Like many parents before me, I have sat through countless school performances listening to children desecrate great musical and dramatic works, while intermittently elbowing my smartphone engrossed husband. The statistics of one of these youngsters becoming the next renowned cellist or Hollywood star seemed woefully bleak. Nevertheless, we continued to funnel our blood, sweat and tears into weekly piano, voice, drama and dance lessons. What was the proverbial point?
The creative arts have long been thought the object of scorn by employers. Why waste time with Grade 3 Saxophone when one could be achieving a more practical AS level in maths. This issue of usefulness moves firmly into focus as jobs for university graduates dwindle forcing twenty somethings to remain living with their nearest and dearest. Meanwhile, AI threatens to make us all redundant, twiddling our thumbs at home with a living wage. We long for the simplicity of the past when a degree in a reputable subject was enough for career stability. Surely, we should abandon lofty artistic pursuits in these uncertain times?
On the contrary, there has never been a better time for our children to develop their imaginative talents. First, the emergence of AI as a competitive force has the surprising outcome of rendering the “hard” subjects, the easiest to replicate turning the question of usefulness on its head. What good is a maths, science, economics or even medical degree when a programmed microchip can do it all faster. According to the Bank of England, as many as 15 million jobs in the UK will be replaced by AI including white collar jobs in accounting, banking and legal services. Although, the most sophisticated software might be able to compose bland elevator music, bots still cannot design graphics like Michelangelo’s modern counterparts, craft dialogue like Pinter, or write pop songs like Ed Sheeran. Our precious children’s creative aptitude becomes a better measure of their marketable worth than their exam results in the STEM subjects.
Next, the rapid changes in the workforce has shifted the focus from specialisation to generalisation. The Renaissance man has reemerged as the person with multiple talents is suddenly at an advantage as the job market shifts. The experts all admit that new ways of earning a living will materialise, but none agree on the specifics. Thus, flexibility and adaptability are key. Hobbies take on much more significance as many can be built on to become new sources of income – one more string in the bow of a portfolio career. Music is one of the most versatile arts encompassing performance, composition and production in industries such as advertising, events, hospitality, media and marketing, as well as entertainment. We have tutors who make their living composing famous film and television scores while running a production studio, all supplemented by tutoring a lucky few musicians.
Still, an education in the arts is more than a vehicle for employment. Music lessons engage the student’s mental, cognitive and emotional abilities. Studies show that Mozart actually does make children smarter by increasing their neural activity, memory, language skills and raising their IQ. We can also counteract the world of increasing isolation and instant gratification. Socially, children who become involved in a musical group or ensemble learn how to relate to others, work as a team and appreciate the ensuing rewards. Millennials are notorious for lacking patience and perseverance. But, learning to play an instrument does not happen overnight; children learn to push past the frustration of not being instantaneously good at something. The resultant feeling of satisfaction leads to a tremendous sense of self-achievement that can help them accomplish more in other areas of their lives.
Let’s not forget the emotional component. Music, whether in the performing, composing or merely listening, can open up channels of emotion with what we most need to endure life’s journey. Ask any teenager pounding out their frustrations on a drum set in their parent’s garage. In writing his song “Don’t Give Up”, Peter Gabriel remarked that he wished to create a song that would help people with the mourning process. Music enhances our understanding of ourselves, with the special quality to bring joy, peace and fulfillment to lift the spirit and make life enjoyable for everyone involved.
What’s not to like?
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Clare Pelham – director of Chelsea & Fulham Tutors
