The decline of interest in classical music described in a Sept. 10 front-page article could be reversed by emphasizing some facts revealed by psychological research– namely, that exposing infants, toddlers and children to classical music promotes the development of neural connections in their brains and, consequently, improves their learning ability.
Psychological research has shown that exposure to heavy metal music slowed subjects’ ability to learn a new task, classical music exposure promoted the learning best, while rock ‘n’ roll led to results in between.
If these facts were promoted to young parents, their interest in doing what’s best for their children would promote sales of classical music CDs and tapes and expose them as well as their children to this genre. In so doing, we would be cultivating new generations of listeners.
What is imprinted in the brain before the age of 5 becomes the template by which that person lives the rest of his or her life. That’s why exposure of very young children is critical.
