How music is used to help some students to study and how it hurts other students - Essay Example

General music lesson in school are not as common today as they used to be. Music provides an opportunity for self-expression. Every in school must be provided some opportunity for learning music, which should be taught by qualified music teachers. Music sessions should be a meaningful experience. Students can also be actively engaged in listening analytically, reflecting and developing leadership skills (Block, 2008). Music can be divided into many genres in many different ways. Music is composed for different purposes and from different viewpoints.

Thus music can be classified as art music, popular music or traditional music. Utility music or music for use is simple in technique and style and is used by talented amateurs for performance (Gebrauchsmusik, 2011). This provides the amateurs an opportunity for self expression and a platform to perform, without which they would feel isolated. Absolute music is instrumental although not all instrumental music is absolute. Program music is the instrumental music of the 19th and 20th century. This form of music arouses mental pictures or ideas in the thoughts of the listener.

It stimulates how to tell a story, or depict a scene, or impel a mood. Tempo is the Italian word for time and is usually measured in quarter-notes per minute (QPM). Tempo has a strong impact on the mood of music (ChordWizard, 2010). The student can specify the speed of the piece of music and generate the exact feelings one is looking for. This can motivate them to study better. Music can be listened on three planes; one of them is the sensual plane. To the sensuous listener the appeal of music is self-evident (UCalgary, n.d.).

The sound element is powerful and mysterious. Most people listen to music at this level where they can forget themselves. This can be most relaxing for students as it helps them to unwind and release tensions. They can forget and unwind because the concentration is on what generates the sound, the quality of sound and the intensity of sound. Thus the mind is away from studies, which helps in unwinding. With a little guidance it is possible to inculcate the habit of listening to some piece of music with a higher level of awareness (McAlister, 2007).

If they develop the critical skills to think intelligently about their music, they will be able to retain the skill and apply it to the music pieces they are taught. Associative listeners will find that the music reveals some story in their mind. It can evoke memories from the past which can cause disturbance to the minds of the students specially those that are very emotional. In fact, one can trail back and dig out all connections that the music leads them to, which may not be desirable. A critical listener would analyse the rhythm, the melody and the harmony or criticize and compare two different works from the same composer.

They would also analyze if the music is able to convey and arouse the feelings intended. Such students analyse the strengths and weakness of the music and the performance by the singer/musician. This develops the critical ability of the student while also enhancing the music skills. The attentive listener does not arrive at any conclusion till he/she has heard the music till the end. However, before they start listening they form a genre of the music piece and summarize their findings. They listen to the piece several times; they analyze and respond as an attentive listener only after they have heard it several times.

They also analyse what feelings the music generates within them and how they feel. Music has harmony, rhythm and melody. Music is revealing; it can articulate feelings without becoming wedded to them (McIntyre, 2009). Music helps children with several emotional disturbances or children who are impulsive and are unable to regulate their lives. Music helps children to experience a state of stability. It can enhance the self-esteem and create an environment where students can release their inhibitions.

However, music can be distracting also. Rhythm excites physically and prompts the students to tap their feet. It makes them want to get up and dance (UCalgary, n.d.). This can at times be distracting for students as the mind immediate thinks of polka, waltz or the tango. Thus, music can prompt some to concentrate better while it can serve to distract other students. It all depends upon the personality of the student and what benefit they derive from listening to music. Listening is a skill that needs to be inculcated.

The associative listener can be distracted as it can evoke hidden memories while the critical listener can develop critical thinking skills. References Block, D.G. General Music Classes Have Value at All Education Levels. Teaching Music; Apr2008, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 66-66 ChordWizard. (2010). Musical Temp. http://www.howmusicworks.org/hmw509.html Gebrauchsmusik, 2011). IN Encyclopedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/227637/Gebrauchsmusik McAlister, A. (2007). Time Out! American Music Teacher; Apr/May2007, vol. 56, no. 5, pp.

28-30, 3p McIntyre, J. (2009). Interactive Family Music Therapy: Untangling the System. THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALANDJOURNAL OF FAMILY THERAPY, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 260-268 UCalgary. (n.d.). WRITING ABOUT MUSIC. http://people.ucalgary.ca/~rseiler/music.htm