Learning critical skills
Music teaches children both soft and hard skills. Practice with their breathing is incredibly beneficial, physically, as it focuses on increasing lung capacity, controlling their diaphragm and building core muscle strength, which in itself improves balance and posture.
Practicing fingers on keys develops fine motor-skills and increases coordination. An interesting fact is that in the modern age where we spend more time on our phone and less time doing crafts such as sewing and mending, we have lost the motor skills that are needed for professions such as surgery.
Other skills that children develop include coding – reading the music and sight-reading; personal management – following a practice schedule, organising your music and preparing for lessons, as well as developing a good work ethic.
Finally, music involves the need to be able to work as a team. Any musician who has been in an ensemble, choir, band, orchestra of even soloist with accompaniment, leans the empathy to perform with others. They must work together to create a complete performance. As they improve, they listen to each other, often in minute detail, to develop character and emotion in their playing.
Starting so young can allow children to ‘shine’ and give them an identity in their class, which is very encouraging and builds the confidence that will hopefully remain with them.
