College-Ready, Career-Ready--and Playing Music.
Years ago, in a mid-70s masters class in The Future of Education, the professor told us that we should be prepared to live in a future world where discipline-based 30-year careers with a single focus would fade away. The Renaissance man--it was the 1970s, so we weren't talking about Renaissance women--would re-emerge as national creative force, and our problem-solving and scientific progress as a nation would depend on giving everyone a (wait for it) well-rounded education.
"I'm not talking about sports," he said, smirking. "Did you know that 83% of the physicians in the United States were musicians in high school?"
This was news to me, which is why I think the remark lodged itself in my brain. I have since looked, several times, for some confirmation of that factoid. I have no idea if it's precisely true--but it makes a certain sense to me that people with the drive to make it into and through medical school would also be likely to have accepted the challenge of learning to read music and stuck with playing an instrument or singing in the choir through their K-12 education.
There are plenty of studies and testimonials around the positive benefits of music education in the lives of children. I always worry a little, however, about articles suggesting a stint in the high school orchestra will yield higher lifetime earnings or the ability to "work in teams." Plenty of my band students have ended up in what you might call low places. Hoping your child will