By Finley Wittkamp

The harp is not typically considered a cool instrument. You can’t pull it out and play around a campfire or in a garage band. It is large, commanding, and incredibly challenging to play. 47 strings and seven pedals were daunting for me as a 10-year-old. But with every blister, the harp taught me patience, grit, and perseverance. Intertwined in its chords, I learned to embrace what made me different, stay true to myself, and pay close attention to detail. That level of focus and mental coordination carried into the classroom, helping me concentrate and manage challenging material in other subjects. Practicing also built discipline and time management, since consistent practice meant planning my time, sticking with something difficult, and improving gradually instead of expecting instant results. In these ways, playing the harp made me a better student by strengthening the exact skills that school requires.

The author at Mary Munford Elementary School’s harp concert in 2018. Photo credit: Jessica Wittkamp.

Music education is not a luxury. It is one of the most powerful tools schools have for shaping confident, creative, and well-rounded students. It strengthens cognitive function, academic performance, and emotional well-being in ways few other activities can. Consistent exposure to music, such as learning to play a musical instrument or taking voice lessons, strengthens a particular set of academic and social-emotional skills essential to learning and mental health. In ways unmatched by other pursuits, such as athletics, learning music reinforces language skills, builds and improves reading ability, and strengthens memory and attention, according to research on the cognitive neuroscience of music. 

Yet in an education system increasingly driven by test scores and measurable academic outcomes, music is often treated as optional—an enrichment activity rather than a necessity. When schedules tighten and budgets shrink, music programs are often among the first to be cut. The underlying assumption is clear: while music may be enjoyable, it is not essential to learning. This is a tragedy.

From the very beginning of a child’s education, music plays a foundational role. In preschool, it is one of the very first ways kids learn to communicate and connect. Singing together teaches kids how to share, take turns, and be part of a group. As Alonsa Riddle, head of Children’s Garden Preschool in Richmond, explained when asked about how she uses music in her classroom: “Kids learn at all different speeds, especially when it comes to speaking and expressing themselves, but when we sing, even students that struggle, can join and feel included.” These early musical experiences also strengthen memory and language by helping children learn new words, sounds, and patterns. 

As students grow, music continues to support both academic and personal development. Playing music actively strengthens the brain systems students rely on to learn. It enhances memory, sharpens focus, supports language development, and improves emotional regulation. All of these skills directly influence academic success. Neuroscientists describe music as a unique multisensory experience that uses your whole brain. “Music is this wonderful, holistic way of engaging almost everything that is important for education,” explained Northwestern University neuroscientist Nina Kraus to EdSource. Instrumental music involves reading, math, memory, coordination, and pattern recognition all at once, strengthening neural connections and improving overall cognitive function. 

Research consistently supports these benefits. Studies show students who engage with music are not just learning how to play an instrument or read notes; they are training their brains to process information more efficiently and persevere through challenges. Learning rhythm and pitch are key skills for reading. In fact, students who actively participate in music programs often have better performance on standardized tests than their peers. 

Executive function, the mental skills that help people plan, focus, and juggle information, is another area where music can be helpful. Learning an instrument has been linked to improved attention and task switching, which are key to classroom performance in subjects like math or science. Research from the National Association for Music Education underscores that students in music programs often demonstrate stronger executive functioning skills compared with their peers.

Collegiate’s Con Brio Concert in 2024. Photo courtesy of Collegiate School.

The benefits of music extend to measurable academic success. A 2022 study conducted by Hungarian researchers Márta Janurik and Krisztián Józsa and published in the Journal of Intelligence found that students who actively study music register higher grades across all subjects compared to students who do not participate in music education.

Similarly, lengthy research shows that students engaged in music are significantly more likely to graduate and tend to perform better on standardized tests. Data from multiple education organizations note that music students often score higher in reading and math assessments, even after controlling for socioeconomic factors. 

Beyond academics, music plays a critical role in emotional well-being. Listening and playing music gives people a healthy outlet for stress and anxiety. Research indicates that music can reduce stress by influencing the brain’s stress-response systems, lowering cortisol levels, and creating a calming feeling. This can include just listening to your favorite song or album. Alice Flood (‘27) said, “when I come home after a hard day, I put on Red by Taylor Swift, and it feels like a reset button.” Emotion and cognition are linked. When students are less stressed and more emotionally balanced, they can engage more deeply with academic material, both inside and outside of the classroom. 

Outside of formal music education, students can also use music as a study aid. Research suggests that certain types of music, particularly instrumental tracks, can improve attention and task performance. A recent PLOS One study found that engaging, rhythmically steady music helped participants complete cognitive tasks faster without sacrificing accuracy. 

Many teachers allow this use of music in their classrooms. Upper School English teacher and Match advisor Vlastik Svab said, “I listen to music when I work, and I let students listen to music sometimes when they’re working. It definitely helps me.” Students typically have very positive reactions to this type of freedom. Makenzie Weiss (‘26) said, “I like listening to music while I’m working because it helps me focus and makes me feel calm.”

However, not all music is equally helpful: music with complex lyrics can distract some students’ attention, whereas instrumental or familiar music often supports focus. To that end, students should experiment and discover what works for them. Encouraging students to use music to their advantage in this way could improve overall academic performance across all subjects.

Music therapy is also a useful tool used to reduce stress. The benefits of music reach far past academia, as Mike Boyd, Director of the Arts at Collegiate, explained, “If I practice my instrument at home, my mood immediately elevates.” Music allows people to process emotions and regain focus, which supports a healthy lifestyle.

I teach a harp therapy program for adults and youth with disabilities through the Greenspring International Academy of Music, and have been able to see how my students change from meeting them for the first time to their final concert at the end of a session. While many people may be initially nervous to engage with the music, the ensemble provides a safe space for people to become comfortable with themselves and each other. Students from all different backgrounds come together and become close friends through the experience. Additionally, this experience is used to improve motor skills. 

The Upper School Chorus. Photo courtesy of Collegiate School.

Music also builds community. In ensembles, students learn to work together, listen, and communicate. These experiences build leadership and teamwork in ways that a traditional classroom cannot. When asked about his outlook on teaching music at Collegiate, Boyd said, “My primary goal wasn’t just to teach music; it was to teach leadership skills.” Kids who participate in music often carry this confidence into all other areas of their lives.

After playing the harp for five years with the American Youth Harp Ensemble, I was excited by the opportunity to join the Upper School orchestra when I arrived in 9th Grade. For a new student at Collegiate like me, the orchestra created a bonding opportunity different from a regular class. Beyond the music, it was a place for me to build new friendships and a real sense of accomplishment as we played together. Then, the reality of college applications hit. I felt the pressure to take AP courses over electives like orchestra to make my transcript reflect the rigor that colleges want to see. The impression that music classes are seen as less serious forces some students to sacrifice a subject that nurtures their passion and well-being in favor of a competitive college application. This leaves some schools with music classes and programs that are under-utilized and underappreciated, making them therefore easier targets for the budgetary chopping block when funding discussions occur.

Luke Holdych (‘27), who plays guitar, put it more bluntly: “Band is the only class where I don’t feel stressed all the time. Now, with my schedule full of APs, it gives me a break from the never-ending stress.” Students are feeling forced to choose between classes that they love and ones they think will secure their future.

A Collegiate Middle School band concert in 2019. Photo courtesy of Collegiate School.

What colleges are not seeing on the transcript is everything that music classes build behind the GPA. They don’t see the hours of practice it takes to improve, the resilience students develop after repeated attempts, or the confidence it takes to perform in front of others. They don’t see the relationships that form by being part of an ensemble, or how music is a mental break from academic stress. These invisible benefits create strong students whose skills and talents are not always reflected on paper.

The impact of music extends far beyond school. Brain health research suggests long-term cognitive advantages for those who engage with music across their lifespan. Adults who are active in learning music over time often show slower cognitive decline and stronger memory retention. I saw this first hand with my grandmother Nonnie, who had Alzheimer’s. There were days when she struggled to hold a conversation or recognize what was happening around her, but the moment we started singing Doris Day’s “A Bushel and a Peck,” something changed. She would join in, remembering the words and melody, her face lighting up in a way that felt familiar. In those moments, music reached her when nothing else could. Patients with Alzheimer’s who have forgotten large details of their lives can often be reignited by hearing a song from their youth. They may not be able to remember the names or details, but they remember the music. Starting music education early, when the brain is still developing, strengthens these brain-boosting benefits.

Some may argue that schools should prioritize core subjects like math and reading, especially when funding is limited. From this perspective, music may seem like a nonessential extra. However, this argument overlooks the evidence that music directly supports success in these core subjects. Rather than competing with academics, music enhances the skills that students need to succeed in them. 

As more and more schools continue to emphasize scores and testing, it is critical to recognize that music drives learning. Investing in music education is not just about preserving the arts. It is about creating strong, happy, capable learners and citizens. When schools support music, they are not adding something extra. They are investing in what education is meant to be. They are creating the people we want in society.

Featured image credit: Collegiate School.