AMPAC Sinfonieta@Lion Club Performance LEArN Fund

Why children need music?

The Benefits of Music Education

By Laura Lewis Brown

Whether your child is the next Beyonce or more likely to sing her solos in the shower, she is bound to benefit from some form of music education. Research shows that learning the do-re-mis can help children excel in ways beyond the basic ABCs.

More Than Just Music
Research has found that learning music facilitates learning other subjects and enhances skills that children inevitably use in other areas. “A music-rich experience for children of singing, listening and moving is really bringing a very serious benefit to children as they progress into more formal learning,” says Mary Luehrisen, executive director of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, a not-for-profit association that promotes the benefits of making music.

Making music involves more than the voice or fingers playing an instrument; a child learning about music has to tap into multiple skill sets, often simultaneously. For instance, people use their ears and eyes, as well as large and small muscles, says Kenneth Guilmartin, cofounder of Music Together, an early childhood music development program for infants through kindergarteners that involves parents or caregivers in the classes.

“Music learning supports all learning. Not that Mozart makes you smarter, but it’s a very integrating, stimulating pastime or activity,” Guilmartin says.

Language Development
“When you look at children ages two to nine, one of the breakthroughs in that area is music’s benefit for language development, which is so important at that stage,” says Luehrisen. While children come into the world ready to decode sounds and words, music education helps enhance those natural abilities. “Growing up in a musically rich environment is often advantageous for children’s language development,” she says. But Luehrisen adds that those inborn capacities need to be “reinforced, practiced, celebrated,” which can be done at home or in a more formal music education setting.

According to the Children’s Music Workshop, the effect of music education on language development can be seen in the brain. “Recent studies have clearly indicated that musical training physically develops the part of the left side of the brain known to be involved with processing language, and can actually wire the brain’s circuits in specific ways. Linking familiar songs to new information can also help imprint information on young minds,” the group claims.

This relationship between music and language development is also socially advantageous to young children. “The development of language over time tends to enhance parts of the brain that help process music,” says Dr. Kyle Pruett, clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and a practicing musician. “Language competence is at the root of social competence. Musical experience strengthens the capacity to be verbally competent.”

Increased IQ
A study by E. Glenn Schellenberg at the University of Toronto at Mississauga, as published in a 2004 issue of Psychological Science, found a small increase in the IQs of six-year-olds who were given weekly voice and piano lessons. Schellenberg provided nine months of piano and voice lessons to a dozen six-year-olds, drama lessons (to see if exposure to arts in general versus just music had an effect) to a second group of six-year-olds, and no lessons to a third group. The children’s IQs were tested before entering the first grade, then again before entering the second grade.

Surprisingly, the children who were given music lessons over the school year tested on average three IQ points higher than the other groups. The drama group didn’t have the same increase in IQ, but did experience increased social behavior benefits not seen in the music-only group.

The Brain Works Harder
Research indicates the brain of a musician, even a young one, works differently than that of a nonmusician. “There’s some good neuroscience research that children involved in music have larger growth of neural activity than people not in music training. When you’re a musician and you’re playing an instrument, you have to be using more of your brain,” says Dr. Eric Rasmussen, chair of the Early Childhood Music Department at the Peabody Preparatory of The Johns Hopkins University, where he teaches a specialized music curriculum for children aged two months to nine years.

In fact, a study led by Ellen Winner, professor of psychology at Boston College, and Gottfried Schlaug, professor of neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, found changes in the brain images of children who underwent 15 months of weekly music instruction and practice. The students in the study who received music instruction had improved sound discrimination and fine motor tasks, and brain imaging showed changes to the networks in the brain associated with those abilities, according to the Dana Foundation, a private philanthropic organization that supports brain research.

Spatial-Temporal Skills
Research has also found a causal link between music and spatial intelligence, which means that understanding music can help children visualize various elements that should go together, like they would do when solving a math problem.

“We have some pretty good data that music instruction does reliably improve spatial-temporal skills in children over time,” explains Pruett, who helped found the Performing Arts Medicine Association. These skills come into play in solving multistep problems one would encounter in architecture, engineering, math, art, gaming, and especially working with computers.

Improved Test Scores
A study published in 2007 by Christopher Johnson, professor of music education and music therapy at the University of Kansas, revealed that students in elementary schools with superior music education programs scored around 22 percent higher in English and 20 percent higher in math scores on standardized tests, compared to schools with low-quality music programs, regardless of socioeconomic disparities among the schools or school districts. Johnson compares the concentration that music training requires to the focus needed to perform well on a standardized test.

Aside from test score results, Johnson’s study highlights the positive effects that a quality music education can have on a young child’s success. Luehrisen explains this psychological phenomenon in two sentences: “Schools that have rigorous programs and high-quality music and arts teachers probably have high-quality teachers in other areas. If you have an environment where there are a lot of people doing creative, smart, great things, joyful things, even people who aren’t doing that have a tendency to go up and do better.”

And it doesn’t end there: along with better performance results on concentration-based tasks, music training can help with basic memory recall. “Formal training in music is also associated with other cognitive strengths such as verbal recall proficiency,” Pruett says. “People who have had formal musical training tend to be pretty good at remembering verbal information stored in memory.”

Being Musical
Music can improve your child’ abilities in learning and other nonmusic tasks, but it’s important to understand that music does not make one smarter. As Pruett explains, the many intrinsic benefits to music education include being disciplined, learning a skill, being part of the music world, managing performance, being part of something you can be proud of, and even struggling with a less than perfect teacher.

“It’s important not to oversell how smart music can make you,” Pruett says. “Music makes your kid interesting and happy, and smart will come later. It enriches his or her appetite for things that bring you pleasure and for the friends you meet.”
While parents may hope that enrolling their child in a music program will make her a better student, the primary reasons to provide your child with a musical education should be to help them become more musical, to appreciate all aspects of music, and to respect the process of learning an instrument or learning to sing, which is valuable on its own merit.

“There is a massive benefit from being musical that we don’t understand, but it’s individual. Music is for music’s sake,” Rasmussen says. “The benefit of music education for me is about being musical. It gives you have a better understanding of yourself. The horizons are higher when you are involved in music,” he adds. “Your understanding of art and the world, and how you can think and express yourself, are enhanced.”

Music For Young Children New Class

Let's your kids start with MYC!

New Class Start:

From months 27: Sunrise Class - Saturday 10.00am - 10.45am 

Age 3 to 4: Sunshine Class - Saturday 11.00am - 12.00pm
Age 3 to 4: Sunshine Class - Wednesday 5.00pm - 6.00pm

Age 5 to 6: Sunbeam Class - Wednesday 6.00pm - 7.00pm

to Sign up:Call +6016-915 0218

or email ampac8@gmail.com

How to Choose Your Violin

Holiday Program: Violin Group Class and MidBrain Activation Training 假期课程

Violin Group Program小提琴课程

Violin Group Class is for anyone above the age of 7 - 12 who wants to learn to play the violin with a group of friends during the holiday times.  An opportunity to try up the violin group class before committed to individual lessons.

In this programme, every student is to be part of a great short-term lessons that will collectively produce a great group learning experience. It is an edge for a student to have the chance to play and opportunity for additional learning, encourage everyone to perform on the stage with self-confidence.

This group class are designed for short term programme. It's just five days programme that consist a basic technique in music theory.

ü  Four Days Program

ü  Two Hour Lesson

ü  Designed for  Std 1 – Std 6 Students

ü  For New Violin Learner only

ü  NO Deposit, NO Registration

ü  Violin provided during the class

ü  Schedule:  5^th – 8^th August 2013

o    Std 1 – 3 : 10am – 12pm

o    Std 4 – 6 : 1pm – 3pm

ü  Fees : RM 100.00

ü  First 5 Students Register are FREE

Please contact 016-915 0218 for more details 

Past Holiday Programme Video and Results

This is the 3rd days of the programme. The student was able to play the simple pieces and will follow the music according the music sheet. This programme include the violin basic technique, posture, music theory, note reading, rhythm practice and hearing exercise. We are strongly recommended this programme to all the violin beginner.

Please contact Jeff@016-9150218 for further information, or to register.

_________________________________________________________

Mid Brian Activation Program 间脑启发课程

ü  Two Full Days Program + 4 Days Revision Plan

ü  Design for age 5 – 12 year old students

ü  Schedule:  10^th – 11^th August 2013

ü  Time: 9am – 4.30pm

ü  Venue: Recital Hall, AMPAC

ü  Lunch and Tea Time included.

A training programe designed for children to activate their midbrain which will improve their concentration, creativity and memory. Ideal for children age 5 to 12 years.

Benefits of Midbrain Training:

ü  Memory Enhancement

ü  Concentration Enhancement

ü  Confidence Boosting

ü  Creativity Enhancement

ü  Emotion Management

ü  Always maintain Genius Mind Learning State

Please contact 016-228 5449 for more details 

Midbrain Training Programme – Your Child’s Pathway to Genius
AMPAC in collaboration with Creative Leadership Resources (CLR) will provide a children's education programme with the aim to promote and create more young talents as part of our mission and ultimate goal. We specialise in midbrain training program and help children age 5 to 12 years old to activate their midbrain in two days training.

What is Midbrain Training Programme?
Midbrain Activation Training Programme is an astonishing brain training for children which will become a new way of living for the humankind in the 21st century. After being activated through a scientific way, the midbrain will be able to emit brainwaves using the power of concentration. While blindfolded, objects are still visible and hence students are able to “see” things surrounding them and “read” books using brainwaves. The ideal time for midbrain training ranges over age 5 to 12 years.
Midbrain Training activates the hibernating potential of the brain. Active Midbrain helps the children to easily connect the left & right brain functions at any given situation thus making available the huge potential of the brain.

Traditional education focuses on logical analysis which is mainly left brain training our children receive. Although children could use just their left brain but imagine when a child uses the right brain functions as well, enabling them to realize creativity, imagination and perceptiveness.  So it would be equally important for left brain education and right brain education.

It is estimated that an average human being uses only 3% of the total brain power available, where as the geniuses like Albert Einstein & Newton could use up to 7% of the brain power by accessing logic & creativity together. On an average it is estimated that a human being has access to 100 billion brain cells available to him/her.

Once a child’s midbrain is being activated, he/ she will be able to do things in blindfolded ways and will also be able to unleash hidden potentials or special talents at their very young age!

Benefits of Midbrain Training:

1. Memory Enhancement
2. Concentration Enhancement
3. Confidence Boosting
4. Creativity Enhancement
5. Emotion Management
6. Always maintain Genius Mind Learning State

There are 4 levels of Midbrain training:
Level 1 – Midbrain Activation Training
Level 2 – Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) Enhance Training
Level 3 – Photographic Memory Training
Level 4 – Quantum Speed Reading

Training Methodology
We are using a specially modified and recognized among the most effective midbrain activation teaching which is known as MBM Blindfold Training Method and MBM advanced brainwave frequency in the joy of music and stress-free environment, development of brain field.
According to our research shows that when we start the development of the brain between the image feature, it can wake up some sleeping brain potentials.

What is Midbrain?

The Midbrain, also called the mesencephalon, is a small region of the brain that serves as a relay center for visual, auditory, and motor system information. As the rostral or front part of the brainstem, the Midbrain is directly involved with motor and sensory functions, and any disruptions can cause irreversible damage.
The tectum is considered the dorsal, or roof, part of the Midbrain and controls visual and auditory reflexes. The tectum is divided into what is called the corpora quadrigemina, which consists of the two superior and two inferior colliculi. The colliculi are essentially the individual control centers for visual and auditory reflexes respectively. The superior colliculi are located below the thalamus and receive visual sensory input. The inferior colliculi are located below the superior colliculi and are involved with processing auditory stimuli.
Forming the floor of the Midbrain is the tegmentum, which regulates autonomic functions and awareness and controls motor skills. As the ventral part of the Midbrain, the tegmentum extends from the substantia to the cerebral aqueduct. The red nucleus is a prominent part of the tegmentum that is involved in motor coordination.
Midbrain importance: Active MidBrain could link left and right brain and also help children to use many higher functions of the right brain easily.

Benefits of Midbrain Activation:

1. Memory Enhancement
2. Concentration Enhancement
3. Confidence Boosting
4. Creativity Enhancement
5. Emotion Management
6. Always maintain Genius Mind Learning State

There are 4 levels of brain training (there should be 4 icons to link to this from the Home page):
Level 1 – Midbrain Activation Training (2 full days + 4 revisions)
Level 2 – Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) Enhance Training (2 full days + 4 revisions / 10 classes)Level 3 – Photographic Memory Training (2 full days + 4 revisions)Level 4 – Quantum Speed Reading (2 full days + 4 revisions)

Level 1 – Midbrain Activation

The Midbrain, also called the mesencephalon, is a small region of the brain that serves as a relay center for visual, auditory, and motor system information. As the rostral or front part of the brainstem, the Midbrain is directly involved with motor and sensory functions, and any disruptions can cause irreversible damage.
The tectum is considered the dorsal, or roof, part of the MidBrain and controls visual and auditory reflexes. The tectum is divided into what is called the corpora quadrigemina, which consists of the two superior and two inferior colliculi. The colliculi are essentially the individual control centers for visual and auditory reflexes respectively. The superior colliculi are located below the thalamus and receive visual sensory input. The inferior colliculi are located below the superior colliculi and are involved with processing auditory stimuli.
Forming the floor of the Midbrain is the tegmentum, which regulates autonomic functions and awareness and controls motor skills. As the ventral part of the MidBrain, the tegmentum extends from the substantia to the cerebral aqueduct. The red nucleus is a prominent part of the tegmentum that is involved in motor coordination.
Midbrain importance: Active MidBrain could link left and right brain and also help children to use many higher functions of the right brain easily.

Level 2 – ESP Enhance Level（the right brain power)

Extra-sensory perception (ESP) involves reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses but sensed with the mind. The term was coined by Frederic Myers,and adopted by Duke University psychologist J. B. Rhine to denote psychic abilities such as tactile force (psychometry), clairvoyance, telepathy, telekinesis and precognition.  The term implies acquisition of information by means external to the basic limiting assumptions of science, such as that organisms can only receive information from the past to the present.

Level 3 – Photographic Memory

Eidetic memory, commonly referred to as photographic memory or total recall, is a psychological or medical term, popularly defined as the ability to recall images, sounds or objects in memory with extreme precision.

Level 4 – Quantum Speed Reading

Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) Quantum Speed Reading able to activate the ability of reading and understanding the content of a book through the process of quickly flipping the pages by using Extra Sensory Perception (ESP).
By quickly flipping the books, the brain’s function of capturing picture will be activated, as if watching movie,
However, after training our brains will be able to gradually adapt to this way of reading, understand the text reflected in the form of picture in mind, thus greatly accelerating the speed of reading.
Unlike the many well established forms of speed reading that are in existence, QSR does not require the book to be opened at all.
The QSR technique is not solely about reading, however. It can also be utilised in several other creative ways for problem solving and memorizing, for health improvement and stress reduction, as well as for positive thinking and what can only be described as quasi telepathic communication with plants and animals.