In children suffering from dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), observed interhemispheric asynchronies in auditory cortices, associated with their deficits, were less prominent in those practicing a musical instrument ( Seither-Preisler et al., 2014 Serrallach et al., 2016). Some studies even suggest long-term effects of musical practice during childhood ( Schellenberg, 2006 Hanna-Pladdy and Mackay, 2011 White-Schwoch et al., 2013 Balbag et al., 2014 Moreno et al., 2015). Practicing a complex instrument regularly and actively over extended periods of time may provoke positive transfer effects on basic and higher order cognition as well as on sensorimotor skills in children ( Costa-Giomi, 2004 Schellenberg, 2004, 2006 Palac and Sogin, 2005 Schlaug et al., 2005 Moreno et al., 2011 Roden et al., 2012 Bergman Nutley et al., 2014 Seither-Preisler et al., 2014 Tierney et al., 2015 Martins et al., 2018).

These results encourage general implementation of such training in public primary schools, thus better preparing children for secondary school and for daily living activities. Our results therefore highlight the added value of intensive musical instrumental training in a group setting within the school curriculum. Broad benefits manifested in the intervention group as compared to the control group for working memory, attention, processing speed, cognitive flexibility, matrix reasoning, sensorimotor hand function, and bimanual coordination Apparently, learning to play a complex instrument in a dynamic group setting impacts development much stronger than classical sensitization to music. The intervention group learned to play string instruments, whereas the control group (i.e., peers in parallel classes) was sensitized to music via listening, theory and some practice. Over the last 2 years of primary school (10–12 years old), 69 children received group music instruction by professional musicians twice a week as part of the regular school curriculum. This cluster randomized controlled trial provides evidence that focused musical instrumental practice, in comparison to traditional sensitization to music, provokes multiple transfer effects in the cognitive and sensorimotor domain.

Instrument starting with n