Whether you are 1 or 91, you can benefit mentally, physically and socially from playing a musical instrument. Playing a musical instrument is not only fun and entertaining, but playing a musical instrument is scientifically proven to benefit people of all ages.
Children and Teens- Playing an instrument positively affects the development of children’s cognitive skills, fine motor skills, and spatial concepts. It builds confidence, self-discipline, and inspires creativity. Playing music can also increase productivity and help kids and teens connect socially with peers.
Adults and Seniors- Playing an instrument exercises the brain and helps fight memory loss. It helps reduce stress and lower blood pressure. And it can stave off loneliness and depression.
Middle school and high school students who participated in instrumental music scored significantly higher than their non-band peers in standardized tests. University studies conducted in Georgia and Texas found significant correlations between the number of years of instrumental music instruction and academic achievement in math, science and language arts.
Source: University of Sarasota Study, Jeffrey Lynn Kluball; East Texas State University Study, Daryl Erick Trent
High school music students score higher on SATs in both verbal and math than their peers. In 2001, SAT takers with coursework/experience in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal portion of the test and 41 points higher on the math portion than students with no coursework/experience in the arts.
Source: Profile of SAT and Achievement Test Takers, The College Board, compiled by Music Educators National Conference, 2001.