Across the globe, students begin and continue learning the piano for various reasons. For many this can be an engaging and enjoyable activity which enhances their commitment to learning. Foundational in this process, practice is an essential part of piano learning. Without the excitement of performing for others, for some practice may become…

Rates of music participation are low in developed nations. This may be attributed in part to the failure of school music to engage children sufficiently to motivate them to continue learning and participating in music. We tested the "Harmonix" program of classroom music education, which is currently being designed to maximize engagement…

The ways in which we are able to communicate are, most of the time, dominated through speaking and listening. The ability to speak, listen and understand speech is the basis of oracy; a necessity within society today. The purpose of this study was to examine the interconnectedness of music and language to identify if music can assist in the…

There is evidence supporting the social and cognitive benefits of music education. However aspects of music practice, such as an increase in frequency and intensity of practice, are associated with playing-related musculoskeletal problems in adult musicians, though with limited evidence in children. The aim of this study was to describe the music…

For many people, the appeal of music lies in its connection to human emotions. A significant body of research has explored the emotions that are experienced through either the formal structure of music or through its symbolic messages. Yet in the instrumental music education field, this emotional connection is rarely examined. In this article, it…

Music training has been found to produce a range of cognitive benefits for young children, although well-controlled evaluation of the effects on psychosocial functioning has been limited. In this study participants were recruited from two grade levels (prep/grade 1, "N" = 210; grade 3, "N" = 149), and were allocated to a music…