R. Daniel Mooney, who wrote this in the 1960s, was a music teacher in the Carmel School system in NY. This sentiment was published in the NY State Musicians Journal. These words still hold true today:
1- Music is Science
2- Music is Mathmatical
3- Music is a Foreign Language
4- Music is History
5- Music is Physical Education
6- Music Develops Insight and Demands Research
7- Music is all these things, but most of all, Music is Art.
That is why we teach music. Not because we expect you to play or sing all your life…
But so you will be human
So you will recognize beauty
So you will be closer to an infinite beyond this world
So you will have something to cling to
So you will have more love, more compassion,
more gentleness, more good
In short- more Life
For so many of us, music has a path to our souls unlike anything else. A song can bring us back in time to our younger days and even help with Alzheimer patients. It’s pretty amazing how we can remember lyrics to thousands of songs, but forget where we put our keys!
Babies in the womb respond to music and as toddlers, they can repeat lyrics learned from their favorite movie. It’s never too early to introduce your child to music and if they express an interest to learn how to play an instrument, sign them up! There is no shortage of skilled teachers here at the Jersey Shore. We live in an area of the country with deep musical roots and history. From Count Basie in Red Bank to Bruce in Asbury Park, our musical heritage is known around the world.
The Jersey Shore is known for all the places you can go to hear live music. On any day of the week, at any hour, there is a band playing somewhere. Live music preaches to us, makes us dance, sweat and smile. R. Daniel Mooney was right:
Music is life.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/music-and-health