THE TALENT I VALUE MOST 2
The Talent I Value Most
Most people enjoy playing or listening to some type or style of music. However, society
does very little to promote the benefits of music education. This paper discusses several reasons
and benefits of one of my most valued talents – playing music. The paper seeks not only to
address the benefits of playing or listening to music, but also to enhance awareness about the
significance of teaching and learning how to play music and musical instruments.
Learning to play a musical instrument improves aspects of brain functioning that are
critical to academic performance. Research findings show that learning how to play music helps
children to enhance their brain’s ability to hear and process sounds, as well as emotional,
cognitive, and memory processing (Wan & Schlaug, 2010). The active participation and
meaningful engagement involved in learning and playing music can enhance students’
involvement and attention in class, which can translate to better academic results.
Moreover, music cultivates social skills. Learning and playing group music requires
effective interaction and communication, which fosters social competencies like collaboration,
teamwork, and self-awareness (Rickard et al., 2013). When learning to play music, students
receive constructive criticism, which helps improve self-esteem and refine one’s patience and
discipline. These skills are vital when it comes to public presentations.
Furthermore, playing specific instruments helps improve physical skills. Particularly,
playing instruments like the piano, violin, and drum helps develop coordination and motor skills
(Hille & Schupp, 2015). Playing such instruments requires moving one’s hands, arms, and feet
simultaneously, which improves the ability to multitask. Also, this process helps to improve
coordination and timing, which can be utilized to improve performance in academic and other
talents like dancing and athletics.
