Music Makes Your Child Smarter

One of the books I’ve recently helped with (I was the copy editor) has just gone on sale: Music Makes Your Child Smarter, by Philip Sheppard. It was fun to edit, and should be fun to read too :)

So does music make your child smarter? Yes, provided you don’t fall for the Beethoven Effect bullshit [which the book merrily takes an axe to]. Playing Beethoven won’t turn a foetus into the next Bill Gates, but there do seem to be definite benefits from musical activities in terms of a child’s development – particularly before the age of seven.

The Mail on Sunday (my favourite paper, heh) describes it as “A fantastic self-help guide for parents – I very strongly recommend it to everyone.” As for Mr Sheppard, here’s the bio:

Philip Sheppard is Professor of ’Cello at the Royal Academy of Music, London; he is also a Senior Lecturer in ‘Principles Of Education’ and designed the Academy’s ‘Music In The Community’ course. He is a guest lecturer at the Royal College Of Music and patron of the Oxford ’Cello School. Philip directs education projects at the Harlem Center in New York and has appeared as a guest presenter on BBC4’s Proms coverage. He has played at Glastonbury and recorded with artists including Scott Walker and David Bowie. He has three young children.


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0 responses to “Music Makes Your Child Smarter”

  1. Gahhh! Gary, you’re too late. Quick write a book to make 12 year olds smarter, I may be able to save my 3 yet!

  2. Have you tried bribery?

  3. Hmmm in the old days we just sent kids to war to smarten they up (and to clear the bus shelters). These days the world is too soft for child soldiers. Ah the good old days!

    I long for the days when an Argentian Flag was like a red flag to a torpedo. OMG I’ve gone all Thatcherite :-P