Emphasis on students getting a music education slowly decreases as the years go by, evidenced by the shrinking number of music programs in and out of school all over the country, usually as a result of financial difficulties or the increased weight on core academic classes (as this article articulates). While these do pose sound reasons as to why students do not receive in-depth knowledge on music, there are numerous rationales that encourage people to take their own initiative to learn.

First and foremost, I think it’s incredibly cool to be able to play an instrument/sing well. Just to be able to pick up an object that most people wouldn’t know how to operate and create music out of it- how many people can do that and do it well? Sure, a lot of people play the same instrument, and it may not seem like a huge accomplishment, but that doesn’t detract from the fact that in order to play an instrument, countless hours have to be invested in practice, which can get extremely tedious. This also leads to the ability to persevere and stick to one activity, no matter how difficult it proves. On bad days, the desperate wish to quit and never try ever again can be overwhelming, and to be able to continue on despite ever-escalating feelings of frustration just expresses how dedicated a musician can be.

Countless studies have been conducted on the physical benefits of music education. Increased visual and verbal skills, improved cognitive abilities, stronger immune systems, and healthier hearts- only a few research-backed examples as to how music gives people advantages. While this evidence makes a strong case as to why living in a household that emphasizes music is beneficial, I find the most rewarding advantage that music is a huge stress reliever. More times than I care to count, I’ve turned to music to play my frustrations, sorrow, anger and sadness out. Being able to turn to something that always remains immobile, waiting for you, makes it much more preferable because you never have to wait to throw yourself into the music.

Of course, if you have no interest in obtaining a music education, by all means, do other activities that interest you. While a huge number of people play instruments, sing or have some sort of musical experience as children, that doesn’t necessitate that everyone continues to embark on a life-long journey through millions of pages of music. Most elementary schools have mandatory music classes where they teach the fundamentals of music theory, such as sharps, flats, key signatures, time signatures, note names, etc. and are often accompanied by singing. Schools usually introduce instrument playing in middle or even high school, but by then, most students feel discouraged to start playing so late. While in-school music may not be heavily emphasized, many parents encourage their children to take private lessons outside of school to get a head start. However, comparing a student who began years and years ago to a student who has recently begun playing an instrument is inherently unfair because one has been practicing and honing his/her skills for so much longer. This gap often discourages students from even trying to start.

While it is true that competing with people who have been training for years more than you doesn’t lend any advantages, this doesn’t mean that unless you’re under 5, you shouldn’t start seriously investing your time in music. Beyond competitions, beyond the pressure to engage in music-related activities, plenty of advantages stem from having a music education. Even if practicing is only a parent-forced repetition (which it shouldn’t be if you plan on continuing), one can still glean benefits.