The education system has long stressed the importance of core classes like math and science, but the arts are also essential to students’ development. Research consistently shows that music education enhances a child’s cognitive development, academics and social intelligence.

According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children (americanspcc.org), music education enhances memory, concentration and language. Learning to play an instrument, for example, involves reading sheet music, hand movements and memorizing notes — activities that require both hemispheres of the brain, improving memory and focus.

Professionals suggest instilling a love of music when children are small — and immersion is vital. “Music learning begins long before a child enters school and even before a baby is born,” says Westmoreland County music teacher Andrea Frescura. “Exposure is the key. Singing lullabies and listening to a variety of music is crucial for early brain development.”

Megan Held, owner of Monroeville Music, agrees. “Research [shows] that birth through age 6 is the most important period for building a musical foundation,” she says.

Every child is born musical; babies naturally respond to rhythm and melody. Language development peaks in toddlers, while preschoolers are building creativity and confidence. And the role that parents play is essential, says Frescura. “It is up to us as adults to encourage unstructured learning and take part in their music-making experiences,” she says. This helps children believe in their own abilities and recognize the value of music.

Music is a universal language that promotes relaxation, confidence, stress relief and self-expression — all qualities children will carry into adulthood. And the good news is you don’t have to be an expert to reap the benefits. “One of the biggest misconceptions is that parents need to be musical. They don’t,” Held says. “Children don’t need perfect singing; they need joyful participation.”

According to Texas-based pediatric hospital Children’s Health (childrens.com), simple unstructured dancing, playing and singing offer positive health benefits. Music reduces anxiety, eases pain and discomfort and promotes positivity, encouraging healthy relationships and improving cognitive skills.

Educationally, music promotes learning and incorporating core classes. “It’s all wrapped into one. Math is needed to count notes, and students learn history by studying composers and different eras,” says retired Allegheny Valley School District music teacher Doug Skoretz. In the brain, music and language are closely linked. Studying rhythm, melody and pitch strengthens phonics, listening skills and language development. “It’s a different language to learn how to read music,” Skoretz says. “You have to teach the whole child.”

One of the wonderful things about music, Skoretz adds, is that he could teach at anyone’s level. “I was able to look at each individual student and teach where they were,” he says. Skoretz, whose go-to instrument is the alto saxophone, plays “a little bit of percussion,” piano, trombone, French horn, tuba and trumpet. “My mind was that you model each instrument. And each student was going to learn something from me.”

“One of the things I love most about teaching elementary music is watching children discover talents they never knew that they had,” Frescura says. “I get to watch them develop over five years. During that time, some of my students come to find that music will be a lifelong love for them.”

When it comes to core classes versus the arts, Skoretz says there needs to be balance. And it should be all about test scores. Held adds that music also has tremendous value on its own — not simply because it may improve another subject.

Frescura concurs. “Some students might struggle in traditional academic settings but yet they are able to discover confidence and purpose through music, finding an outlet to express themselves and experiencing the pride that comes from accomplishing something that they thought was impossible,” she says. “Music gives every child a place to shine.”

Meet the Musicians

Megan Held is a mezzo soprano, voice and piano teacher and an early childhood, choral and general music specialist. In 2023, Held acquired Monroeville Music, which provides private and group lessons, summer camps and parent / child classes in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. The center also offers Music Together, a research-based program rooted in music education, neuroscience, psychology and early childhood development.

Andrea Frescura began as an elementary music substitute at Upper St. Clair School District before being hired by Penn Trafford High School in Westmoreland County in 2014. Frescura teaches first- through fifth-grade general music, band lessons and chorus. Her primary and secondary instruments are voice and the flute, respectively, but she also enjoys teaching ukulele, recorder and band instruments to her students.

For 37 years, Doug Skoretz taught general music, vocal, instrumental and drama. Skoretz began at St. James Parish in Wilkinsburg, which is also where he met his wife, Janice. Skoretz spent much of his career at Allegheny Valley School District before retiring two years ago. He taught all grades levels, but acknowledged junior high was his favorite. For Christmas, Skoretz would take his fifth and sixth graders to play at places like Station Square or Grand Concourse. “It was very important for students to learn how to perform in public,” he says.

What Parents Can Do

• Express interest and offer encouragement.
• Let your kiddo explore different instruments. (“The best instrument to start with is the one that inspires a child to want to play,” says Held.)
• Keep learning fun with impromptu dance parties and at-home concerts.
• Combine play with structured learning, like private lessons, which encourages executive function.