Music Makes Your Brain Grow!
Did you know that music makes your brain grow? Well, it does, according to a new booklet prepared by Joan R. Fretz, director of fine and performing arts in the Huntington School District.
The publication, which can be downloaded during a visit to www.hufsd.edu, quotes various studies and findings and lays out a convincing case. It relies heavily on research conducted by Eric Jensen, a "celebrated authority" on "brain-based learning."
"There are so many benefits to playing an instrument," Ms. Fretz said. "The music faculty is excited to share this information with our students and parents. Music study not only develops brain cells, but also helps students learn about the benefits of working hard at a task over a long period of time, how to value effort and continue to challenge themselves in all of their school experiences."
Parents are encouraged to take a look at the booklet and consider how Huntington's music program might benefit their child. There are many thought-provoking tidbits sprinkled throughout the document. "In one study, the violinists who practiced the longest had the greatest changes in their brains," according to the booklet.
Some other interesting findings include:
• "When you play an instrument, your brain needs more space for storing the skills you are developing, so it actually grows."
• "The auditory cortex of a renowned violinist was found to be twice as thick as normal. This is the area of the brain for hearing reception."
• "The corpus callosum was 15 percent larger in musicians than in non-musicians. This is the bundle of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain."
• "The cerebellus, which contains about half of the brain's neurons, was five percent larger in musicians than in non-musicians. This is the part of the brain that is involved in keeping beat and rhythm."
Ms. Fretz discovered a study that found music can help with academic performance and emotional intelligence and that it also makes a person healthier by lowing levels of a stress hormone, improving heart rate and blood pressure and increasing antibodies in children.
"After four years of coursework in music, students averaged 49 points higher on the combined verbal and math SAT scores," the publication boasts.
For more information contact Mrs. Fretz at 673-2106 or jfretz@hufsd.edu.