Perspectives on the Potential Benefits of Children’s Group-based Music Education

Abstract

Recent empirical evidence suggests that attending individual instrumental training in music schools benefits the development of cognitive skills such as language and executive functions. In this article, we examine studies that have found these transfer effects provided by group-based music education in school and preschool contexts. We conclude that group-based music lessons may enhance children’s language skills and possibly executive functions, but evidence for the impact of music activities on intelligence—as measured by nonverbal intelligence tests—or long-term prosocial abilities is scarce. Although the beneficial effects of music on language skills and executive functions are small, they seem to be discernible. However, we do not know if they apply to all children or only to, for example, children who enjoy engaging in musical activities. We suggest that group-based music education should be part of the national school and preschool curricula, because of both the enjoyment of learning music-related skills and the impact it may have on children’s general learning. In parallel, we encourage new empirical longitudinal projects to be launched, enabling further investigations into the promises of music.