“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.” – Gerald Ford
Although we provide our students with the necessary skills to become rock stars and concert pianists, this is not our only aim. At St Peter’s College, we strive to build well-rounded young people who are capable of excelling in any career. The study of music develops important skills that can be applied in all walks of life.
When playing a piece of music, a performer reads symbols that indicate frequency, duration, volume and intensity. The performer will, at times, need to read and then physically produce up to three of these pods of information per second. As a result, the following skills become highly developed:
- Data recall
- Analytical and problem-solving skills
- Maths skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Discipline and time management
- Physical precision
Universities’ admission point scores are based on performance, irrespective of subject choice. A result of 80% for music will earn a student just as many points as 80% for maths or science. Many degree programmes, particularly Medicine, look favourably on students who have studied music due to their ability in the areas noted above.
Taking music as a subject in high school does not limit career choice. Although it is quite possible to make a very decent living as a musician, whether in the performance, production or education spheres, it is possible to pursue any career. The study of all subjects is supported by the discipline and time-management skills ingrained in young musicians.
Most importantly, in an increasingly unstable job market where young people are often required to forge their own paths and create their own opportunities, the ability to think creatively is often the difference between those who succeed and those who fail ... and music is, above all, a creative art.