Last week, at a concert in which I performed, a children’s choir sang two selections. Someone commented backstage how blessed these children were because ‘making music makes you smarter’.

Is this true?

There are findings that seem to support and refute the idea. Many people are aware of the “Mozart effect” study which claims listening to classical music, especially Mozart, can boost intelligence. For refutations of this popular idea, check out this article from Time magazine, as well as boston.com.

I lean toward the opinion that making music does not make you smarter. However, in any case, I think it better to focus on music’s intrinsic benefits and leave the possibility of it upping your math and science scores for academics to worry about.

I believe music’s real benefit is twofold.

1. Music calls us to embrace the present. It creates a mood, a setting, an environment that allows us to reflect on deeper realities, to express who we really are, and to dream big.
2. Music helps us connect our left brain to our right brain. Playing a musical instrument forces one to have great technical mastery as well as great depth of expression in order to really create something meaningful.

While these benefits may not make you the next Einstein, I firmly believe you are missing out in life without making music – at the very least the performances of others – part of your schedule.