Beyond Music Appreciation:
The Role of Music in the Undergraduate Liberal Arts Experience
Presented at "Challenge and Response:
Rethinking Key Issues in College Learning"
September 23-25, 1999
Elon College, North Carolina
by Ginger G. Wyrick
Music and Liberal Arts
How have we come to a day in our so-called "civilized" world
where a place deemed to procure the liberal arts would question
the validity of its music department? Often administrators
pillage music classes looking only for financial resolve. Are
we, as institutes of higher learning, willing to mortgage the
soul's of our children only to toss coins into our coffers?
Music has long been recognized as a core discipline for
liberating humanity from the slavery of ignorance. The Greeks
took great care to include music as a key element in liberal
learning. The trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric) and
quadrivium (mathematics, music, astronomy, and geometry) were
necessary to protect Athens from the piranha states of the
surrounding Mediterranean. Without the skills of freedom, better
known as "liberal arts," the people of Athens as well as their
society were sure to be consumed.
A "liberal education" by definition is what a free person
should know. It separates the free from the enslaved. In the
modern world, education maintains this quality of freedom for all
who choose to embrace it. Aristotle, in his Politics, speaks of
music claiming: "Music has the power of producing a certain
effect on the moral character of the soul, and if it has the
power to do this, it is clear that the young must be directed to
music and must be educated in it."1 If public schools and
colleges continue removing music and the arts from their
curriculum, the souls of our children will be starved and our
nation will quickly find itself under the assimilated leadership
of droids.
Every culture on earth finds music at its roots. Since the
pulse of the first rhythmic beat or the hum of a mournful chant,
humans have grasped the ineffable power of music to define life.
Music communicates. This distinctive claim rises from religion
and myth combining songs, images, stories, and dance into
society's cultural photo album. For the greater portion of
history, the human story has been cultivated, recorded, and
transmitted from generation to generation through song and
storytelling. To this, Emerson adds "[Music] whispers to us dim
secrets that startle our wonder as to who we are, and to what,
whence, and whereto."2 Music, therefore, is synonymous with
being human.
Carl Orff, distinguished music educator and composer,
reflects,
Elementary music, word and movement, play, everything
that awakens and develops the powers of the spirit,
this is the 'humus' of the spirit, the humus without
which we face the danger of a spiritual erosion. When
does erosion occur in nature? When the land is wrongly
exploited; for instance when the natural water supply
is disturbed through too much cultivation, or when, for
utilitarian reasons, forests and hedges fall as victims
of drawing-board mentality; in short, when the balance
of nature is lost by interference. In the same way I
would like to repeat: Man exposes himself to spiritual
erosion if he estranges himself from his elementary
essentials and thus loses his balance.3
The musical core of humanity begins with rhythm. An axiom
of quantum physics is that
everything exists in a state of vibration. This rhythmic
environment cradles life itself: the minutes and hours of time;
the rising and setting of the sun defining day and night; the
days and weeks of a celestial year; the ebb and flow of the tide,
the seasons; a heart beat; breathing; birth and death. The
rhythmic pith of daily life is reflected in music as time becomes
structured in sound and silence. To classify humanity as
musicians and non-musicians is in error, for all humans are
musical by nature. Some may have experienced the loss of
specific musical skills; however, all are capable of responding
to the music of their culture.4
Music and the Brain
Considering the role of music in the undergraduate liberal
arts experience, let us explore the vitality it brings to the
learning process. First, recall the work of Dr. Frances H.
Rauscher and her colleagues who led a study on 36 undergraduates
who listened to Mozart for 10 minutes. Immediately following this
activity, these students scored 8-9 points higher on the spatial
IQ test (Stanford-Binet intelligence scale). The scientists
concluded that listening to Mozart helps to organize the neuron
activity in the cerebral cortex, especially those of the right
brain. The act of listening to music functions as an "exercise"
which enhances concentration and improves one's ability for
intuitive leaps.5
Beyond listening to music, participating in music (or
incorporating music into the classroom) has demonstrated positive
results on motivation, learning, and behavior. In 1996, the
College Entrance Examination Board reported that students with
musical experience scored 51 points higher on verbal SAT and 39
points higher on math than the national average. A study
conducted between 1983 and 1988 of approximately 7500 students
from medium-size universities revealed that music and music
education majors posted the highest reading scores of any
students on campus, including mathematics, biology, chemistry,
and English majors.6 However, the results are not limited to
the collegiate student.
Studies in the very young (Neurological Research, February
1997: Rauscher and Shaw) and the very old (Journal of Music
Therapy, Summer 1991, pp. 101-110: Prickett and Moore) reveal
exciting evidence that music directly influences the learning
process as well as memory retention. Dr. Frances Rauscher and
Dr. Gordon Shaw took their research to preschoolers. One group
had private piano and singing lessons, one group had private
computer lessons, and one group had no training. Children
receiving piano lessons scored 34 percent higher on spatial and
temporal skills test than the other children. The results
indicate that music enhances brain functions needed for science,
engineering, mathematics, and chess.7 Prickett and Moore
studied 10 patients with symptoms of Alzheimer's. The subjects
were assessed for recall, both spoken and sung. The results
indicated that words to songs were recalled far better than
spoken words including rhymed speech. Even when the subject was
unable to remember the songs, they tried to sing or hum the
melody.8
Through research we are discovering the power of music to
connect neural pathways between both sides of the brain. Frank
Wilson, a noted neurologist, reports that brain scan studies at
UCLA "indicated that music more fully involves brain functions in
both hemispheres than any other activity the researchers studied.
. . . . intelligence is increased when a child learns to play a
musical instrument."9 The report also stated that 80-90 percent
of the brain's capacity for motor control regulates stimuli to
and from the throat, mouth, and hands. Wilson concluded that
virtually the entire brain can be stimulated by developing highly
refined control in these areas during childhood, thus expanding
the capabilities.10
The majority of nerve cells are formed within the first year
of life. They cannot divide nor replace themselves. In fact,
after the age of 21, it is believed that nearly 10,000 neurons
die each day. However, memory does not seem to be directly
correlated to this loss. By connecting as many neurons as
possible during the learning process, one increases the aptitude
of long range memory. 11 The beauty of music education lies in
its utilization of the entire brain maximizing the potential for
neurological webbing. To talk about music, to study it, or
analyze it requires distinctive use of the left brain. However,
when the creative process of music occurs, the right brain
dominates. Furthermore, when a student is practicing a piece,
watching for the musical details, searching to produce the
desires of the composer, the entire brain is involved. Unlike
any other subject, music "actually rewires the brain to work more
efficiently in all areas of thinking."12
Music and Curriculum
Educators and administrators must look for ways to include
music and fine arts education into the general curricula of all
students. Realizing the direct correlation music has with the
learning process, we have a moral obligation to provide students
with this resource. To be effective, advisors must become aware
of the available class offerings in the music department and seek
the advice and guidance of those instructing these courses. Each
student must be given the opportunity to experience music as part
of liberal learning.
Music Appreciation
The popular default class is music appreciation, a general
overview of music involving study and critical listening.
Students experience the basic elements of music including
language and instruments. Further exploration includes visiting
the various periods of music history through society, politics,
the study of composers, and select musical listening examples.
Creative instructors may augment this experience with concert
attendance, topical papers, projects, and presentations. This
generic course provides one music resource but should not limit
the possibility of other classes.
Ensembles
Participation in an ensemble such as choir, band, or
orchestra provides the student an opportunity to experience music
in a way far greater than the sum of its parts. Even an
inexperienced musician can exceed their own expectations when
creating music with others. As an added bonus, membership in an
ensemble mirrors the conditions of functioning within a civilized
community. Members must learn to live and work together,
understand and obey the laws used to govern the group, and work
towards a common goal. Ensembles also represent a cross-section
of the collegiate population with members coming from all
disciplines. Students build camaraderie among their peers while
developing a sense of loyalty and pride with their alma mater.
Schools may choose to utilize the potential of this microcosm by
allowing the ensembles to travel representing the school and its
students.
Ensembles may also provide a healthy, educational
alternative for collegiate student's need to belong socially.
Schools across the country struggle with the dominating control
of fraternities and sororities on student's time as well as the
negative influences which may introduce dangerous behavior. Why
not require each student to participate in a musical ensemble.
Students build friendships, work towards a performance, serve as
ambassadors of the school, fill the need for social acceptance,
and provide education in a musical discipline.
Applied Music
Applied music classes (private lessons) afford the
individual the opportunity to pursue study of an instrument.
This may be a continuation of previous experience or the
beginning of a new adventure. Whatever the motivation, learning
an instrument (including singing) opens the mind and the senses.
Study begins by learning the symbolic language of music coupled
with technic and repertoire; however, music demands further
understanding. Style, form, performance practices only begin to
influence the expression of music. For singers, text and
language must be analyzed for poetic and historical meaning in
relation to the composition as well as the performance. Practice
improves the coordination of the body, focused thought, memory,
and self-discipline while improving hearing and seeing.
Anyone can learn to play an instrument or sing, with the
understanding that the selected instrument requires certain
physical abilities. Given six months of instruction, the average
adult can achieve some level of success on an instrument. Even
older adults share in this process as evidenced by the New
Horizons Band. Dr. Roy Ernst, chairman of the Department of
Music Education at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, started
this ensemble of adults, primarily between the ages of 60 and 85,
most of whom had no previous music training. Basic instruction
and lots of encouragement cultivated a band which has achieved
musical excellence and great fun. "It is never too late for
music."13
Music History
Academic music courses usually reserved for the major may
also provide an intriguing alternative for the undergraduate.
Music history explores the Western world from the combined
perspective of arts, politics, and society. Disciplines such as
history, anthropology, sociology, English, visual art, and
political science will benefit from this approach to the world,
its people, and its cultures.
Music Theory
Music theory analyzes the universal language of music,
seeking to find meaning in the symbolic. Compositions are
dissected vertically, horizontally, and compositely. A unique
visual image of the music is achieved through this investigative
approach. Computer science, mathematics and related fields will
discover parallels with the logical ordering of sound.
Composition
Composition, writing music, affords the student a means of
communication unlike any other. Through the medium of sound and
time, the student has unlimited access of expression through
music's non-verbal language. Mathematics and music are similar
in that both are concerned with linking the abstract and creating
patterns.14
Honors Conversation
Combining music with other disciplines can initiate dialogue
and enhance the learning experience through multi-faceted
exploration. Queens College offers Honors Conversations which
involve the volunteer time of faculty exploring topics of
interest. Students receive one credit following three
conversations. No additional cost is incurred by the student as
these classes are underwritten by the school honors program.
Conversations represent a variety of majors and ages with
freshmen to seniors who have interest in a subject attending. To
participate, students must qualify for the honors program (3.0
GPA).
A popular forum is opera. Several faculty members who share
a love of the medium join forces to bring insight and intrigue to
this dramatic form. Recent conversations include "The Crucible,"
"Aida," "Don Giovanni," and "Madama Butterfly." The topic is
generally chosen based on the seasonal offerings of Opera
Carolina, the resident opera company of Charlotte. Once the
season is announced, interested professors select the show of
choice and begin developing the approach.
This past year, "Madama Butterfly," the timeless story by
Giocomo Puccini, brought together professors from the Music,
English, and Environmental Science Departments along with
students representing music, biology, history, drama, science,
math, and communications. The team of educators first sought to
get the students out of the traditional classroom and second, get
the students thinking and talking about the issues presented in
the story. Once a general outline was established, the work was
divided among the professors and their interests: Emily
Seelbinder (English) introduced the story and background
information; Connie Rhyne-Bray (Music) introduced the music and
drama; and Reid Perkins (Environmental Science and father of an
adopted Vietnamese child) discussed his visits to Vietnam as well
as his experiences in an Asian country.
Two conversations took place at the home of Dr. Emily
Seelbinder. Each meeting included a meal from the Pacific Rim:
Thai and Chinese. The first conversation outlined the plot of
story and included listening to parts of the opera. The libretto
was placed on reserve in the library, and students were
encouraged to read the text away from the music as foundational
preparation for the performance. The hope is that the students
will not be restricted to the supertitles during the actual
performance and can be free to experience the opera as it was
intended. The second meeting was attending the opera performance
by Opera Carolina. Following the performance, students responded
to the production, the singers, and further discussed the art
form of opera. Prior to the third and final session, students
prepared a reaction paper to their experience and the production.
The conversation continued the discussion initiated by their
papers and paralleled the stage production to real life.
Parallels included similarities with the currently running
Broadway show, Miss Saigon, America's presence in Vietnam, and
the many unwanted American/Vietnamese children resulting from the
Vietnam war.
The participation is always well received and enthusiastic
from all who are involved. The desired results include
acclamation to the art form, discussion of the subject, and the
development of future arts patrons.15
Why music should be integrated into the liberal arts curriculum
1. Music cultivates the whole person.
Music generates literacy in many areas while developing
reasoning, intuition, dexterity, and imagination. It offers a
variety of modes for expression and self-communication. Students
of music discover many different ways of perceiving and thinking.
Unlike the traditional linear path of thinking, music, more
often, combines many paths including the senses allowing the
student to trust insight as a valid source of knowledge.
2. Music brings understanding to the human experience.
Music reflects culture giving an historical account of
society, politics, and the arts. For thousands of years, most
teaching of human history has occurred through song and
storytelling. It helps us to recognize our differences and
similarities while cultivating tolerance and respect for others
including ways of working, thinking, and expressing the self.
Music soothes. At the end of a busy day, we get into the
car and turn on the radio or put on a favorite CD. Music
relaxes, alters one's perception of time and mood, and can give
energy.
Music bonds people. Performing music together creates a
unity among the group members through the shared experience. It
builds community through the ritual of the creative process.
3. Music identifies artistic responses to problem solving.
Music incorporates the analytical with the expressive to
build a library of tools for every human situation. Thus, we
have the "art." Because much of the process has no clearly
defined result, music teaches the art of making decisions where
no standard answer is possible. It kindles creative problem
solving, develops individual and group work skills, and
experimentation.
4. Music develops non-verbal communication.
Music is a universal language based on non-verbal
communication. Through the use of a symbolic language juxtaposed
with human expression, music tells a story, identifies a culture,
and offers a mode of self-expression. Analyzing this information
helps one make educated conclusions regarding product and issue.
5. Music adds excitement to the learning process.
Music allows for subjectivity and ambiguity in the
exploration of knowledge. It draws our attention and helps us
respond to its rhythmic patterns. Music also helps the student
develop self-discipline, self-esteem, self-motivation, and
cooperation, all necessary for participation in today's society.
Music develops critical listening. While music may be a
pleasant experience, it offers the challenge of attentive
listening as a motivation to learning.16 Music offers joy. To
this, Goethe adds "People don't sing because they are happy,
they're happy because they sing."17
Conclusion
How can anyone deprived of the experience of music be
recognized as liberally educated? Music extols life and gives to
it meaning. Music which is truly great outlives its creator
while giving us insight into the person, the period, and the
place. Music draws together those whose paths may never cross in
any other circumstance. Music unites a divided world through its
universal language of sound. Music communicates the soul and
provides a non-verbal medium to express the inexpressible. Music
gives us hope.
---------------------------
1 Aristotle, Politics.
2 The Report of the National Commission on Music Education,
Growing Up Complete: The Imperative for Music Education (Reston,
Virginia: Music Educators National Conference, 1991), p. 4.
3 Don G. Campbell, Introduction to the Musical Brain, 2nd ed.
(Missouri: MMB Music Inc., 1992), p. 7.
4 Donald A. Hodges, ed., Handbook of Music Psychology, 2nd ed.
(San Antonio, TX: IMR Press, 1996), p. 59.
5 Don G. Campbell, The Mozart Effect, (New York: Avon Books,
1997), p. 16.
6 Ibid., p. 177.
7 "Music Beats Computers at Enhancing Early Childhood
Development," Teaching Music, June 1997, p. 42.
8 Carl A. Prickett and Randall S. Moore, "The Use of Music to
Aid Memory of Alzheimer's Patients," Journal of Music Therapy,
vol. XXVIII, no. 2 (Summer 1991): 101.
9 Marjorie R. Lehr, "Music Education," Teaching Music, vol. 6
issue 3 (December 1998), p. 40.
10 Ibid.
11 Campbell, Introduction to the Musical Brain, p. 15.
12 Lehr, p. 41.
13 MuSica Research Notes, vol. 3, issue 1 (Spring 1996) "Music,
Development, Aging and the Brain: It's Never Too Late for Music."
14 Anthony Storr, Music and The Mind, (New York: The Free Press,
1992), p. 177-8.
15 Interviews with Dr. Emily Seelbinder and Connie Rhyne-Bray,
Queens College, Charlotte, North Carolina, 29 July 1999.
16 National Standards for Arts Education, Dance, Music, Theatre,
Visual Arts: What Every Young American Should Know and Be Able to
Do in the Arts, (Reston, Virginia: Music Educators National
Conference, 1994), pp. 6-7.
17 Claudia E. Cornett, The Arts as Meaning Makers: Integrating
Literature and the Arts Throughout the Curriculum, (New Jersey:
Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1999), pp. 330-333.
---------------------
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