Music to my ears: the (many) socioeconomic benefits of music training programmes

Abstract

A simple cost–benefit analysis is used to estimate substantive social benefits associated with a universal music training programme in Venezuela (B/C ratio of 1.68). Those social benefits accrue from both reduced school dropouts and declining community victimization. Biases affecting these results (omission of other social benefits and selection bias) work in opposite directions, which reduce the potential error associated with the results. This evidence of important social benefits adds to the already existing evidence of individual gains reported by the developmental psychology literature.

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Maestro José Antonio Abreu, Gabriel Castillo, Rafael del Cid, Juan Carlos Guevara, Michael Jacobs, Eva Martinez, Marco Moncada, Jorge Lamas, Igor Lanz, Eliezer Sánchez, Ana Maria Sanjuan and Walter Soto for their comments to the earlier versions. Without their work, commitment and suggestions, this analysis would have not been possible. Usual disclaimers apply.

Notes

¹According to the 2006 Social Report by the National Statistics Institute (INE), in the first half of 2006 poverty affected, 33.9% of Venezuelan households lived in poverty and 10.6% in extreme poverty. An estimated 74% of children ages 0–9 and 71% of children ages 10–15 lived in poor households.