Here in Cincinnati and across southern Ohio, the study of music can do wonders for your skills across many categories, many of which have little to do with music.

Researchers have found a demonstrable link between music lessons and reading. Comprehension and reading speeds improved for students who also underwent music lessons for more than a year. Given that singing and playing instruments both call for the use of reading skills, and understanding notation, such a result is not surprising. The music-reading translation process — turning black and white notes on a scale into finger positions and mouth movements – assists in other forms of translation as well.

This process of learning musical notation and reading staff paper also helps with math skills and concentration. The proportionality of the musical measure – often divided into four quarters or 16 sixteenths using rests and active beats – reinforces the fundaments of math study, and is particularly helpful with algebra and geometry.

Music Lessons Lead To Various Skills!

Aside from these direct academic gains, there are many other skills that are boosted with the study of music. Organizing, and the ability to manage time, are also enhanced when a student takes music lessons. Smart use of practice time, and the ability to make sure that practice time fits into one’s schedule, are crucial parts of musical study.

The music student’s sense of space also shows measurable gains. Gordon Shaw and Frances Rauscher conducted a study in 1993, and the results showed improvements in spatial-temporal intelligence for the students who had listened to ten minutes of a two-piano sonata by Mozart.

The Benefits of Private Music Lessons

More evidence of music lessons’ benefits arrives each year. If you would like to see how your child responds to private instruction in music, or learn more about how taking music lessons can help you and your child in a variety of ways, contact Toedtman School of Music, Cincinnati’s oldest private music school, by calling 513.772.7900, or using our contact form.