Music and math have for some time been shown to have a
connection; simply put, people who received musical education at a young age
had higher math scores. This phenomenon, termed the Mozart Effect, has cast a
positive light on musical training, which, according to Joanne Lipman,
co-author of Strings Attached: One Tough
Teacher and the Gift of Great Expectations, has been on the decline in
recent years. In this article she pushed the boundaries of the Mozart Effect by
looking at a number of successful individuals who, not surprisingly, played an
instrument or still do. Given the basis that musical education is losing
momentum in the United States, this article is not only relevant to its publish
date, but also the audience to which it speaks, the majority of whom are
probably made up of New York Times subscribers. This newspaper has a reputation
for being on top of social, political, economic, and cultural movements, and
the readers are therefore open to, and maybe even expecting, new ideas like the
one discussed in this article. This potential openness is essential to Lipman’s
purpose, which in part seems to be to inform. Like many editorials, the author
wants to present a new idea to the public in order to gain support, and this
editorial seems to be the same. Lipman formats this piece like a standard
argument essay, introducing her claim and supporting it with data and evidence,
such as Woody Allen’s clarinet career and Condoleezza Rice’s training on the
piano. Finally, she restates her thesis and concludes with one last attempt to
persuade the reader, saying: “Music may not make you a genius, or rich, or even
a better person. But it helps train you to think differently, to process
different points of view — and most important, to take pleasure in listening.”
Presenting the benefits of musical immersion in a coherent and organized
manner, accompanied with a multitude of evidence makes it clear that Lipman has
achieved her purpose.
Woody Allen playing the clarinet
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