Top 10 Reasons to Play a Musical Instrument

1. Children raised in cultures rich with music tend to develop learning and communication skill more quickly than other children.

2. There is a high correlation between positive self-perception, high correlation competence scores, self-esteem, and interest and involvement in school music.

3. Music experiences instill positive attitudes, a positive self-image, a desire to achieve excellence, an ability to set goals, co-co-operation, and group cohesiveness.

4. Students participating in music outperform non-music students on achievement tests in reading and math.  These differences become greater the longer the students participate in music.

5. Students participating in music have a higher overall grade point average in high school.

6. By producing strong scholastic achievement scores, music contributes positively to the school environment.  Music teacher staffing is a better indicator of overall educational quality than is the overall ratio of pupils to teachers.

7. Many institutions of higher learning seek out students who have participated in musical organizations.

8. Musical training can be a big help in getting to the top.  Ninety percent (90%) of more than 10,000 chief executive officers and legislators said that playing a musical instrument as a child helped them develop "character and leadership skills".

9, Instrumental musicians are good citizens.  Statistics show that the crime rate among these musicians is lower than among the population at large.

10. Music is an efficient and meaningful way to integrate different cultural attributes into the curriculum.