Through music, pupils can develop multiple skills that will be useful not only for their studies but also for their personal development. Musical intelligence corresponds to one of the intelligences of the model proposed by Howard Gardner in the theory of multiple intelligences.

The theory of multiple intelligences states that there is an intelligence related to music, with the ability to appreciate and be sensitive to the sonorous expressions with which we coexist. Some of the characteristics related to the development of musical intelligence in children are based on the ability to perceive and express musical forms, the facility to learn songs and rhythms, the sensitivity to quickly detect when a tone is not correct or a musical instrument is not in tune. Of course, we speak of musical intelligence when one possesses the ability to compose and play different instruments.

Benefits of music

Listening to music is in fact considered a therapeutic tool: a study by German scientists highlighted its effectiveness in treatments for patients "with cardiovascular disorders, pain, depressive syndromes, psychiatric illnesses and in intensive care medicine", as reported in the newspaper El Diario.

It also helps to relax and reduce anxiety and stress levels. Moreover, when a person listens to music they find enjoyable (and even when they know they are going to listen to it soon), their brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and the behavioural reinforcement system. Canadian scientists have found that these results "help explain why music is so highly valued in all human societies", even if it is not essential for survival.

At Coruña British International School we are aware of the many long-term benefits, as recently demonstrated by a study published in the journal Heliyon which suggests that music training can improve a person's ability to concentrate and switch off from distractions, i.e. improve their attention.

How to develop musical intelligence in children

Maria Montessori, Suzuki, Bruner and Fischer demonstrated that a child who integrates musical intelligence can achieve higher cognitive development than those who do not. So, at Coruña British International School we encourage musical intelligence from within the classroom through an environment where music is important in the daily lives of our students. We organise musical recitals, we prepare choreographies for songs, we encourage and facilitate our pupils to learn to play an instrument. In the classroom, background music is the thread that runs through many subjects. Although it may seem obvious, the best way to develop a taste for music in our students is for them to listen to it. It doesn't have to be just one type of music. We can teach them everything from pop and rock to classical music. The best thing is that they will discover for themselves what styles of music they like best. We believe that trying to cultivate the spirit and mind of music is the way to a creative mind.

Musical intelligence opens doors

According to Gardner, musical intelligence is one of the first types of intelligence to appear throughout the development and growth of people, being present in the first months of life. This ability begins when we are in the womb. We are able to listen to heartbeat, breathing, blood flow, etc., and can develop capacities, sensitivities and connections to rhythm and melody that are superior to any period of our lives. Therefore, their existence does not depend on whether we have received formal education in music or not, and even less on whether we know solfège.

It is true that if one wants to improve significantly in musical intelligence, there comes a point where it is necessary to practice and dedicate hours a week to training systematically. This, added to the fact that musical intelligence could be closely linked to logical-mathematical intelligence and skills related to creative thinking, means that in our school we claim and dedicate efforts to help improve this type of intelligence by using musical intelligence stimulation programmes.