Can we agree that “music theory” can make the subject sound a little…dry? Esoteric? Unnecessary?
Here’s a better comparison. Music Theory is the Structural Engineering of music. Architects can dream up beautiful forms and dramatic lines, but without structural engineers, they can’t build them safely and effectively. (It’s been said that Frank Lloyd Wright played a little too loose with the engineering side, leading to buildings that are less timeless than they ought to be.)
We need to understand the structural engineering of music, because it’s how we really see what makes the musical structures stay up. We can understand so much more about what the music means, how to interpret it, how to arrange or compose new music, and more if we take the time to study musical structural engineering.
I don’t think it’s ever too early to get a little more knowledge of the structure and function of music, and I find it a more compelling topic when I compare it to engineering and architecture than when I use the term music theory.