Everyone knows that music is beautiful. And beauty helps your peace of mind. But did you know that making music offers all kinds of benefits, from improved brainpower and grades to better physical wellness and better-adjusted social behavior?

For example, older people who make music show reduced levels of anxiety, depression and loneliness. Among younger people, those who make music together are less likely to use drugs or get in other kinds of trouble.

Facts about the value of music education:

Scientific studies show that active music making (NOT passive music listening) correlates with:

• Increased spatial-temporal reasoning and better math scores
• Better reading ability
• Lower incidence of drug use and antisocial behavior
• Increased wellness
• Case example: In 1999 at PS96 in East Harlem, only 13% of the students performed at grade level in reading or math. Eighteen months after the music program was restore, 71% of the students were performing at grade level. The principal, Victor Lopez, attributes this astounding success to the restoration of the music program.

Click here to learn more about the benefits of music