Music should be a mandatory part of all childhood and potentially adolescent education, as currently financial barriers exist for some children who would otherwise benefit strongly from learning an instrument or attending music lessons. Scientists have shown music aids the development of our brains from a young age, reduces stress, aggression, and anxiety, has rewarding and motivational effects, and helps to build relationships and trust. Musical training has been found to increase the reading ability, verbal memory, pronunciation accuracy of a second language, and executive functions in children, aiding cognitive development (1). Group music therapy has proven effective in reducing aggression and improving self-esteem in children (2). Several studies have found that music is helpful to reduce anxiety and stress in children after medical or dental intervention, experiences in the foster-care system, grief, abuse or stress (3-5, 6). Therefore in a diverse classroom with children from a variety of backgrounds music could be very beneficial in their social, personal and emotional development . Music has rewarding and motivational effects that are akin to the pleasure human experience when learning. Studies have shown that humans learn through a process of constantly trying to predict what is going to happen based on our past experiences. When we get these predictions right, for example understanding a repetitive beat, there is a small dopamine release in the reward pathways of the brain making us feel good. But dopamine is also released when we get these predictions wrong, or in error, such as if there is a surprising key change in a song. This increases attention and the brain learns to adjust and to change the prediction for the next time (7). Music is a rewarding challenge; pleasurable because the brain is hardwired to reward us for learning new things, as this helps humans to adapt to new environments and survive (7). This could help improve mood in the classroom and motivate children to learn. Studies have shown that the levels of a hormone called oxytocin, which is involved in forming relationships and trust, is raised when people sing together - especially during improvisation (8). Singing together in a group during childhood could help children learn how to functionally co-exist and bond with others especially children who struggle verbally or socially (8) . Music should be mandatory for all childhood education and potentially adolescent education to make the positive effects of musical training available equally to all developing people, regardless of financial status or parental musical background. References used: 1. Miendlarzewska EA, Trost WJ. How musical training affects cognitive development: rhythm, reward and other modulating variables. Front Neurosci. 2014;7:279-. 2. Choi A-N, Lee MS, Lee J-S. Group Music Intervention Reduces Aggression and Improves Self-Esteem in Children with Highly Aggressive Behavior: A Pilot Controlled Trial. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2010;7:465730. 3. Bekhuis T. Music therapy may reduce pain and anxiety in children undergoing medical and dental procedures. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2009;9(4):213-4. 4. Garrido S, Baker FA, Davidson JW, Moore G, Wasserman S. Music and trauma: the relationship between music, personality, and coping style. Front Psychol. 2015;6:977-. 5. Robarts J. Music Therapy with Sexually Abused Children. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2006;11(2):249-69. 6. Zanders ML. Music Therapy Practices and Processes with Foster-Care Youth: Formulating an Approach to Clinical Work. Music Therapy Perspectives. 2015;33(2):97-107. 7. Gold BP, Pearce MT, Mas-Herrero E, Dagher A, Zatorre RJ. Predictability and Uncertainty in the Pleasure of Music: A Reward for Learning? The Journal of Neuroscience. 2019;39(47):9397. 8. Keeler J, Roth E, Neuser B, Spitsbergen J, Waters D, Vianney J-M. The neurochemistry and social flow of singing: bonding and oxytocin. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 2015;9(518).

Hi Emma! What a great topic. Music is an important part of our everyday lives and I don't think people realize just how much they take it for granted. And while I do believe that we will be able to survive without music in our lives (very painful), I have to say that based on your current statement and some of my knowledge of having studied this in psychology, yes, music should be a mandatory part of all childhood. It should also, potentially, be a part of adolescent education as it has tremendous positive effects on the individual. That's the short and very brief version of my answer.