Music is a powerful force in the universe. Countless studies have been done over the years on people of all ages, from children in the womb to the elderly that suffer from Alzheimer's Disease. Nearly every study shows that music stimulates a part of the brain that affects learning and memory.

Think of your own life. When a particular song associated with a memory is heard, through the miracle of memory you can relive the moment, nearly to the most minute detail.

If just hearing music can have this effect, what can learning and performing music do?

Plenty. Musicians and singers reap many lifelong benefits from music education. The National Association for Music Education reports that students who receive music education are more likely to succeed in society, at school, in developing intelligence, and at life.

Let's a take a deeper look at those claims. The U.S. Department of Education lists music and the arts as subjects that all college bound middle school students should take. The agency states that "Many colleges view participation in the arts and music as a valuable experience that broadens students' understanding and appreciation of the world around them. It is also well known and widely recognized that the arts contribute significantly to children's intellectual development."

According to a report by the Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, secondary students who participated in band or orchestra reported the lowest lifetime and current use of all substances alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs.

Students with coursework/experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the SAT: students in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math, and students in music appreciation scored 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on the math, than did students with no arts participation.

Locally, this trend holds true. At Le Mars Community, the String Orchestra, Symphony, Marching Band, Jazz Band and Concert Band have all received the Distinguished Academic Achievement Award for their cumulative grade point averages being between 3.25 and 4.0.

A research team exploring the link between music and intelligence reported that music training is far superior to computer instruction in dramatically enhancing children's abstract reasoning skills, the skills necessary for learning math and science.

Former President Gerald R. Ford once said "Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them -- a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music."

That's pretty powerful stuff, that music. The really cool thing about music is that it truly is never too late to start enjoying it and if you don't like one style, there are many, many other types of music. There literally is something for everyone.

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@lemarscomm.net, telephone 712-546-7031, x40 or toll free 1-800-728-0066 x40.

Thanks for reading, I'll keep in touch. Feel free to do the same.