At BFA, there are certain required classes you have to take to graduate. Most are reasonable, like math or language arts. Others are more questionable, such as having to take three gym classes. We should at least consider replacing one of these classes with some type of music class, be it band, orchestra, or chorus. The important thing here is that it should be only one. A single semester would be sufficient to at least enjoy – maybe even understand – more than you would have without it.

A music class, like band or orchestra, would increase memory, strength, coordination, and even decision-making outside of class. If you try chorus instead, your vocal range could increase, along with decreasing your risk for dementia, according to a study from Oxford.

I understand some people may not enjoy it as much as others, but you can’t deny that music is an important part of most people’s lives. This necessity should be taken seriously, and with a required music class, more people would find that their love for music is actually far greater than they originally thought. Who knows, maybe they’ll continue to play an instrument even after the class is finished. 

This may sound cliché, but music is literally another language – sheet music specifically. When a musician reads sheet music, they are taking symbols on a piece of paper and translating them into something they can understand in English (or their language of origin). After that, they use that knowledge to remember button combinations and patterns to create sound. Is that not what a language is? 

Of course, with the rise of AI, there comes the opportunity for it to spread its way into music. According to Forbes, we are in fact already seeing this change, and it may not be far off from being indistinguishable from human-made music. If this class, then, becomes a reality, we could teach how to listen for AI music and separate it from “natural,” human music, and preserve this would-be treasure.

There are actually a lot of academic reasons to consider as well. In music, teamwork is one of the most important parts of making a melody work. So is a good sense of memory. Think of the ABC’s, or Happy Birthday. Those are pieces of music that you probably could recite in your sleep. Maybe some famous movie soundtracks, like the Interstellar and James Bond themes, too. All of these are examples of how regular people can understand somewhat complex harmony and music theory. 

Happy Birthday, for example, makes you unintentionally learn about swing, pickup notes, odd time signatures, and even the sharp eleventh. Even if you have no idea what I’m talking about, you’ve done it before. This class would essentially just explain that by putting it into plain words. Even if you’re not in it for the theory, you still can learn what some music elements are, and how to listen for them.

So, why should these classes be in their own category? There are too many benefits to ignore, and why would you deprive yourself of the opportunity to learn music? Many people wish they had started later in life and actively try to learn. Take the chance to start early, and maybe you’ll save yourself a while in the future.