WHY WE TEACH/LEARN MUSIC

Music is Science- it is exact, specific and must be 100% correct- 99% is not good enough.

Music is Mathematical­- it is rhythmically based on the subdivision of time in space into fractions which must be done instantaneously and not worked out on paper.

Music is a Foreign Language- Terms are usually in Italian, German, or French and the notation of the notes is a highly developed kind of shorthand.

Music is History- Music has always reflected the country and environment of its origin and the time of its creation.

Music is Physical Education- it requires fantastic coordination of fingers, hands, arms, legs, lip, cheek and facial muscles in addition to extraordinary control of the diaphragm, back, stomach, and chest muscles which must respond instantly to the sounds the ear hears and the mind interprets.

Music is All These Things, but Most of All Music is Art- it allows a human being to take all of these dry, technically boring, but fantastically difficult techniques and use them to create emotion! That is one thing science cannot duplicate...humanism or feelings or emotion- call it what you will.

Why We Teach Music- is not because we expect you to major in music, but because we expect you to play music all your life. It is not just so you can have fun marching around the football field, but so you will be human, recognize beauty, and be sensitive.  It is so you will be closer to an infinite beyond our world, and have something to cling to.  We want you to have more love, compassion, gentleness, expression, good...in short...more life.