National webinar dedicated to parents of new Yamaha Music School students

On Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., the national webinar "Yamaha Music Lessons: Instructions for Use" will be held on the Zoom platform.

At MC we use Yamaha teaching in all MC Music Point // Cascina Merlata and Wonderwood Greenforest Milano courses. From music education courses for toddlers to group instrument courses for teens and adults, the Yamaha method is based on an interactive and engaging approach.

The Nov. 6 webinar is dedicated to parents of children enrolled in music education courses for toddlers: Yamaha Wonderland, Junior Music Course (JMC) and Music Adventure.

Yamaha Music has been developing music teaching methods for more than 50 years based on the principle that music should be learned in exactly the same way as the mother tongue is learned, that is, from listening. Through listening, imitation with the instrument, and musical activities with singing and keyboard, children develop their musical ear, expressive ability, and early musical skills. Since 2016, Yamaha has been recognized by the Ministry of Education as an Accredited Training Institution, and since 2018 it has entered into a partnership with CNAPM (National Committee for Practical Music Learning).

During the webinar, Roberta Ferrari - Head of Education at Yamaha Music and Marianna Moioli - Education Specialist, will explain the benefits of music education on young children and the positive impacts on cognitive as well as musical development:

Ear development

Ear development is one of the central goals of Yamaha methodology. When we speak of ear development, we mean theability to grasp and process all the nuances of sounds and rhythms, and how they interact. This is achieved by refining the ability to recognize in sounds their pitch, timbre, intensity, duration, dynamics--all the different characteristics through which a sound is identified.

All this has a significant impact on the development of several cognitive areas(Jentschke, Koelsch, 2009) such as, for example, language. Several studies show the correlation between pre-school music education and the ability to learn new languages in the future.

Development of logical-mathematical and problem-solving skills

Music education in childhood has been shown to have significant effects on the development of logical-mathematical and problem-solving skills. Several studies indicate that music learning stimulates areas of the brain related to logical and spatial thinking, which are crucial for mathematical reasoning. According to research from Northwestern University(Kraus, Chandrasekaran, 2010), children who receive musical training show an increased ability to recognize patterns and sequences, skills critical to mathematics. In addition, a study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology (Schellenberg, 2004) found that students exposed to music from an early age improve their problem solving skills, as musical experience requires solving complex problems in real time, such as coordinating movements or recognizing rhythmic and melodic errors. This rapid adaptation process helps children develop mental flexibility and critical thinking, skills that are essential for dealing with both academic and everyday challenges.

Cognitive development

Music education in childhood contributes significantly to overall cognitive development. Numerous studies have shown that music learning improves executive functions, including memory, attention, and inhibitory control. For example, research published in Frontiers in Neuroscience (Moreno, Besson, 2006) highlights how music practice simultaneously activates multiple areas of the brain, including the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes, which are crucial for abstract thinking and planning. Music requires children to integrate visual, auditory and motor stimuli, thereby improving their ability to process complex information and enhancing multitasking skills. In addition, Schellenberg's (2004) study found that children who take music lessons score higher on IQ tests than their peers, indicating a direct link between music learning and general intelligence. Music practice, therefore, helps build a solid foundation for cross-cognitive skills that positively influence school performance and long-term intellectual development.

The webinar will explain what the objectives are, how to do it, and advice on how to approach the lessons and what to do at home.

Space will be left for questions and answers at the end of the webinar.

To participate in the webinar, you must register on the platform.