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Students say learning an instrument drives their success

user MIKI Yoshihito
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Do piano lessons lead to a more successful career outside of music?

A recent essay in The New York Times poses an intriguing question: Is music the key to success?

A striking list of notables from many different fields have one thing in common: they all played some sort of musical instrument. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who played clarinet and saxophone, Microsoft co-founder and guitarist Paul Allen, and Condoleeza Rice, who trained to be a concert pianist before becoming our 66th Secretary of State all have linked their music training to their professional accomplishments.

We wanted to take a closer look at the impact playing music can have on the way we learn and how we work.

We talked to Siobhan Cronin, a Masters student at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Cronin, who studied economics, French and music as an undergrad, is now working on her next degree in violin and viola performance.

Listen to the full interview above.

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