All children should have music instruction as part of their regular school
 curriculum.  Music is a natural part of human life all around the globe.  All
 cultures and regions express their differences and experiences with music.  We
 even have national anthems, a song that nations proudly play to celebrate their
 country.  We hear music in some form almost everywhere we go.  There is
 elevator music, radios playing, birds chirping, street performers, cell phone
 ring tones, commercial jingles, television theme songs, movie soundtracks,
 religious prayers, and so on.  Since music is everywhere and we encounter it
 everyday, students should be given the ability to understand, respect, and
 interact with the music around them. 
      It is our obligation to educate all children and that includes helping them
 realize their musical potential.  Music classes can be very interactive.  In
 any given period, students can be listening, singing, analyzing, creating,
 experimenting, and dancing.  These activities help students learn and grow
 somewhat differently than they might in other classes. 
     I like to compare a curriculum to a well balanced diet.  Imagine that a new
 study on the diets of middle school students in America concludes that all of
 them need to eat more dairy.  Would we respond by feeding our kids nothing but
 milk and a wheel of cheese for breakfast?  Of course not!  The same way that
 every child needs fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains, and protein, they also
 need a healthy balance of math, English, geography, music, and so on.  Even
 though math and English are important, a curriculum that focuses to much on
 those subjects will not benefit the students.  Not only will they not have a
 well rounded education, but their math and literary skills could suffer as
 well.
     Students need a variety of experiences in order to grow.  Focusing on a narrow
 stream of subjects can lead to students being burnt out and unexcited about
 education.  Having a more varied curriculum that includes music education will
 stimulate more parts of the brain and help students better grasp the concepts
 in math and English.  Being involved with a school music program helps students
 acquire valuable tools that they will need in life.  They gain problem solving
 skills, discipline, organization, teamwork, and more.  Also, being in an
 ensemble can be very exciting for a student.  It could mean the difference
 between being interested in going to school everyday and wanting to drop out. 
     Music is a unique and powerful art form.  We cannot see or touch music but it
 can affect us in amazing ways.  A well performed piece can change your mood in
 any direction.  It can make you smile, laugh, or cry.  The power of music can
 and should be something that everyone can use.  No one should consider whether
 or not to become involved with music.  The only question should be “how.”
      I believe that every school should supply the students with as wide a variety
 of music classes as possible with the funds available.  Band, orchestra, and
 chorus are great ensembles with unlimited educational value, but they simply do
 not appeal to everyone. Guitar methods, music history, music theory, music
 technology, and other such classes could help even more students explore their
 musical aptitude.  Upon graduating high school, students should be able to do
 certain thing with music.  Every student should be be able to express
 themselves musically.  Each student should be able to play at least one
 instrument.  It does not matter if that instrument is voice, guitar,
 percussion, piano, oboe, etc.  Students should be able to improvise on that
 instrument.  Lastly, students should be able to compose music on that
 instrument.
      Not every student will make a career out of music.  That is not the goal of
 music education.  However, everyone should learn the basic fundamentals of
 music in order to  understand and relate to the musical world we live in.

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