Piano Lessons by Sophi

The Benefits of Piano Lessons for Children...

The experience of learning to play piano stays with people all their lives.
The piano is the most loved instrument and according to current researchers, child’s overall educational achievement in school will improve because of piano studies.

Early music training may influence brain development:
“Early Music training alters brain anatomy” according to a research conducted in Germany. Corpus Callosum- the nerve fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain is larger in musicians who started studying music or playing an instrument at an early age than in non-musicians. 

In addition, the researchers believe that musical training early in life lays down additional “wiring” in the corpus callosum, resulting in better communication between the two hemispheres. 

Music has an Effect on Abstract Reasoning skills:
In various studies, researchers found that children who participated in music studies such as voice and piano increased their spatial-temporal IQ by 46 percent mean in comparison to children who received no musical training improved by 6 percent. Since music involves ratios, fractions, and proportions just like math and science,

According to physics professor Gordon Shaw “piano instruction is thought to enhance the brain’s hard wiring for spatial-temporal reasoning, or the ability to visualize and transform objects in space and time.” 

Piano/music training boosts memory: 
Psychologists in Hong Kong discovered that musically trained children are better at recalling words read to them. It is because the left planum temporal region in the brain (behind left ear), is larger in musicians. 

How piano lessons and music studies help children in school? 

 

• It’s been observed that children who play piano and other instruments score higher on both standard and spatial cognitive development tests compared to children who do not play or study music. 

 

• During piano lessons, children learn to follow directions: scanning written material then looking at notes, measures and phrasing. They learn how to think critically, solve creatively what they see on a sheet of music and then learning to play – action of what they see. These musical routes help children to become better readers and be able better comprehend what they read.

 

• In addition, as mentioned above children’s reasoning skills will be improved because of piano and music studies: they learn to distinguish between high sounds, low sounds, long notes, and short notes. 

 

• Learning to differentiate between the opposites in piano/music studies will strengthen comparison learning, necessary for future science studies.

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• Since playing piano requires practicing, children learn good study habits- a skill that is very valuable in order to be successful in any academic subject. They learn to focus, paying attention to what they need to play, listen to teachers instructions and listen to their own playing. 

 

The Benefits of Piano Lessons for Adults...

Adults who learn to express themselves musically improving the quality of their lives.

It’s been observed and documented that adults who spent the time to learn to play piano boost their creative self-expression, develop further personal confidence, diminish stress and tension from day to day living. Learning to play the piano is therapeutic and helps adults and seniors keeping their mind sharp.

According to Eric Jensen in his book “Music with the Brain in Mind” –music enhances emotional intelligence, cognition, boosts performance and heightens motivation.

In addition, playing the piano helps adults with motor skills, hearing, and muscle strength. The best part of learning to play piano as an adult is to help your immune system to function better because music helps adults to relax and the list goes on and on.