Join us
Cram Orchestras always welcomes new members, whether you are new to playing strings or returning after a year or two off of playing, there is always a chair and a place for you here.
Why Orchestra?
Beyond learning notes on a page, how to hold an instrument, and putting on a wonderful performance, all of which students enrolled in an orchestra course learn how to do here at Cram Middle School, studies have shown that learning to play an instrument and arts education have an impact in the regular education classroom and learning invaluable life skills.
Below are are just two such studies, the outcomes of which suggest that music education is not just the enjoyable practice it is designed in part to be, however an important part of giving a students a full, well rounded education that will enable them to achieve at their highest academic potential.
Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning
In this report, researchers examined a variety of arts education programs (including in-school and out-of-school) and found common conclusions. The executive report provides a snapshot, including the following findings:
• The arts reach students who are not otherwise being reached.
• The arts transform the environment for learning.
• The arts provide learning opportunities for the adults in the lives of young people.
• The arts connect learning experiences to the world of real work (American Orchestras, 2012).
Arts Achievement and At Risk Youth
The National Endowment for the Arts released a research report indicating several positive outcomes associated with high levels of arts exposure for youth of low socioeconomic status. According to a study led by James S. Catterall of four separate longitudinal studies, at-risk students who have access to the arts in or out of school appear to have better academic results, better workforce opportunities, and more civic engagement than at-risk students who do not (American Orchestras, 2012).