Luxury or Nurture?

Day two-two-two/365. I remember making an appointment with the vice president of the college I attended. The topic was the music program. Though I cannot recall the exact reason for our desire to challenge him, the statement he uttered during our meeting is clear in my memory. He had made a decision based on his opinion that music is a "luxury" when it comes to an academic curriculum.

In this photo, a teacher, hired specifically to give our pre-school children early experience in music, explains how a drum works. Why, for example, it's useful to have air beneath the head.

Within a half-hour session, the kids also sang, used hand movements, learned dynamics (loud and soft voices), and even used body movement.

Studies have shown that music and dancing can enhance a person's performance in math. From my perspective, it can help people to think more creatively.

Is music really a luxury?