In part 1, we reviewed some wonderful advantages to learning music theory for an aspiring musician, including a general boost in skill and the ability to collaborate with other musicians more smoothly. Now, let's discuss more of the details of what this kind of education entails... It Speeds Up the Learning Process Let’s say you want to learn a song that’s in the key of G major. If you know what chords typically show up in G major (G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em) and what the key signat

Many young, self-taught musicians can play a bunch of well-known songs on the guitar, know their way around basic chord shapes, and even start writing their own music. They love the sound and the feeling of playing—it feels like magic, honestly. But whenever someone asks what key they were playing in, or why a particular chord progression sounded sad or powerful, they often just shrug and say, “I go by feel.” That works for a lot of people for a while—until they hit a wall. T

Learning Through Music Beyond the social aspect, choir has powerful academic benefits too. Research shows that kids involved in music, especially group music-making like choir, tend to perform better in areas like language development, memory, and concentration. Think about it: to learn a piece of music, kids need to track lyrics, tune their ears to the appropriate pitches, interpret dynamics and tempos, memorize structure, and sometimes even learn to read sheet music. It’s a

One weekday evening not long ago, I sat in the back of a small community theatre. Dozens of children stood on stage, clutching folders and nervously shifting from foot to foot. A piano began playing, and the room slowly filled with voices—clear, confident, and full of joy. By the final verse, those same kids who had fidgeted in silence were beaming. Their parents clapped. A mom wiped a tear. And I thought: choir is so much more than music. For many children, joining a choir b