The Profound Effects of Music on Life
I finally got a chance to listen to this entire CD today while driving in my car. This is an incredible lecture by Andrew Pudewa, of the Excellence in Writing Institute. Formerly a violin teacher, he gives a riveting lecture about the impact different types of music create upon plants and mice (citing some of the research I've already posted about in this blog) and its implied neurological effects on humans. You will never listen to music in quite the same way again, I promise!
Over and over again, the same theme keeps coming back to me: the profound benefits of playing a musical instrument at a young age, and the advantage of having the right kind of music in your child's environment. Not only can we as parents greatly enhance our child's academic potential, but Mr. Pudewa also goes on to show how listening to good music can have spiritual implications as well.
In giving our children a good education, a classical education based on the Trivium, it is important to remember that the Greeks taught only three subjects: Rhetoric, Mathematics, and Music. Music shouldn't be just a nice little fun addition we tack onto our child's schedule; it is important enough to be required study every day. The advantages of music study to our children are that significant.
Aaargh! Another subject to add? No! Just start out with listening to favorite classical recordings! Laura Berquist has advised us this for years. I plan on making it a point to listen to the same composer for at least a week, having it as background music in the house when we do school. (I received some resistance about this today, to be honest, but they'll get used to it!) I'm making sure I learn about the composer in advance, and am ready to throw out some interesting tidbits where appropriate!
I'll keep you posted on the success of this idea!
By the way, to order "The Profound Effects of Music on Life" please click here. I believe that anyone with a young child in their home should listen to this lecture. Yeah, it's that important.
Comments
My background is in music - M.A. in clarinet performance. I was a T.A. for a large undergraduate music appreciation class at the University of Iowa. I also taught K-8 music for a total of four years.
One thought I would like to contribute is that, in my experience, playing music from the baroque or classical period works better with my children than music written in earlier or later time periods. There are many exceptions of course, but Mozart generally goes over better than Charles Ives or Mahler.
Another thought concerns playing music as background music. The professor for whom I was a TA likened the practice to using fine linens as doormats. While I do not totally share his opinion, I have found that listening to the composer of the week while sewing or drawing soaks in better than hearing the music even at mealtime. Of course listening to CDs such as Classical Kids in the van is effective.
Anyway - warmest welcome to blogsphere! I eagerly look forward to more posts!
Thank you for your comments. I would agree with your professor in an ideal world, but in a busy homeschooling family there is always so much going on that if we are to listen to classical music it all, it has to be this way. So far it's working for us!
Feel free to share here! I look forward to your future comments!