2000CRE1009B EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING BENEFITS OF MUSIC EDUCATION
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[Congressional Record: June 14, 2000 (Extensions)]
[Page E1009-E1010]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr14jn00-57]
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING BENEFITS OF MUSIC EDUCATION
______
speech of
HON. STENY H. HOYER
of maryland
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, June 13, 2000
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 266
to recognize the great benefits of music education. Americans are known
around the world for our unique contributions to modem music. But we
are far behind many other industrialized Nations in recognizing the
educational benefits of teaching music to our children. In Japan, it is
mandated by the Ministry of Education that every child, grades one
through nine, receive two hours a week of music instruction. In Germany
students must take two, 45-minute classes of music education a week.
Unfortunately, in America, the trend over the last several years has
been to cut back on music education programs. This is occurring despite
mounting evidence that music education can actually alter brain
development in children and improve their reasoning skills. A study
from the University of California at Irvine found that elementary
school students in Los Angeles who took piano lessons boosted their
math performance. From the body of data available, researchers have
concluded that there are genuine long-term changes in the wiring of the
brain that enhance children's abilities to understand how patterns work
in time and space.
The educational benefits are clear and according to a recent Gallup
poll, nine in ten
[[Page E1010]]
Americans believe that music education should be a part of every
student's day.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the privilege of working with the GRAMMY
Foundation, the non-profit arm of the National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences. The GRAMMY Foundation is dedicated to advancing
music education in schools. We recently held an event here on Capitol
Hill to announce that the New American schools, a non-profit
corporation established by President Bush to identify new ways of
teaching, has welcomed the GRAMMY Foundation's Leonard Bernstein
centers for artful learning into their portfolio of cutting-edge
educational models.
The GRAMMY Foundation brings music to thousands of children through
their ``GRAMMY in The Schools'' program which exposes high schools
students to careers in the music industry.
And the Foundation created Smart Symphonies, a classical music CD
based on brain research to benefit the development of infants. I
applaud the efforts of the GRAMMY Foundation to make music and art
education available for all children.
Mr. Speaker, I support this Resolution in the hope that children of
all ages across this nation will have access to quality music education
programs. If we foster the creative impulses of our children, the
possibilities of their success in life will be boundless.
____________________