INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Music is one of the few activities that involve the use of the whole brain. It is considered as the
embodiment of the totality of a human being which capacitates the general public by integrating culture
with science. According to Plato (as cited in Watson, 1991, p. 119), Music is a moral law. It gives soul to
the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.
In the 1960s, Dr. Georgi Lozanov and Evelyna Gateva researched ways to increase memory
which paved the way to numerous studies being conducted to validate and expand the analytical
knowledge of music. Previous studies have related music in the brain development of students. One study,
in particular, was conducted to know the significant effect of music to the brain activity of students
(Cockerton, Moore, and Norman, 1997). However, the study was only limited to the cognitive
performance of the students without considering other ways of which music relates to the academic life of
students. Additionally, very few studies address the competence of the music industry. With the plethora
of genres available, it is important to understand how different styles of music impact the performance of
students.
This study focuses on how college students of the University of St. La Salle [USLS] perceive
music and at the same time, knowing whether or not music plays a role in their academic life. The
researchers aim to broaden the relationship between music and students brain activity by finding the
significance of music to their academic life. Specifically, this study focuses on the influence of music in
the students' academic life in terms of their academic performance, stress and anxiety regarding their
studies, and their concentration on the task at hand.
Another concern of the study is the significance of the genre of music that the students listen to
more often. This information holds a degree of importance to the study because this will help in the

understanding of how and why a genre of music affects the students academic life. The researchers
intend to establish if improved performance while listening to music is directly related to the genre of
music that is listened to.
By delving into the role of music in the academic life of students, the study will be able to give
assistance to ensuing studies that are being conducted. The study will also be able to shed light on how
music improves academic life in terms of cognitive performance, relationship within the school
community, and satisfaction in academic performance.
Statement of the Study
This study will be conducted to determine the role of music in the academic life of college
students of the University of St. La Salle Bacolod in the Academic Year 2016-2017.
Specific questions that the researchers seek to answer are the following:
1. Do college students utilize music in their academic life?
2. What are the genres of music that college students prefer to use?
3. How does listening to music affect their academic life?
4. What is the relationship of their genre preference to their academic life?