Fernando Pullum – Provides Insight into Developing Self-Esteem Through Music

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 29, 2016 / Honored teacher and celebrated musician Fernando
Pullum created the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center (FPCAC) to offer young people throughout Los Angeles an inspirational place to follow their passion for music, dance and drama. Yet as his students nurture their abilities across multiple performing and writing disciplines including learning an instrument, mastering music production and filmmaking software, many are deeply affected by a positive by-product: markedly improved self-esteem. Of the more than 600 underprivileged students enrolled in the completely free program at any given time, Pullum insists that most experience tremendous personal growth, and benefit academically, socially and creatively due to the boosted self-image that studying and playing music provides.

 

Though the end result often culminates in singing or dancing on stage or presenting a short film or an original recorded song, engaging with music allows children develop real-life skills that foster strong self-esteem. Fernando Pullum says that students taking lessons on an instrument not only improve their hand-eye coordination and motor abilities, but also have an increased sense of belonging and pride. When meeting with a band or choir, they deepen their aptitude for social interaction and mutual respect; by understanding the necessity for sharing, taking turns, problem solving and negotiating among group members, students are invested in properly planning and completing a performance. Overcoming the challenges inherent in playing difficult pieces cause children to stretch their talents and causes them to feel more capable, powerful, and as in the case of students at FPCAC, see themselves as part of a larger entity; others are relying on them to do their part. Self-esteem is reinforced by teamwork and by students having faith in what they’re attempting to accomplish. Whether it’s perfecting a guitar solo or singing a complex harmony, the dedication drives young people to come to believe in themselves.

Strengthened self-reliance from music study helps students to take chances, become more willing to express their creativity and work towards developing their individual voices. Those students who become proficient enough playing an instrument or vocalizing and can begin to write their own compositions have additional self-affirming experiences. A 2009 study by O’Callaghan and Grocke [LINK: http://fulltext.study/download/343760.pdf] determined that songwriting enables better self-expression and supports constructive identity formation, healthy coping mechanisms and interpersonal communication. Fernando Pullum says that these advantages often translate into other academic successes, as music performance and composition skills can be transferred to different types of intellectual pursuits. Another study of disadvantaged 10-year-olds in New York City who were given piano lessons twice a week, showed that they had increased attendance and a significantly better attitude and motivation to achieve in other subjects [LINK: https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-views/how-music-can-boost-students-results-creativity-and-self-esteem]. The findings were confirmed by a 2009 study after 12 years of data collected by the National Educational Longitudinal Survey, which found that students highly involved in the arts outperformed their less-involved peers, even among low socioeconomic groups. Music-related study, practice and performance, must be valued as a critical tool to bolster children’s self-esteem in the classroom, with their peers and their home communities.

Fernando Pullum is a respected educator and professional musician who grew up in Chicago’s notoriously tough Westside neighborhood, to earn his bachelor’s degree in music education (1981) and master’s in trumpet performance (1983). He moved to Los Angeles in 1984 to follow his dream of becoming a teacher and a professional musician, and assumed a position at L.A.’s Washington Prep High School, where in 1989, LAUSD recognized his program as the first music magnet in South Los Angeles. Pullum’s talent has been recognized by many organizations and individuals throughout his tenure, including Oprah Winfrey, VH-1, the John Lennon Foundation and the State of California as its teacher of the year. He has performed and recorded with many industry greats, such as Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Jackson Browne, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Eddie Murphy, Fishbone and many others.

Fernando Pullum – Educator and Professional Musician: http://FernandoPullumNews.com/

Fernando Pullum – Proud to Enrich the Lives of Children in Los Angeles: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/fernando-pullum-proud-enrich-lives-020400559.html

Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pullumcenter/

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SOURCE: Fernando Pullum

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