I am a strong supporter of education in music and the arts.  Without it I know I would have been several years behind in my professional music development and journey.  

Here are my 5 benefits to music education that I recommend to students considering enrolling in an established music performance/technology school.

Learn Through Experience

More often than not music teachers, tutors and lecturers would have had previous careers within the music industry.  These experiences are what they generally teach from.  This provides students with a broader learning experience based upon real music career experiences.

Discipline

Employment is all discipline and time management.  These skills need to be developed somewhere so there is no better place than a school environment as teachers generally provide students with safety nets for when mistakes happen.  Sadly in the real world of working, especially in the music industry, there are no such safety nets.

Regardless of your talents, being careless with your professional attitude will not reward you with future employment opportunities.

Access To Resources

Good music schools should be equipped with the necessary tools that students need in order the learn their craft.  When I was 16 I had my heart set on learning Music Production.  I discovered The BRIT School Of Performing Arts. They just so happened to have not only the relevant courses and experienced staff but also had available the most up to date Industry Standard Pro Tools studio.  Those three things met my requirements so I worked hard to be accepted as student for the following academic year.

Competition & Collaboration

Music schools are a great place to learn and develop competitive skills.  The music industry is immensely competitive.  It is impossible to get anywhere in the music industry if you have no fight or competitiveness in you.

Students will have to work with their classmates on productions and projects. This will often mean they will teach and share each other’s skills. This is schoolmate collaboration. Being able to be a successful collaborator in music will later reward you with success in music.

The Beginnings Of A Creative Network

Being a student at an arts / music school flared the beginnings of a real creative network made up of real creative people.  I made a lot of friends at my old art schools, many of whom are working in the creative industries, which is great as sometimes we need to collaborate on projects. This makes for a very easy collaboration, as we already know how to work with each other and what each party can bring forward.

Let's hear your views.  What do you think are the benefits to learning at a music school?