Music Education and Confidence

Music Education and Confidence

As music educators we say, and we mostly believe, that music education is good for people. We itemize the benefits and talk about the many ways it's good for people.

Yet, too many people I interview, talk to, and consult with tell me that music education was not good for them. It made them stressed and anxious, nervous and shaky in front of people, fearful of performing on stage, lowered their self-esteem, convinced them they couldn't sing or play, or that they lacked musical talent and ability, and made them hate music learning and music making. Sometimes for a lifetime.

I believe this happens because we've mis-prioritized our goals. If we want students to develop self-confidence, for example, our priority has to be to develop self-confidence. If this is not the priority, and other goals are more important, there is less likelihood it will be achieved. It may be sacrificed, potentially, to other priorities.

Developing self-confidence is not the primary goal for many (most?) music educators - it may be somewhere on the list, but there are other priorities above it. But, I believe it should be. It has become the primary goal for me in all my music teaching. Self-confidence at any level of musicianship, musical ability, or achievement is a win. Everything else is icing on the cake. (Not the other way around.)

If this were the norm in music education, perhaps we would be a society with a lot more music-makers, a lot more singing, a lot more self-confidence, and perhaps a lot more peaceful overall.