Brain food

"Learning to make music" – as opposed to passive listening – "changes the brain and boosts broad academic performance. Findings across the board suggest that, even for a kid who will not grow up to be a Wynton Marsalis or a Joshua Bell, spending money and time on music lessons and practice is a solid investment in mental fitness," writes Melissa Healy, summing up the results of studies of music's effect on the brain in a Los Angeles Times article:

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-0301-brain-music-20100301,0,3251510,full.story

Will such findings make school systems rethink their plans to cut music programs? Don't count on it.

Educational philanthropists and parents, though, should closely examine this growing body of research, and act, and spend, accordingly.