The following appeared on the Mozart School of Music Web site.

"The Mozart School of Music should be the first choice for parents considering enrolling their child in music lessons. First of all, the Mozart School welcomes youngsters at all ability and age levels; there is no audition to attend the school. Second, the school offers instruction in nearly all musical instruments as well a wide range of styles and genres from classical to rock. Third, the faculty includes some of the most distinguished musicians in the area. Finally, many Mozart graduates have gone on to become well-known and highly paid professional musicians."

Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.

Composition:

The writer contends that the Mozart School of Music should obviously be the first choice of any music student aware of its reputation. The writer then goes on to describe the attractive features of the School which include the best professional equipment, facilities and faculty. Also according to writer the School stress on intensive training and practice so that the students begin their training at a very young age. However the writer is very hasty in concluding that it should be the first choice of music students, because the argument put forth suffers from numerous flaws as is analyzed as follows.

The writer harps upon the excellent facilities and equipment’s with the best music teachers all over the world. However, given so many facilities, it is very likely that the tuition fees in this school are much higher than in other music school. Therefore, students might in fact avoid going to Mozart School of Music due to the exorbitant fees, unless the student comes from a very good financial background.

Another factor that generally students consider while enrolling in a music school is its distance from their house and the housing facilities provided to the students. Many students would prefer an average quality school near their house than a top rated school which is very far away. Also the writer does not mention anything about the housing facilities for the students coming from far off places. Large amount of time wasted in traveling to and from the school can keep the students from joining the Mozart school.

While mentioning the salient features of the School, the writer says that it stresses intensive practice and training so that the students begin training typically at a very young age. But it is not desirable that children be exposed to rigorous training schedules at a very young age. The intensive training is likely to wear out the young students too soon, and so much that they will not be able to concentrate on their general school studies properly. If the training is too intensive, then in extreme cases, the tight and exhausting training schedules might interfere in the normal growth of the students since they will be left with little time for other essential extra-curricular activities like playing etc. Moreover when student enroll in music schools at a very young age, it generally is as a hobby, so such rigorous training might not be appealing to many students.

Generally, there are very few students who join the Music school for pursuing it as a career. Since music is not a main stream branch of study, many people join music school only as a hobby or to take it up as an avocation. So, many might not be too keen about the top rated facilities and equipment provided by the school. Again fees and the intensive training might act against attracting such students to the Mozart School.

The writer mentions that many Mozart graduates have gone on to be the best known and the most highly paid musicians in the nation. But one cannot be too sure to attribute their success only to the music school. Maybe these successful students are born with excellent music talent, and it is well known that a person with a genuine talent can be successful anyhow, whether he studies in a top rated school or in an average rated school. It is quite possible that their own hard work and perseverance have contributed a more to their success than the facilities provided at the school.

Thus, as is analyzed above, the argument put forth is highly unpersuasive. While making a hasty conclusion, the writer forgets to take into account many other factors that affect a student’s choice of a music school.

Thank You
Time 40min