Music Is Innate Or Innate?

Gracyk dissects and responds to Roger Scruton’s philosophy of music that states, “Taste in music matters, and that a search for objective musical values is one part of our search for the right way to live” (138). Scruton believes that music exists in an intentional realm, meaning a person does not need to completely understand music in order to understand its message. People are able to grasp the intentional realm because people are part of a community based on tradition (139). Participation in this advanced culture shapes who people are and what type of music they want to hear. Being able to understand a language allows a person to make inferences and interpret its different meanings.

Living in a world surrounded by noises and sounds, one cannot deny that music lives all around them. Schools, street corners, sporting events, there is one thing you will always find: music. Music education is quickly becoming defunct in schools, as many try to decry its many benefits. A growing emphasis on the concrete subjects of math and science, whose benefits are more immediate, are pushing the creativity and imagination of music classes to the back of the budget. Music education is no longer described as stimulating and exciting, but rather unnecessary and distracting. But the benefits of having an education in music is undeniable. Simply being around music can have a positive impact on life. Music enables the human race to discover emotions that they have never uncovered before. The human mind is refreshed by music; “our imagination and memories are stimulated by the sounds, and summon feelings and memories associated with the musical sound” (Wingell 15). Without music, the world would be silent. Lifeless. No matter what language one speaks or what culture one is from, music is a universal language, connecting the hearts of people around the entire world. In schools throughout the nation, that connection is being severed because of budget cuts and lack of funding, but the benefits of music education are clear. The benefits of having an education in music are not only present in the classroom; a lasting impact is also left on the social and emotional growth of a person, though the gains may not be evinced immediately. Participating in musical education programs in schools can give students the opportunity to form lasting friendships and to gain skills that will last them their entire lives. Music education can be beneficial to students because it enhances students’ performance in the classroom, aids in improving student’s interest and engagement in school, and advances students’ social and emotional growth.

Josh Groban, a “pop-era” singer, is another good example that having the means for our children to pursue their musical aspirations is key. Groban’s own mother taught high school level art, and his dad played trumpet for as long as he could remember. Groban’s success would never have happened either if it had not been for his espouser to the arts from a young age. First, music being brought to his attention by his

To understand why music is a product of human intention and perception, we start by defining or understanding the nature of music. Music is defined as the sounds or combination of vocals and instruments in a way that it produces a form of beauty, expression, or harmony of emotions. Arguably, people compose or make music through many ways (Resnicow, Joel E., 20-29). While some people might compose music without incorporating instruments, others use instruments to produce beats that match with their sounds. However, to argue that the

“It is in playing and only in playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.”(page 50) Lastly, music has already helped me grow and find myself as an individual and I can’t wait to see what the rest of my life has in store for

For as long as mankind has walked on this earth, music has been an important part of our culture and lifestyles. Each walk of life beats to a different drum. Different cultures use music for many aspects of their lives; for religious purposes, for celebrations, for comfort, for sorrow, for relaxation, for sports, for dances, for energy, for learning, for sleeping, and for sexual experiences. Everyone uses music for something. Music connects with people and reaches them in ways that words simply cannot. Music is a representation of what feelings sound like. It expresses emotion and brings that characteristic out from within us; it tells us a story. Every generation has its’ own sound and different music styles have emerged and become

We hear music every day, on our way to work, sitting in the doctor's office, or just relaxing on the couch after a long day. Even the sounds of insects, animals, and the rustling of trees can be categorized as music. There is no way to escape the music that surrounds our lives. A quote I believe best encapsulates this idea is from the 2007 movie August Rush. To summarize it quickly, the movie is about a musically talented orphan who searches for his parents in New York City, and it turns out they are searching for him too. Through August’s journey he begins creating his own music based sounds of the busy city. At the very end August states “The music is all around us. All you have to do is listen.”

I can say I’m a multi-instrumentalist. I can play the harmonica, the trombone, the ukulele, the bass, the piano, the electric and acoustic guitar, and I’m probably forgetting one. But really I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her” (Montes). “One of the big things I teach my kids is how through hard work, you can accomplish anything. Whenever a kid shows up to a lesson, I always ask them if they practiced, and sometimes they say no because they don’t have a piano at home. It reminds me of the days when I couldn’t even afford a piano, but I push those thoughts away and work towards helping these kids fulfill their dreams as I’ve fulfilled mine. Music teaches the kids how to work through a tough song, and through time and practice, they always get it at the end” (LaBeau). Ronnie’s School of Music has performed annually for several of the city’s prominent events: the Arroyo Lighting at Christmas, Saint Anthony’s Fall Festival, Winter Texan festivals, and many more. LaBeau teaches students of all ages, from three to ninety seven. The majority of her students, however, come from Saint Anthony Catholic

Silence. This is what many people would hear if they walked into just one of the many music halls in a school whom has cut their music program. Many schools across the nation are suffering from severe budget cuts, and sadly music is far too often the first on the list to go. Music in the American public school system is often a way for students to express themselves and develop a sense of pride and devotion by being a musician. Yet, music education has been proven to improve young students’ cognitive capabilities, music programs are still being cut from the curriculum in schools across the nation. Funding, nation testing standards, availability, and participation are major factors whether a program may or may not stay in American classrooms, which demonstrates America’s destructive need for results from students to be tangible at the expense of the enjoyment of students.

Our children are suffering. They are being depleted of their childhood because they are experiencing things that many of us do not experience in our lifetimes. When entire neighborhoods and districts are plagued with this devastating predicament, where can our children turn? They turn to school. A place where they are allowed to be kids and do not have to face reality of their lives for a moment. Rachael Fleischaker is a music specialist in Ohio’s Canton City School District. She understands what these children go through because she teaches them every day. Moreover, she understands that music is a vital part of these children's lives and wants to do everything she can in order to save the musical program at the schools.

Today’s children are expected to participate in a multitude of athletic, musical, social, technological, and academic activities that focus on winning rather than joy or experience. In negating the latter, we as a society have become accustomed to drawing an invisible parameter that eliminates the embrace of error or creativity (8). Albeit we would like to believe this is applicable to children alone, it is not. In 2011, the shores of Lake Huron were filled with competitive sports activities, yet the music camp was desolate. In my discussions with fellow musicians, the camp’s state was attributed to lack of musicians. Knowing funding was not an

What the author drives at is the idea that though video games are a great tool in helping students learn music education, there are other methods that will give the same results as if would for creating music projects with their students. Along the lines of music education, the idea of students working together to collaborate on getting points to win a game are more beneficial than you’d think. Having worked in education, I found that when students are put in groups, they developed more social skills and different methods to solve the problems. Though I was unable to incorporate music in my lessons, I thought of different methods of rewarding them for their participation and of course their scores on the assigned

In Walter J. Freeman’s article “A Neurological Role of Music in Social Bonding,” he discusses how music contributes to a feeling of social bonding, among people of all ages and backgrounds. For example, he says, “A case is made that music together with dance have co-evolved biologically and culturally to serve as a technology of social bonding. Findings of anthropologists and psychiatrists are reviewed to show how the rhythmic behavioral activities that are induced by drum beats and music can lead to altered states of consciousness, through which mutual trust among members of societies is engendered” (Freeman 1 – 2). This is significant because it shows how the shared social music experience in the winter brings about a sense of “bonding,” as all the members of the utopia come together as one to take part in the activities. This type of group bonding can be seen across many mediums, including the shared experience revolving the sports and cooking competition in the summer. All of the utopia’s members are not only coming together as one to enjoy the entertainment, but they are also coming together as one to promote, advocate, and live out the healthy cultural practices of exercise and diet, which are directly representative of their larger social vision to live healthy lifestyles. This is one asset that brings a sense of community among our utopian society, and in turn keeps members united with shared motivations and goals. As a result, our utopia’s cultural practice of taking part in the entertainment event is expressive of the larger social vision to carry out healthy

From a contemporary western prospective, production of music is usually related to recreational or commercial purposes. For instance, companies often use “stylish” and impressive songs to accompany their advertisements, so that customers will remember the particular brand when they hear the same characteristic song. Yet from a global and ethnomusicological perspective, many musical practices are the product of other purposes.

In advocating music education in today's schools systems, it is tempting to focus only on the non-musical benefits because of the shift toward the Common Core and raised test scores. However in doing so, we devalue music in and of itself. In the text Foundations of Music