The Madison New Music Festival returns to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art this weekend with a variety of classical music performances. Local music festival to highlight importance of exposing kids, community members to music The Madison New Music Festival returns to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art this weekend with a variety of classical music performances. More Headlines

MADISON, Wis. – Could the secret to boosting your child’s success in the classroom be found through music? That’s what countless studies have found for years, and most recently, researchers at the University of Southern California made their case.

Their recent study showed that exposure to music in childhood accelerates brain development, boosts reading skills, and can even improve math abilities and SAT scores.

Sept. 13 and 14, a local festival spotlighting music returns to Madison, providing a great opportunity for families to experience these benefits firsthand.

The World Music Festival brings music from many parts of the world to the Memorial Union and Willy Street Fair Friday and Saturday. Families can participate in a southern Italian dance workshop, learn about psychedelic cumbia from the Peruvian Amazon, and hear electronic music from parts of Africa, called “Afrotronix.”

The goal of the festival is to bring new and unknown artists from unique places into our community to expand the horizons of audiences.

The Wisconsin Union Theater presents the festival and organizers say they hope it helps Madisonians better understand the world, its many cultures, and the uniting power of music. 

It’s also an opportunity to expose kids to new instruments and possibly get them to consider picking one up themselves. It’s been proven that learning an instrument helps kids develop social skills, builds their confidence, and improves their discipline. Even listening to music, or going to see it in person, has its benefits.

Click here for the full 2019 festival lineup.

The Madison World Music Festival began in 2004 as a way to celebrate cultures from around the world. This is the festival’s 16th year of providing world music in the Madison area.

 

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