The Mozart effect is a phenomenon that began appearing in the US in 1993 and continued to expand to the whole world, including Indonesia today. In the United States, Mozart CDs and cassettes are in demand since the news about this effect, even though there is no government regulation in a particular state, encourages its citizens to listen to Mozart and insert it into the music education curriculum. The Mozart effect can generally be described as the condition or effects resulting from exposure to certain music (mainly Mozart) in a short time and have a positive effect on cognition and behaviour. Research on the Mozart Effect performed by Frances Rauscher et.al. From the University of California is an action research experiment with 36 college students were divided into three groups; each group received three treatments in 10 minutes as listening: (1) Sonata for two pianos in D, k.448 by Mozart; (2) tapes relaxation instructions; (3) silence. Immediately after receiving treatment, 36 students took a test of spatial or temporal using the Stanford-Binet test, a test in the form of folded paper that is then cut up. The students were asked to imagine the pattern shape to cut out when the document was opened. The result was that a group that listened to Mozart’s Sonata obtained higher values differing significantly by 8-9 points (Hernando-Requejo, 2018). However, this effect is concise, lasting only 10-15 minutes. The researchers concluded that music could cause the brain to function better in spatial ability, at least for a few minutes. The findings are exaggerated to say that the effect only lasts a few minutes and covers the temporal-spatial knowledge that can’t be claimed to increase the IQ (Perlovsky et al., 2013).
Mozart Effect was officially discovered and published by Rauscher et al. Still, its copyright is taken up by a music expert named Don Campbell for making the official website of Effect Mozart and selling a lot of CDs. Rauscher had not claimed that Mozart could increase intelligence. He said it is too soon to conclude that Mozart makes you more competent for a while (Thompson et al., 2001). Since the first news about Mozart Effect found in Nature magazine, music research so advanced development and has been widely stimulated the expert’s interest to begin researching music and its impact on human life. The general public began to be interested in not only the experts but unfortunately, a lot of information that reaches the public has been too distorted and added spices fictitiously. Evidence that Mozart can increase IQ does not exist, but the impact of music on temporal-spatial ability is strong enough (Jones & Zigler, 2002). The Mozart Effect, with all its news in the media, produces myths in music education that is enjoyable to pursue. The imagination of improving intelligence suggests people’s behavior toward music. In the famous world, the word ‘myth’ refers to various beliefs and opinions that can be proved false. In the Mozart Effect above, there is no logical relationship between the songs of Mozart with the increase in IQ, yet memorable myths that developed precisely the opposite (Hughes, 2001). As described in the previous chapter, music education in Indonesia was initially present in the context of the state. With the rise of the entertainment and television industry, non-formal music education emerged and responded well by the market. The myth of the Mozart effect on the industrialization of the music education arena in Indonesia and the world brought significant changes to the introduction of music from an early age. The myth that people learn music as early as possible to increase intelligence became allure and genial in the music education industry. The entire early childhood music education program is offered to improve children’s intelligence.
For example, the Yamaha Music School music fantasy program is offered for children aged 1-2 years. In some advertisements, music fantasy programs invite parents to provide music education from an early age as learning music increases children’s intelligence! The influence of music on children’s intelligence is said to apply to intelligence in thinking and emotional intelligence. And parents need to carefully select the type of music to keep a positive impact on stimulating their child’s brain. Purwacaraka Music Studio is a company dedicated to music education. Purwacaraka is a famous musician in Indonesian music entertainment. His appearance as a music director in many TV programs makes his name is believed to be a music educator, although his primary education is a scholar of engineering. By adapting the ABRSM learning system tailored to the market’s desires, Purwacaraka Music Studio offers a variety of courses that are suitable for a wide range of ages, starting from the age of 5 years. The brand “Cerdas Bersama Musik” offers a music education program that aims to create a complete musician, musicians who can express themselves in professional, creative, and artistic ways. With nearly 20 years of experience, Purwa Caraka Music Studio has 76 branches across Indonesia, with 22,000 students enrolled annually. Mozart Effect has evolved from a scientific publication, dissemination, and promotion of the massive myth becoming important material in the advertising business of music education. Advertisement likened to a sorceress who had spells to influence consumers. Advertisement of the Mozart effect provides an opportunity for capitalists to introduce the product, in this case, the music education program early to market, indulgence in various kinds of promises is not often relevant to the actual benefits. But that is where the real power gets more advertising. Because of the advertisement, it is not uncommon to believe the benefits and efficacy of a product and then buy just as they chew raw promises and dreams ads offer without being criticized.
Music Education and Urban Growth
The Mozart effect allure has influenced the music education system in the world. The introduction of music at an early age seems to be a necessity inevitable worldwide. As well as Indonesia, the Ministry of Education and Culture eventually put music education in the national curriculum, although only in a small percentage if it is compared to other fields of science. When compared with other disciplines, music education in Indonesia is not projected to be necessary, so often forgotten. Therefore, its influence on students and the outcome was not as significant as in other subjects. Students’ dream to become a musician rarely comes from the eyes of music lessons in school but is more likely inspired by famous bands or acting as fugures in the entertainment indusry. The music industry also turned out to bring sustenance for owners of non-formal music schools, as more people wanted to become adept at playing music. Music education outside of school becomes an option to hone talent in playing music. Students come from children, adolescents, and adults. As a result, the business of music education is also increasing. The frenetic music industry has contributed to the high public interest in music (Filimon & López-Sintas, 2011). Marketing methods are needed for music school development. During this time, some entrepreneurs in music education have their tips for marketing their music school. One of them is cooperating with well-known musicians in developing their business. A famous Indonesian drummer Gilang Ramadhan reported that efforts GRSD (Gilang Ramadhan School of Drums) he started in three years to breed 14 branches in many big cities. All promotional efforts are directly performed as advertising in the media, spreading leaflets or banners. Promotions indirectly involving students in music events are usually held in a shopping center or other venues. Students are also invited to play with famous musicians. Appearing in the arena of music events will train students’ mentality to perform in front of the public (BernabéValero et al., 2019). If you look at a good student, it has indirectly promoted the name of the music school. In the meantime, it should be realized in full by education actors, especially music education institutions, that they hold the quality of music education in Indonesia. Courses continue to be a barometer of the quality of music education in Indonesia until sometime into the future. The public school curriculum can offer more satisfactory services in music education (Aguilar & Dye, 2020).
This responsibility is not a mere toy, primarily because, until now, music education is still minimal to reach. It is common to refer to the historical presence of music education in Indonesia. The entertainment industry is concentrated in the city, limiting the scope for distributing music education in Indonesia. Besides the issue of territory, the capitalization of music education also creates social classes in which parents prefer music education for children with middle up economic conditions only. Trend and prestige often helped decorate the parents’ primary purpose to provide music education to their children. In Indonesia, most people study music to follow the trending era or just hobbies. It rarely becomes a life choice (North & Nargreaves, 2007).
A life choice to be a musician is still considered unideal for Indonesian kids’. Doctors and engineers remain the top choice. Let’s look at the vocational school of music and higher education of music in Indonesia. Most of their student backgrounds are from musician families or who are not accepted in public schools or colleges in other fields of science. It is particularly ironic, considering that music education was initially believed to improve intelligence, but in the end, it is just a mere runaway choice. Especially considering the expensive cost, we need to spend on it. Much money has to be paid just for this momentary trend (Niknafs, 2020). Music education in Taiwan is somewhat different. The research entitled West Meets East: The Meaning and Study of Western Classical Music in Taiwan, (Dr. Pan Li-ming) delivered at the symposium Royal Music Association titled Intercultural Transfer in Music in Singapore some time ago, stated that the people of Taiwan consider girls capable of playing classical music is a valuable asset. It becomes an obligation and a requirement to provide the best classical music education even though the parents have to borrow a lot of money. It is said to be an asset for having female children who have a good skill in classical music in which they could be married to males who have an excellent professions like doctors or lawyers. It means that it would be able to raise the degree or economic status of their family life.
The historical drama film by Zhang Yimou, named The Flowers of War, told about a group of female students and prostitutes runaway hiding in a church to save themselves from persecution by the Japanese army. The film is adapted from a historical novel entitled Flowers of Nanjing, a historical record of the massacre in Nanking in 1937. It Illustrated that Japanese soldiers killed and raped indiscriminately at that time. Still, when they know that students hiding in the Church can sing beautifully in the western manners (the Church), they revert intention and choose to keep the women to be presented to their superiors. As a symbol of colonial presence (West), the Church brought culture in this regard to western music education in the eastern region. The distribution of classical music in China came through the church and European Imperialism. At the time of the Japanese population in Nanjing in 1937, classical music was considered more valuable by the east leading to students capable of playing music more valuable that it deserved to be given to the leadership of the Japanese army. There are links between history, politics, and economics in the stories—the influence on the position of music in space and how the accompanying music then constructs education.
References
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