What Makes Music Learning Cultivate Excellence Individuals?

According to Sir Howard Gardner, developmental psychologist and professor of cognition and education in Harvard Graduate School of Education, there is not only one kind of intelligence but seven different intelligences. There are Verbal-Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Body-kinaesthetic, Spatial, Musical, Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Intelligences. All of them carry a different function and work together towards one objective. That is to increase the capability of individual to creative and innovative on solving problems. All of these are valued within one or more cultural settings.

So what makes learning music cultivate excellence individuals, who are of value to the society?

Learning Music is one of the art learning processes that can develop a number of intelligence simultaneously within a student along the learning music process. Since learning music covers a wide range of scope along the process, from reading and learning music history, rhythm counting, music line visualization and imagination, music pitch listening and music instrument practicing, self-emotional expression, and ensemble or team performances, students are trained to be individuals with well-rounded mind with more intelligence. Intelligence that the students will possibly increase along the process of learning music is as below:

  • Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence – develop through learning and reading of music history

  • Logical-Mathematical Intelligence – develop through beat counting or rhythm counting

  • Body-kinaesthetic Intelligence – develop through physical activities, such as dancing

  • Spatial Intelligence – develop through visualization and imagination of music scene in mind

  • Musical Intelligence – develop through music pitch and harmony listening and practising

  • Interpersonal Intelligence – develop through music ensemble, band or team performances

  • Intrapersonal Intelligence – develop through self-emotional expression during music practices and performances

Out of seven intelligence, music learning has the platform to develop all the intelligence simultaneously. This is the underlying reason on why music learning can effective cultivate excellence individuals.