Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rotarians told of music's academic benefits

Students who participate in instrumental music are better students academically, says Gurdon High School band director Allen Wimberly.

Wimberly was the guest speaker at the Gurdon Rotary Club meeting on Thursday, May 24. He said there are several studies that have proven that band students score higher on tests.

One area where band students seem to excel the most is math, Wimberly said. He said band helps students with math because they learn fractions while learning music. They must also know how the notes, thus fraction, relate to one another.

While quoting a study conducted by a physician, he said college music majors were the most likely group to be admitted to medical school. In the study, the doctor found that 66 percent of music majors who applied to medical school were admitted. Only 44 percent of biochemistry majors were admitted.

College music majors are also the most likely to score the highest on reading tests when compared those students majoring in English, biology, chemistry and math, Wimberly said.

Students who study piano are likely to have a higher self esteem, he said.

Wimberly said the worlds top academic countries  Hungary, the Netherlands and Japan  all emphasize music education over other subjects.

Theyre focusing on music, but theyre doing better in math, sciece and technology than we are, he said.

Bringing the discussion back to Gurdon High School band students, Wimberly said that 17 of 24 students in the high school band scored proficient on standardized tests this year.

Wimberly said music helps more than just academically. It can also help ones emotional health.

Music can really be a therapy, he said. Obviously music is good.

Rotarian Gary Maskill who pastors Gurdons First United Methodist Church said he agrees that music is an important thing to be taught. Although he said he has no problem with athletes, he said sports is not something people do all of their life, but music is.

Wimberly briefly discussed the recent reorganization of the high school band with the Rotarians.

I want you all to be supportive of what our school board is trying to do, he said.