Should there be a music exploration class?

Sophomore+Galahad+Nichols+plays+his+instrument+during+band

Courtesy Photo

Galahad Nichols, sophomore, practices his instrument in the band room.

Music is an important part of people’s lives. It inspires people to become motivated or release emotions. To this, many people also have the desire to create, learn or understand music. A class that could be added to the school. If we added this as an elective people could take, a lot of people would enjoy it. This class could be fundamental in providing students with a spark or an opportunity to learn something they will never forget.

To begin, music is good for the mind. An article published by Harvard University states, “Music listeners had higher scores for mental well-being and slightly reduced levels of anxiety and depression compared to people overall.”

Not only does listening to music benefit the mind, but it also can relieve stress, can put people in better moods and can help people develop better social and emotional skills. Another article from www.learningpotentional.gov said, “Making music with other people (like in a band or choir) improves children’s social and emotional skills. They learn to work together as a team and develop their sense of empathy with others. Researchers have found that when children play music together – from simple rhythms to larger group performances – they are better able to tune into other people’s emotions.”

I believe a class that is devoted to creating music and learning instruments – outside of the traditional concert or pep band instruments – would benefit the student body. Students who enjoy band, choir, orchestra and Guitar Club or even those who want to learn instruments not represented in those groups would be able to learn what they want to in this class. Students would also be able to bring their own instruments, to create their own bands and to showcase their talents.

While beginners would learn the history of music, genres and music theory, as students became advanced, they would complete projects, rehearsals and even concerts. Through these advanced projects, students would also have to c reate promotional flyers, create light displays and perform shows; students could also learn how to record and produce their own music. They could then stream their songs on services, such as Sound Cloud, Spotify or YouTube. Another way to incorporate more involvement is by putting some of the student-produced songs on the Tribe Broadcasting radio station.

One way that the school could fund this is through concerts and fundraisers. Each year, the ultimate project could be concerts that involve students who have learned or created new songs.

I believe the freedom to do this, along with the push from the teacher, would allow for learning to become a true possibility.

To learn, creating a state of freedom and respect is important. Although freedom often brings chaos, if educators created a respectful atmosphere, it could help learners in the future. According to Education World, “With a balance of freedoms and responsibilities, you have the opportunity to develop respect between yourself and your students. You also are teaching them skills they will need in the working world as they interact with their colleagues, bosses and community.”

These lessons are crucial to the well-being of students’ futures.

A new class with the sole purpose of sparking an interest in the students’ preferred musical styles could be influential to their entire lives. Whether it is learning, creating or rocking, I believe the musical spark is within everyone, it just needs to be nurtured