School-Aged Children Music Lessons

Six Benefits of Private Music Lessons on Teen Mental Health

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In addition to the urge to conform, hormonal surges, and increasing academic and extracurricular pressures, today’s teens face stressors their parents never had to deal with. Teens often lack the skills or coping mechanisms to handle these stressors healthily. There are incredible mental and emotional benefits to learning an instrument. The Music Loft offers private lessons near Ashburn which can provide many of these benefits.

Immediate Stress Reduction

Teens require outlets for emotional expression to feel understood. Learning to play an instrument can serve as an ideal means to express feelings and release pent-up tension. Similar to a cathartic cry, playing music can evoke a much-needed release of stress and emotions.

Enhanced Cognitive Development

Exercising your brain is crucial for maintaining mental sharpness. Learning and playing an instrument provides a cognitive workout that can enhance memory, problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and attention span. These skills are particularly valuable for handling challenging academic demands effectively.

Increased Self-Esteem and Confidence

Part of the challenges teens face includes the need to build confidence and a sense of capability. By dedicating themselves to mastering an instrument, teens can learn to overcome obstacles. This achievement often boosts self-esteem, positively influencing their social interactions and school performance. Our private lessons near Ashburn can help instill self-esteem and confidence in teens to help them be successful.

Resilience

Learning an instrument demands regular practice, which builds resilience by overcoming its inherent challenges. This resilience, in turn, boosts confidence and self-esteem. Music lessons set off a chain reaction of positive mental health benefits!

Emotional Regulation

Playing music can assist teens not only in expressing emotions but also in regulating them. Research indicates that teenagers participating in music therapy often exhibit a deeper understanding of their emotions compared to their peers. Moreover, they develop effective skills to manage these emotions. This ability becomes particularly crucial during turbulent teenage years when emotional regulation is essential.

Community

Music lessons foster community and a sense of belonging that every teen seeks. Establishing a mentorship with a skilled teacher can boost a teen’s confidence to join a band or take part in a recital. Having a supportive environment outside of school, where they can connect with a trusted adult and share common interests with peers, is invaluable for fostering a sense of belonging.

Private Lessons Near Ashburn

If you are looking to learn a new instrument or enhance your skills as a musician, The Music Loft is here to help. Please contact us at (703) 956-6563 or info@themusicloftonline.com to schedule a free trial lesson.

Benefits of Learning Music

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There have been numerous studies that have linked music to healthy brain development, academic success, social skills, self-esteem, physical health, and emotional intelligence. The Music Loft is the best music school in Northern Virginia and can help you reach your full musical potential. Let’s take a deeper look at some of these benefits.

Brain Development

Exposing music to your brain stimulates various areas of the brain, including those responsible for language processing, spatial-temporal skills, and executive functions. Engaging in any musical activity helps to strengthen neural connections, leading to enhanced cognitive abilities and improved problem-solving skills.

Motor Skills Development

Learning an instrument develops both fine and gross motor skills. The fine motor skills you use to hold a pencil or tie your shoelaces are strengthened as playing an instrument develops your hand-eye coordination and ability to make connections between placing fingers in the correct place on your instrument.  Gross motor skills allow people to walk, run, and dance. Playing an instrument requires balance, hand-eye coordination, and motor sequencing.  Drummers, for example, use all of their arms and legs to play which uses all of their motor skills. 

Academic Development

In an 2019 article published by the American Psychological Association students who played a musical instrument throughout High School scored significantly higher on exams compared to students who did not participate in music.

“On average, the children who learned to play a musical instrument for many years, and were now playing in high school band and orchestra, were the equivalent of about one academic year ahead of their peers concerning their English, mathematics, and science skills, as measured by their exam grades.”- American Psychological Association. 

Article: “A Population-Level Analysis of Associations Between School Music Participation and Academic Achievement,” by Martin Guhn, PhD, Scott D. Emerson, MSc, and Peter Gouzouasis, PhD, The University of British Columbia. Journal of Educational Psychology. Published online June 20, 2019. The Music Loft is the best music school in Northern Virginia and our curriculum is designed to provide the musician with the highest caliber of instruction on their chosen instrument.

Social Development

Participating in a vibrant music community is imperative for students’ well-being and emotional growth. A shared musical experience bisects language barriers, cultural differences, and socio-economic differences to create a community. Students come together to create music which requires a common effort, both emotionally and technically. Students can be at various levels of achievement however ensemble playing gives all students some level of responsibility for themselves, for one another, and the greater good of the ensemble. Ensembles require children to engage by allowing themselves to embrace personal and group goals and challenges. For preteens and teenagers, being in an ensemble during this crucial period of development can be an important anchor. An ensemble that is a good fit for a child becomes a safe shared place for them emotionally, and being in music, especially with friends and peers, helps them become positive, healthy young adults. 

Best Music School in Northern Virginia

If you are looking to learn a new instrument or enhance your skills as a musician, The Music Loft, nominated for the Best of Auburn awards in 2023 and 2024, is here to help. Please contact us at (703) 956-6563 or info@themusicloftonline.com to schedule a free trial lesson.

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