Does playing a instrument imbue a person with life skills?

Last night I attended my son's concert. Robert, who is in the fourth grade, has really shown an aptitude for playing musical instruments, the piano and the clarinet in particular. For the last two years, we have been shuttling him to the east side of Cherry Hill where he takes lessons from an elderly woman who immigrated from Argentina back in the 60's. She learned from European masters who fled Europe when the Nazis took over. The school district has nurtured his ability with the clarinet.

I never learned how to read music, and playing an instrument with any kind of skill has always confounded me. I guess he gets it from my wife's side.

What a pleasure to see my boy, one of the few fourth graders, performing in a band of what had to be well over a hundred kids cherry picked from schools throughout the Cherry Hill district.

The band director, at one point, addressed the audience crammed with parents, grandparents, and friends of the children. He said that being part of this band will help set the students up for success in life, and I'm sure he's right. These children understand the importance of teamwork, persistence, and hard work. It warmed my heart to see my son as part of such a talented group of kids.