The Center for Arts Education Research (CAER) has announced its findings that music education may provide more far-reaching benefits to students than the more obvious proficiency of playing an instrument. CAER's evaluation of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra's (NJSO) Newark Early Strings Program found that principals and teachers perceived that the program has had a positive effect on participating students' self-confidence, discipline, socialization and ability to focus. According to Maria Araujo, Vice President of Education and Community Programs for the NJSO, "the program is very quickly demonstrating strong positive impact on [students'] behavioral patterns, their academic experience and their feelings of self-worth."

CAER's report on the program, which began as a pilot initiative in Fall 2000 as a partnership between the NJSO and five Newark public schools, concluded that it "has encouraged and nurtured the talents of students in the second and third grades" and "has also positively affected school/ community relations by increasing parental involvement in the schools."

The article, entitled "More Than Simply Music: New Jersey Symphony Orchestra's Newark Early Strings Raises the Playing Field" appeared in the September 9 edition of CNN Money Industry Watch.

Published Monday, Sep. 15, 2003