We are extremely fortunate to have Mr Richard Van Wijck as our school music teacher. Mr Van Wijck is a classically-trained guitarist (Honours Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada followed by postgraduate studies at the Conservatories of Maastricht and Amsterdam) with more than 25 years of experience in independent guitar instruction in the Brussels region. He embraces his passion for live music performance in a diverse range of genres at public events such as the Brussels Jazz Marathon and private shows with his rhythm and blues band.
Mr Van Wijck also supports students wishing to further their knowledge with preparation for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) theory examinations.
Please contact the office if you would like your child to have instrumental lessons.
Everyone enjoys music, whether by listening to it, singing, or playing an instrument. Music enriches students' lives and education. Music education is so important and it offers benefits even beyond itself. Musical training helps develop language and reasoning. Students who have early musical training will develop the areas of the brain related to language and reasoning. The left side of the brain is better developed with music and songs help imprint information on young minds serves students well in education and beyond.
Music helps students learn to improve their work. Learning music promotes craftsmanship and students learn to want to create good work rather than mediocre work. This desire can be applied to all subjects of study. Increased coordination is evident in students who practice with musical instruments improve their hand-eye coordination. nJust like playing sports, children develop motor skills when playing music. Learning to play pieces of music on a new instrument can be a challenging, but achievable goal. Students who master even the smallest goal in music are able to feel proud of their achievement.
An enjoyable subject like music keeps children interested and engaged in school. Music is a part of our social fabric, and music shapes abilities and character. Musical education greatly contributes to children's intellectual development as well. Students of music are more emotionally developed, with empathy towards others. They also tend to have higher self-esteem and are better at coping with anxiety.
Children develop their maths and pattern-recognition skills with the help of musical education. Playing music offers repetition in an enjoyable format. Students who have experience with music performance or appreciation score higher in tests.
Musicians are better at detecting meaningful, information-bearing elements in sounds, like the emotional meaning in a baby's cry. Students who practice music have better auditory attention, and pick out predictable patterns from surrounding noise. Introducing music in the early childhood years helps foster a positive attitude toward learning and curiosity. Artistic education develops the whole brain and develops a child's imagination. Students fight stress by learning to play music. Soothing music is especially useful in helping students relax.
Students who learn to play an instrument learn a valuable lesson in discipline. They have to set time aside to practise and rise to the challenge of learning with discipline to master playing their instrument. Investing in creative education can prepare students for the 21st century workforce. The new economy has created more artistic careers, and these jobs may grow faster than others in the future. Children who study the arts learn to think creatively. This kind of education helps them solve problems by thinking outside the box and realising that there may be more than one right answer.
Students who study music improve the development of spatial intelligence, which allows them to perceive the world accurately and form mental pictures. Spatial intelligence is helpful for advanced mathematics and more. Many musical education programmes require teamwork as part of a band or orchestra. In these groups, students learn how to work together and build camaraderie. Performing a musical piece can bring fear and anxiety. It teaches students how to take risks and deal with fear, which helps them become successful and reach their potential.
With encouragement from teachers and parents, students playing a musical instrument build pride and confidence. Musical education also develops better communication for students.