Socrates once wisely stated, “Music has the power of forming the character, and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young.” This ancient philosopher’s words resonate strongly with parents who recognize the value of introducing their children to music from a young age. In particular, parents who choose to enroll their children in music and movement classes are making an enlightened investment in their child’s development, nurturing a musical child before a child musician is even made.
In a musical environment where foundational experiences engage the whole child—mind, body, and spirit—a robust musical foundation is established. This foundation paves the way for sustainable musical growth in the years to come. It encompasses the cultivation of a genuine passion and motivation for the art, the development of musical discernment, sharpened auditory acuity, proficiency in pitch and rhythm, enhanced motor coordination, and increased expressiveness.
Music is a challenging discipline that demands dedication and inspiration as one embarks on the journey of learning. Unfortunately, many children prematurely abandon their musical pursuits because they were rushed into instrumental learning before developing the foundational musical skills listed above. On the contrary, children who were fortunate enough to be immersed in a musical environment before formal instruction tend to thrive and excel in playing their chosen instrument.
Pre-instrumental music instruction, which holistically nurtures a child’s musical development, should ideally begin in infancy but should reach a more advanced level between the ages of 4 and 6. These sessions are typically conducted weekly in groups, engaging children in a fun and developmentally appropriate manner. Several key areas of development must be addressed:
- Vocal Development: The human voice is the most fundamental musical instrument, and a musical child should be capable of singing in tune.
- Listening Development: A child’s ability to process and discriminate between sounds, identify sound sources, and perceive sound qualities is governed by their auditory acuity. Additionally, attentive listening plays a crucial role in focus and concentration. A musical child possesses a heightened command of this essential sensory faculty.
- Movement Development: Dexterity and coordination are motor skills crucial for proficient instrument playing. Children who have explored various forms of movement and physical expression will transition more seamlessly into instrumental playing. Expressive body movement complements expressive musical performance. A musical child feels at ease expressing music through their body.
- Simple Instrumental Play: This encourages eye-hand coordination and pitch association. The ability to read music and play simultaneously is a challenge that many musicians face. Introducing young children to simple melodic instruments like xylophones or glockenspiels prepares them for this challenge.
- Ensemble Work: Music is a communal art form that thrives when played together with others. Assigning different tasks with varying levels of complexity in a musical ensemble allows children of different abilities to enjoy playing together and creating ‘complex’ music. Ensemble opportunities in music classes also foster focus and confidence, both essential qualities for musicians.
- Music Literacy: Learning to read, write, and compose music can be as straightforward as learning the alphabet, starting as early as age 4.
- Musical Knowledge: Learning about various musical styles and genres, renowned composers, musical instruments, and musical terminology broadens a child’s musical horizons.
To effectively address all these aspects, weekly sessions should last at least 60 minutes and preferably involve parents or caregivers in a portion of the session. To ensure that each child receives sufficient individual attention, group sizes should not exceed 12 to 15 participants.
When a child enjoy their experiences in a music class, they are more likely to cultivate a lifelong passion for music, whether or not they choose to pursue a career as a professional musician.
The Musical Classroom Experience:
- Vocal Enhancement and Singing: Musical language may sound unusual to the average person, but it plays a vital role in preparing children for reading and writing simple rhythm patterns. Children will encounter tonal sounds like “do,” “re,” “mi,” and combinations of rhythm and pitch like “mi-mi,” “ti-ti,” and “fa-fa.” This is the language of music.
- Movement: Children naturally love to dance, and this type of musical program encourages movement and dancing to the rhythms of musical pieces. These exercises improve coordination and foster musicianship.
- Musical Reading and Writing: Children delve into pitch, rhythmic notation, melodic notation, and musical notes. This knowledge gradually leads to their own compositions over the course of these classes.
- Attentive Listening: Since young children already have an affinity for music, they will be attentive and focused as they learn to recognize the sounds of various instruments and gain insights into the works of master composers.
- Musical Instrument Exploration: Children are given real instruments, including percussion, strings, keyboards, and woodwinds, introducing them to a variety of choices. This lays the foundation for musical development before formal lessons begin.
Music plays a vital role in not only a child’s musical development but also in their vocabulary, verbal skills, mathematical abilities, emotional self-control, and physical coordination. Providing your child with the gift of early musical education is one of the best ways to set them on a path of lifelong musical enrichment, a journey that you can share with them.