Dear Parents,

This week your child will be involved in an instrumental music assembly. Your child will have the opportunity to see and hear the instruments that will be available to them this year. Music is all around us and it is important to all of us. That’s the soundest reason to encourage your child’s interest in music. This letter is being sent to you to give you some of the reasons why instrumental music is a vital part of your child’s education.

MENTAL DEVELOPMENT

When gymnasts exercise, they are developing their body into an extraordinarily efficient tool. Gymnasts’ bodies tire less easily. Their body responds to their mind with lightening quickness. They are agile, healthy and wonderful to watch.
A properly trained musician is similar to a well conditioned gymnast. The motor responses are perfectly attuned to the brain. A series of symbols on a page are immediately transformed into sound, but only after the brain has recognized what the symbol means, and relayed the whole information to a whole series of muscles. At times this occurs in such quick succession that it leaves a viewer gasping.
Music is one subject taught in school that incorporates physical, cognitive and effectual aspects of the brain. Data from UCLA neurological research studies shows that music more fully involves the brain functions (both left and right hemispheres) than any other activities studied.
Studies done in New Mexico, California, and other locations show that participation in a music program has a positive impact on reading, spelling, mathematics, listening skills, verbal abilities, and motor skills.
In 1987 to 1993, students taking music courses scored an average of 35 to 54 points higher on both verbal and math portions of the SATs than students who took no arts courses. During the same period, students who took more than four years of music and the other arts scored 34 points better on verbal SATs than those who took music for less than a year.

SELF DISCIPLINE

Music does not stop with the production of glorious, pleasant sound. It carries over into every aspect of life. Ideas are grasped more quickly and concentration is improved. Every function that the mind sets out to do is done with greater efficiency.
As a child begins to understand the connection between hours of practice and the quality of a performance, self-discipline becomes self-reinforcing. It may then be a short jump to making the connection between self-discipline and performance in life.

TEAMWORK

The band is a total group activity where everyone is important. There are no “bench warmers”... every member of the team plays.
In the school music program, your child becomes part of a group whose success depends upon teamwork and cooperation. They become involved in performance situations where they are able to obtain a sense of worth in creating beauty in cooperation with their peers. Discovering the advantages of working with others and contributing to the overall success of the group is a valuable lesson that your child will use throughout his or her life.




MUSIC TOUCHES THE EMOTIONS

Music stirs the memory of our people. It connects us to our history, our traditions, our heritage. It is a dominant force in the world, shaping every culture’s senses as well as the values of its children as few other forces can.
It is critically important that our children understand their place in today’s world by making these connections. In the folk songs of Appalachia, in the emotional reverberations of the blues, in the soaring spirituality of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass, in the vigor of Aaron Copland’s Rodeo , our children can awaken to a knowledge of themselves - their community and their world - in ways that cannot be duplicated. We want our children to know and understand music precisely because it has intrinsic value on these and many other levels.

MUSIC IS FUN

Music is fun to learn. We all enjoy listening to music and it is even more fun to create. There is a simple joy in experimenting with an instrument, playing actual notes and discovering how those notes fit together to become a melody.
And there’s a unique and special satisfaction in performing as part of a band that will be cherished for a lifetime, a unique pleasure in meeting new challenges and handling them - beautifully.

ENCOURAGEMENT IS VITAL

Children are naturally curious - they love to discover and explore various new aspects of themselves and the world around them. But as easily as they become interested in which they discover, they can just as easily become frustrated when they have trouble understanding them. It is vital for parents to reassure their children that effort will help them achieve the results they desire. This is especially true when they are confronted with something as complex as a musical instrument. The determination and perseverance required, particularly during the beginning stages will be a new challenge to your child’s learning abilities.

We are very excited about the instrumental music program in the Upper Saddle River School District. We believe that music is an important part of every child’s education. Please encourage your child to join the program. It will be an exciting and worthwhile experience that your child will enjoy for the rest of his or her life. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call us at 201-961-6400.


Yours truly,


Cynthia Haas
Jonathan Kulhawy
John Mayurnik