Seminar Stresses Music Education
From:
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
By:
Andrea Broyles
Cities
around the country are beginning to realize the importance of early childhood
music education, and Lubbock is no exception.
On
Friday, Janeen Holmes, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra Education Director, presented
a seminar to attendees at the Texas Association of Symphony Orchestras.
Holmes
emphasized the need to begin music education and youth symphonies not only to
benefit the large orchestras, but to help the future of the country.
“Because
of all the statistics that are coming out about the Mozart effect and the 1998
SAT scores, we have to increase early childhood education,” she said.
“There is all of this wonderful scientific proof that music makes a
difference.”
Holmes
cited research that showed students exposed to music at an early age scored
significantly higher on all portions of the SAT exam.
“Early
childhood music can make such a difference in intelligence level that it makes
everyone in this field want it,” she said.
“We
need to start working together on elementary music curriculums.”
Holmes
showcased several of Lubbock’s youth education programs including the Lubbock
Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony School.
“We
have great programs at the local school,” she said.
“We
need awareness and private funding. Funding
is always an issue but all most places need is someone who just knows about what
a difference it can make.”
She
also pointed out that the program provides a benefit to the larger symphony as
the youth performers grow older.
“For
the past four or five years, there have been approximately 12 youth orchestra
alumni performing with the symphony,” Holmes said.
“Hopefully,
they’ll spend the rest of their lives enjoying playing their instrument in a
community group or being a patron.”
But,
for Holmes, the best benefit of early youth music education is the benefits the
students receive.
“I’ve
seen these kids from different places come together as a group,” she said.
“It’s
become the ‘cool’ thing to be in it. They’re
respected for their dedication and they have friends that share their interests.
They feel validated and accepted.”