Do you have to be a gifted musician?

Would you ever say to a child: "You aren't mathematical. You just don't have that gift for math so why don't you try something else?" Of course NOT! We expect all children to achieve a certain level of math.

Why do we NOT expect that all children will achieve a certain level of music fluency? Especially now as we have research that proves that music training improves math scores, reading scores and SCORES of other measurements for scores of other intelligence indicators. Why? How can schools say "We have no money for a music program?" or "We can only afford music for the first half of the year. We'll do visual art for the second half."

Reading music and pitch matching improves reading scores:

TUNEin™ to READING comes alive on our video! See our software in action and meet students, educators and literacy experts who explain how and why it makes such a dramatic difference for struggling readers.

What could be better? Well, I think that "better" would be all the joy endocrines that a student would get singing in a top notch school choir...where the director would help them realize the thrill of matching pitches, making harmony, grooving with intensity...making music together...yes, that would be the best.

Lindley Junior School Choir - Simple Gifts

Coventry Blue Coat School Choir singing Bright Morning Stars Are Rising:

What do you suppose their reading scores are like?
Wait, that's not the right way to be thinking...

I'll bet the LOVE to read.