Back when I was thinking about making a career out of teaching music, I often wondered if it was a valuable career choice. That is, did it fill a meaningful need in society. Being the scientific realist that I was, I found this hard to justify, especially as I have always been opposed to government grants supporting the arts.

Now, I realize music’s value is intrinsic not extrinsic. I don’t believe people need to learn a musical instrument so they can play in a symphony to earn money, or fulfill functions at a wedding, though these are both noble ways to use your gifts.

I am still opposed to government grants for music or arts institutions, as I am to almost all government aid, seeing I am a libertarian. However, I believe every person misses out in fully developing themselves and experiencing life if they don’t learn a musical instrument at least to some degree.

Music is the ultimate connection between the right brain and the left brain, between art and science, between reason and emotion. Music allows us to express ourselves when words are inadequate. Music can cross over language and cultural barriers. 

In medieval times there were considered to be seven liberal arts and sciences broken up into two groups. One concerned language and the other mathematics. The first group contained grammar, logic, and rhetoric. This was called the trivium. The second group contained arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy. From one of my music history professors, I learned that although music was eventually placed in the second group, called the Quadrivium, initially it was sometimes placed in the language group and sometimes in the mathematics group. It really is the ultimate connection between the two.

In addition, let me say that the musical instrument you learn could be your voice. I currently have the privilege of taking voice lessons and developing the strength of my voice. There are not many things as liberating as releasing the sound of your voice in all its power. This is what we did frequently and effortlessly when we were babies. One of the voice majors I knew in college said that the whole goal of developing your voice is to relearn what you could do instinctively as a child.

I hope this post inspires you to include some music involvement in your life and in the lives of your children.