Music education can result in better outcomes for the development and growth of students, in school and beyond. Aggregate research demonstrates that learning about and playing music can be beneficial to a child’s social, emotional and academic development. In the area of neuroscience, studies often investigate the connection between music, neural functioning and neuroplasticity, with implications for addressing cognitive difficulties, trauma and more.
By enrolling in the online Master of Music in Music Education program from Eastern Washington University (EWU), educators can enhance their knowledge of music education by learning technological advances, music best practices, research and groundbreaking approaches. In addition, degree candidates will examine critical philosophy, issues in social justice and tactics for teaching music theory and composition in the classroom. EWU’s online Master of Music program prepares graduates to provide ongoing music education, sparking creativity and numerous beneficial outcomes for today’s students.
The Benefits of Learning Music in School
As schools strive to perform better on standardized testing, budget cuts often result in the elimination of art and music programs. Unfortunately, many schools fail to understand that music education positively impacts student development in myriad ways. This can include improved vocabulary, reading comprehension and mathematical skills. Music education also offers many potential mental and intellectual benefits such as enhanced memory, retention, focus and discipline.
Additionally, music can bolster mental health for people of any age, including children. For instance, ACSD highlights five specific ways music aids in mental health and social-emotional development for school-aged children:
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- Emotional self-regulation
- Social integration and belonging
- Identity formation and confidence
- Global citizenship and open-mindedness
- Creative thinking and optimism about the future
Music Theory Definition and Purpose in Education
Music theory is the theoretical and practical study of music as a framework of concepts, language and principles that inform music creation and performance. Musical traditions are cultural and regional, to a large degree, as are ideas about music theory and the relationships between notes and rhythms. People also hear or comprehend music in different ways. So, generalized theories and frameworks may not fully reflect the subjective or contextual nature of music.
However, at its root, music comprises sounds and relationships between those sounds. “Sounds” are auditory-level frequency vibrations, and the speed of those vibrations (sound waves) causes what we hear as differences in pitch, broadly speaking. In terms of physics, musical harmonies are purely mathematical relationships between sound waves. Rhythms are time-based mathematical relationships. While this is a gross simplification, it demonstrates that the building blocks of music (and music theory) are essentially multi-dimensional mathematical relationships, bridging sound and time.
Music theory is philosophical, theoretical and practical — it helps students understand how music works. When students learn music theory, they can understand and appreciate how to write, interpret and perform music. Learning music theory allows students to speak the same musical language as their teachers and be on the same page while discussing, performing or analyzing a piece of music.
Now, add in the intersection of music and culture, history, emotions, brain development and more. At this dynamic level, studying music theory offers students much more than the ability to understand and perform music proficiently.
Why Is Learning Music Theory Important for Students?
Music theory explores the basic elements of music and integrates the topics of composition, performance, history, philosophy and ear training. Here are a few ways learning music theory can improve learning ability and make students well-rounded learners:
Boosted music performance
Eventually, music students must perform from memory. Learning music theory allows musicians to recognize patterns in music and become fluent readers of notated music. By understanding the structure and form of the music they’re performing, they can access harmonic memory and recount large sections of music from memory.
Improved improvisational skills
While learning to play written notes is essential for a musician, knowing how to improvise is a learned skill that additional knowledge and experience can build on. Aurally predicting chord progressions, knowing musical forms, and being aware of harmonic substitutions allows students to actively practice improvisation and create music that sounds cohesive.
Greater music literacy
Students become literate musicians when they understand the inner workings of a piece of music. Understanding the language of music creates a deeper grasp and appreciation of various genres of music, whether it be a string quartet, a pop song, an opera aria or a scene from a Broadway musical. Music theory creates a musician that can speak, write and read the language of music.
Next Steps in Teaching Music Theory
Studying music theory is critical for aspiring music educators who want to teach the subject to students. Yet, music theory is much more than math and memorization. It is the culmination of traditions, cultures, languages, rituals, physics and more. Music theory is also extremely complex, and much of it can be intangible to those new to musical study. Given this, helping students understand music theory requires advanced teaching skills as well as deep knowledge of the ethnomusicological histories of musical traditions.
An online Master of Music in Music Education degree from EWU can prepare educators to understand diverse populations and cultures in teaching music, exemplify creative and critical-thinking skills as they relate to music education, and apply different approaches to teaching music in a classroom setting. This music education degree offers seven start dates per year and convenient online six-week courses for the working professional. Most importantly, the knowledge and skills this program provides equip educators to enrich their students’ musical abilities and lives in and out of the classroom.
Learn more about Eastern Washington University’s online Master of Music in Music Education program.
