Study Reveals Teens' Strong Commitment to Music and Music Making

New Research Reveals the Meaning and Importance of Music Participation in the
Lives of Teens

CARLSBAD, Calif., March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The NAMM Foundation today
announced the results of a recently published research study by Patricia
Shehan Campbell, Ph.D. of the University of Washington as part of the
Foundation's Sounds of Learning research initiative.
The study, titled "Adolescents' Expressed Meanings of Music in and out of
School," was based on responses by 1,155 teens who submitted student essays to
Teen People magazine as part of an Online contest. Throughout their essays,
students expressed their thoughts toward learning and playing music and
revealed that they value music making as a central aspect of their identities.
The findings include:

-- Playing music provides a sense of belonging for teens

-- Making music provides the freedom for teens to just be themselves; to
be different; to be something they thought they could never be; to be
comfortable and relaxed in school and elsewhere in their lives

-- Music helps adolescents release or control emotions and helps coping
with difficult situations such as peer pressure, substance abuse,
pressures of study and family, the dynamics of friendships and social
life, and the pain of loss or abuse

-- Teens believe developing musical skills and performance is important
since it paves the way to musical opportunities as skills develop

-- Teens long for more variety and options for making music in school,
including the expansion to instruments and technology used in popular
music

-- Adolescents are genuinely committed to their instruments and their
school ensembles because they love to be involved in these musical and
social groups

-- Teens believe that music is an integral part of American life, and that
music reflects American culture and society

-- Teens feel that playing music teaches self discipline such as "there
are payoffs if you practice and stick with something"

-- Adolescents are of the opinion that playing music diminishes boundaries
between people of different ethnic backgrounds, age-groups and social
interests

-- Teens associate playing music with music literacy, listening skills,
motor ability, eye-hand coordination and heightened intellectual
capabilities.

"This study outlines what music and music making means to teens -- that it
helps define them as they grow up, it gives them purpose and meaning, and
contributes to their success in school and in life," said Joe Lamond,
president and CEO, NAMM. "From what we have learned from this study, and
others, it's clear that music is essential to a complete education for all
children, so why would anyone anywhere ever consider reducing support for
music education and denying access and opportunity to our nation's children?"
"We will do well to listen to what teens tell us about music as a common
need and a constant presence in their lives," Campbell said. "Music is their
social glue -- a bridge for building acceptance and tolerance for people of
different ages and cultural circumstances. Music provides opportunities in
school for teens' engagement as performers, composers, and intelligent
listeners, and these activities and qualities appear to be deeply meaningful
to them. For teens who are desperately seeking relevance, musical study may
give them the balanced experience they require."
The analysis was funded by the NAMM Foundation as part of its Sounds of
Learning initiative, a program devoted to studying the associated learning
benefits of making music. Campbell conducted the study with Claire Connell of
the University of Washington and Amy Beegle of Pacific Lutheran University.
The findings were published in the Fall 2007 issue of the Journal for Research
in Music Education.
About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to
advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by
supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service
programs from the international music products industry. For more information
visit http://www.nammfoundation.org or e-mail info@nammfoundation.org.
SOURCE NAMM Foundation

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kymberlyd@namm.org; or Scott Robertson, APR, Director of MarCom,
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+1-760-438-8257