You might think that July is a quiet month and, in some ways, it is. Those lazy, hazy days of summer put all of us in a relaxing mood. Still, this doesn’t mean that there are no exciting events taking place this month. The 4th of July is one such occasion, celebrated all across the country, from sea to shining sea. But there is more: today there is another, though certainly lesser known, event: July 6 marks the International Kissing Day, also called World Kiss Day.

You get the idea: on this day, the art of locking lips is celebrated all over the world. Needless to say, there are many different forms of smooching – from friendly cheek pecks and chivalrous hand kissing, to the romantic locking of the lips.

A kiss is not just a kiss…

Germaphobes will argue that kissing is unhygienic because it spreads germs, bacteria, and viruses from one person to another. If that were truly the case, wouldn’t the human race have disappeared from the planet long ago? We prefer to believe that kissing is good for us. In fact, there is plenty of evidence showing numerous benefits – both physical and emotional – of kissing. For instance:

• By dilating blood vessels, kissing may help reduce blood pressure. The dilation effect may also help to relieve pain.
• For obvious reasons, it releases your happy hormones like serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin.
• A vigorous kiss may burn anywhere from 10 to 15 calories. Kiss 20 times a day, and there goes that chocolate bar.
• It tones your facial muscles, particularly those around your mouth and jaw.

Now, all that is great, but what we like best about this business of kissing is that its benefits resemble those you get from music training. For example, just as smooching lowers your blood pressure and releases mood-boosting endorphins, so does playing an instrument. And yes, it also burns calories. What about toning your facial muscles? That’s a no-brainer! Do you really think you can play the flute, saxophone, trumpet, or harmonica without giving your face a good workout?

Work your muscles!

Now, our teachers are not the kissing types, but they obviously know all about the benefits of music training – those mentioned above and others. If you wish to take July 6 off to celebrate International Kissing Day with your loved one(s), go ahead. But don’t forget to book music lessons for the rest of the summer in the comfort of your Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Riverdale home or office. With kissing AND music, you will have a dual advantage – “double the pleasure, double the fun!”

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

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We all know how important good education is – as the late Nelson Mandela noted, it is the most powerful weapon, which we can use to change the world.

Subjects such as English, math, and sciences are the backbone of every school’s curriculum. But a nationwide survey released last month shows – to our delight – that parents and teachers alike believe music education in public schools is vital. In fact, the majority of those who were surveyed stated that music should be a required class in middle school, and that students should have a chance to learn an instrument as early as elementary school.

The study in question, called “Striking a Chord, A Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K-12 Music Education in the United States in 2015” also raised some very important points, one of which is that parents and teachers believe music is critical to a child’s social and emotional development. They are right, of course!

A multitude of benefits

Clearly, parents and teachers know the value of music education. The study has shown what we have always known, both through the scientific evidence and our own experience: children benefit from music lessons in many different ways:

• Music training improves academic performance in reading, science, math, history, and foreign languages.
• It helps build reasoning and cognitive abilities.
• It boosts confidence and self-esteem, leading to better social skills.
• It bolsters focus and concentration, which, in turn, build discipline and perseverance in setting and achieving goals.
• Last but certainly not least, it improves motor skills, coordination, and agility by working all the major muscle groups.

And there is even more: youngsters will carry all these skills and abilities into adulthood, which proves the saying that good education is never wasted!

By the way, these benefits apply to all the instruments: the guitar, piano, flute, or whatever else your child wants to play.

Given all the great advantages of playing an instrument, it is a great pity that music education program in this country’s public schools is not adequately funded.

A child’s play

Many of our students are children and we see first-hand how much they enjoy learning to play an instrument. That’s because kids are naturally curious, enthusiastic, and open to new experiences.

Our teachers love working with children and they are really good at it. They are very patient and know how to keep a child interested and motivated. But that’s not all: the teacher will also ensure that your child learns only the correct techniques, which is an important part of the overall music training.

And we believe is “homeschooling:” lessons take place in your Manhattan, Brooklyn or Riverdale home or office, so your child can feel comfortable in his or her own environment.

Let’s hear it for education!

Photo by unknown, available under Creative Commons License

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