Music Matters: How Music Education Helps Students Learn, Achieve, and Succeed

Overview & Synopsis

Beyond the intrinsic value of music to cultures worldwide, education in music has benefits for young people that transcend the musical domain. The Arts Education Partnership (AEP) reviewed an extensive body of research to identify high-quality, evidence-based studies that document student learning outcomes associated with an education in and through music. The results show conclusively that music education equips students with the foundational abilities to learn, to achieve in other core academic subjects, and to develop the capacities, skills and knowledge essential for lifelong success. The benefits of music education include: (1) Music education prepares students to learn; (2) Music education facilitates student academic achievement; and (3) Music education develops the creative capacities for lifelong success. [Funding for this paper was provided by the Quincy Jones Musiq Consortium.]