and exciting ways, along with colleagues and friends!
There are many reasons why this is important, but some of them are more intuitive than scientific. Like an animal whose senses are keenly attuned to sound, your young student is going to be developing those auditory skills that will serve him or her well later in life. Developing the senses can be part of professional development. Some believe it can also be part of spiritual development. In any case, there are evident benefits to learning this type of skill.
There's a lot more to this, and we can talk a lot more about how music instruction works in your student's life, but we’ll save that for a future blog. There are a lot of resources that you can use on this website to explore your choices in music instruction for a range of ages, a range of instruments, and a range of skill levels. We have an excellent track record serving students and families in the Westminster and Huntington Beach area – we would love to see you at our studio!
