Our Impact
As we integrate music into students’ school and community lives, they grow and flourish—intellectually, academically, emotionally, and socially. Their parents see the difference, their teachers and principals see the difference, and every child feels the difference. The positive impacts are varied and lasting.
Interest in School
Children in our programs experience the pleasure of listening to, and creating, music. Their minds and senses are stimulated by musical interaction, and their self-esteem is enhanced as they acquire new musical knowledge and skills. This, in turn, deepens their enthusiasm about school and increases their motivation in all areas of their studies.
Cognitive Reinforcement
It is now widely confirmed by scientific research that music education programs provide positive cognitive impacts. Instrument training can help the brain to process sounds better, making it easier to stay focused when absorbing other subject matter, such as history or math. And musically adept children are less distractible; they also have more effective “working memories” and are better at attending to several things at once (Scientific American, October 2010).
Cultural Awareness
As we introduce students to the lush music and fascinating cultural traditions of countries around the world, they develop an appreciation of different languages, holidays, artistic expressions and, ultimately, people. They discover that beauty can take many forms, and they watch as foreign sounds and stories begin to connect them to people from around the globe.
Community Engagement
Our cultivation of students’ pride, enthusiasm, and creative expression is a direct expression of our mission to inspire children through music. Its impact spreads like ripples on water throughout the communities surrounding each of our partner schools: thousands of peers, teachers, parents, and family members throughout New York City are touched by our children’s newly developed abilities and more closely involved with their learning experiences.
