Learning to play an instrument is not easy. It takes hours of determination, practice and sometimes tears.
So why do students continue to slave over their violin for hours? It is all the things that come with the work, junior Alli Foster said.
“Playing the cello, or really playing any instrument, has a lot of benefits. Music isn’t just the act of playing an instrument, but it is also a community. Being involved in the school orchestra has given me a group of people who all share a common interest,” Foster said. “Music is also a very versatile hobby. Playing the cello is something that I will always be able to do. I can continue playing in orchestras in high school, college and in my community. I can play in small ensembles for events, competitions or just for fun. I can use music to get scholarships for college.”
Senior violinist Danielle Wu agrees with Foster’s sentiments, saying that the teamwork aspect of playing in ensembles has given her an insight into job environments that require open communication and in-depth collaboration.
“You work together to make the whole piece sound harmonious, therefore you have to give and take,” Wu said. “Your teammates sometimes have to critique you, and therefore I have learned how to be part of a team through taking others’ advice and also critiquing others.”
Foster has cherished her time in the RBHS orchestra, playing in the Chamber Orchestra, the advanced, audition-only group. She has also been in MOSS (Missouri Symphony Society) an elite orchestra for high schoolers.
“My favorite part of being in orchestra is playing. It is one thing to play my cello on my own in my room, but a whole other thing to play with seven other cellos, as well as violins, violas and basses,” Foster said. “Playing in an orchestra is amazing. It is one of the coolest things in the world to be able to turn a bunch of boring sheet music into real music.”
Besides the obvious benefits, music also develops the brain in unique ways. Music education helps students to succeed in core curriculum, as well. It improves recall and retention of verbal information, boosts math achievement, strengthens reading and English skills and improves SAT scores, according to Arts Education Partnership. Additionally, the organization reports that receiving music education in youth raises students’ self-esteem and strengthens their perseverance, as they learn to tackle hard pieces.
“Music is proven to be one of the only activities that trains both sides of the brain. I have benefited from music not only in orchestra but in other classes as well,” Wu said. “By training my brain, music has made me more focused and determined to excel in other areas of my life.”
Band director Steve Mathews agrees with Wu, noting that his students excel in school holistically as well as in band.
“Three or four of the seniors that graduated valedictorian last year were band kids and we only had 29 seniors last year in band,” Mathews said.
Mathews also said that his students have an advantage when applying for future jobs because musical abilities, along with playing in a band, signal to employers that these candidates know how to work as a team.
“Companies look to hire people that have music degrees because they know that these people can work well with others,” Mathews said. “If a person fails in math, it just hurts them, but if a person doesn’t put in effort in band, it hurts the entire band.”
While neither Foster nor Wu are interested in music as a full-time career, both are sure that this valuable hobby will not leave their lives, nor the positive impacts of the productive pastime.
“Even if I don’t plan on pursuing music as a career, my musical ability is something I will always have. Not to mention, I think I picked one of the best instruments. The cello is amazing. When I play the cello, I basically sit with my body wrapped around the instrument, so when I play I can actually feel the vibrations the strings make. It feels like I am sitting inside the music,” Foster said. “I love the cello, and I love all of the opportunities that it has given me for the future, as well as the enjoyment I get from the cello everytime I sit down to play.”