Should music class be easy? Many parents and non-music administrators might shout “yes!” while many music educators might argue otherwise. On the one hand, today’s students already have plenty of rigor in science, social studies, and other academics. When it comes to the arts, it might be best to focus on appreciation over difficulty. On the other hand, can meaningful learning can still happen when music class is structured to be easy? Let’s explore that together.

Music Class Assumptions

When it comes to music class, parents and educators will have different assumptions. I’ll share a personal teaching story that comes to mind. Student and parent names are changed to protect privacy.

It was my fourth year of teaching, and I was teaching K-6 vocal and general music in a New Jersey public school. Report cards had recently been sent home, and the third marking period had just begun when I received a frantic call from our school secretary. “Miss Delonas, Jessica Wang’s mother wants you to contact her regarding Jessica’s grade in music class.”

I’ll admit I didn’t get phone calls like this very often, and since I taught over 900 students, I had to go into the grading system to check Jessica’s grade. It was a B+. Bewildered, I called Jessica’s mother. Let’s just say she was not happy. She demanded to know why I had given Jessica a B+ in music.

Looking through my gradebook, I was able to find the reason quickly. Jessica hadn’t completed her classical composer project from the second marking period. I explained this to her mother, and the mother was furious. “Why wouldn’t you tell me that she didn’t turn it in?”

If you’re a music teacher reading this post, then you already know my answer. If I took the time to contact every family whose child didn’t turn in a project or have a perfect grade, I would never leave the school building. This, unfortunately, was not a good enough reason for Jessica’s mother, who then wrote a complaint to our principal.

Fortunately, my principal was a reasonable woman, and we came up with a fair compromise. Jessica would have an additional week to turn in the project, and if the project was completed, I would adjust her music grade accordingly. We proposed the plan to Jessica’s mother, and all parties agreed.

Jessica turned in her project the day of the deadline, and it was satisfactory, so I was more than happy to raise her grade to an A. I thought her mother would be satisfied, but I was wrong. There was another angry email to our principal that evening.

This time, Jessica’s mom was demanding to know why her daughter had received an A instead of an A+. At this point, my principal and I both felt the parent was being somewhat unreasonable, but the mother continued to insist, “This is not an acceptable grade for a music class!”

For a music class? As opposed to what? It was at that point that I realized how different my grading standards were from this parent’s assumptions about what my class should and shouldn’t be. So who is right?

 

The Case for Easy Music Classes

If you’re on the side of Jessica’s mom, you might agree that music class should be easy. After all, not every subject needs to be difficult, and there’s a valid argument that the arts provide different values, such as stress-relief, mental health, and social-emotional benefits.

Making music class easy also makes it more accessible. By lowering the barrier, more students are willing to try, take risks, and potentially discover a love for music. And that’s important! Focusing on joy and appreciation can lead to students becoming lifelong music lovers.

Students are under immense academic pressure already. Homework, standardized testing, and extracurriculars are causing them to experience increased stress and burnout. Instead of adding a challenging music class to their plates, it can serve as a subject that students can enjoy and look forward to each week.

There’s also the reality that not every child will grow up to be a musician. For the vast majority of students who enter our music room, music class may be their only formal music education. Easier music classes may serve a greater good by creating a musically appreciative society.

 

The Case Against Easy Music Classes

Making music class “easy” might be a disservice to both the subject and the students. Most music educators understand and recognize that music is a legitimate academic discipline. If music class is structured to be easy, it might compromise the important skills students might not learn elsewhere.

For example, there are intricate fine motor skills developed when students learn a musical instrument. Aural skills flourish, allowing students to differentiate between musical pitch, rhythmic patterns, tonality, and so much more. And while it’s true that not every student will grow up to be a musician, it cannot be understated how many life skills learned in music class can be transferred into other professional paths. For instance:

• A future CEO could benefit from the leadership and teamwork skills developed by participating in music ensembles such as band, choir, or orchestra.
• A future surgeon could benefit from the precision and fine motor skills developed through learning a musical instrument.
• A future executive chef could refine their time-management skills through participation in a music ensemble such as a marching band. 
• A future psychologist could benefit from the social-emotional and active listening skills gained in music class and participation in music ensembles.

There are many more examples. When expectations for music class are lowered, it devalues the subject, even if unintentionally. It’s important to remember that students of all ages are remarkably observant. They can recognize when a subject is valued and when it’s not. Likewise, students also know when they’re being challenged and when they’re not. When music class lacks rigor, it may make the subject feel meaningless or pointless to students.

There’s also something deeply satisfying about personal musical achievements. When students devote daily practice time to developing their skills on an instrument, their minds get stronger; they learn they can work hard and keep promises to themselves. When a student conquers their nerves and performs on stage for a concert, they learn the value of taking risks and facing their fears. And when a student finally conquers that piece or lands them a spot in that elite ensemble? They feel unstoppable.

Rigorous music classes, when done right, shouldn’t be about busy work or making things unnecessarily difficult. It’s about maintaining high expectations and helping students develop the skills to become strong and capable musicians while encouraging a lifelong love of music. The best music classes balance satisfaction and joy with precision and challenge. When done correctly, students leave music class motivated to push themselves to their highest musical potential.

 

What Does Meaningful Learning Look Like in Music Class?

Moving beyond the easy vs hard debate, I think it’s important to clarify what meaningful learning actually looks like inside a music classroom. This goes beyond technical skill development, although that certainly matters.

Meaningful learning in music class is not about perfection! It means supporting students through every stage of the learning process, from their first notes to their first concert performance. It means allowing students to stumble, make mistakes, and recover. More importantly, students learn from their mistakes and build skills that will serve them in every facet of life. It means composing, improvising, and learning to interpret music in a way that is authentic to them. Musical confidence grows when students realize that perseverance matters more than getting something right the first time. A meaningful music class will also encourage students to collaborate and express their feelings beyond words. It offers a safe space where a student feels comfortable taking risks and trying over and over again. 

These experiences help students discover that music is a process, not a race. It helps them recognize that their musical contributions have value and importance. Therefore, students shouldn’t just be learning notes and rhythms; they should also learn how to listen, support their classmates, and take pride in their progress.

 

Final Thoughts About “Easy” Music Classes

Circling back to my teaching story from earlier, I feel it’s important to share that the current Miss Delonas would have a much different response to Jessica’s mom than the Miss Delonas who was teaching that family eight years ago.

The conflict with that parent taught me to be more proactive and transparent about my expectations from day one. That means explaining to students and families about what musical excellence looks like in my classroom. It means continuing to hold my students to high standards while still prioritizing musical growth over perfection.

So, should music class be easy?

The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. It’s finding a way to strike a balance between accessibility and meaningful musical growth.

While easy music classes may keep students and families happy in the short term, they also rob students of the deeper satisfaction that comes from genuine musical achievements. They perpetuate the harmful assumption that the arts are “less than” other subjects in school. And they fail to develop the valuable skills that a rigorous music education program could provide.

So I’ll say this much—the goal shouldn’t be to make music class easy. It should be to make it engaging and motivating to every student who enters the music room. It may be tricky to find the right balance, but doing so ensures that students gain the skills they deserve and are capable of.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Should music class be easy or rigorous? What methods do you use to find balance in your music curriculum? Share your experience in the comments to continue the conversation on this important topic.

 

Looking for more information about music advocacy and the value of music education in our public schools? Check out my articles, ‘Is Music Class a Waste of Time?’ and ‘How Music Education Benefits Students’ next!

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