Early learning through music: 5 core values at the heart of the Musical Child Approach
1. All children are born musical.
Early learning through music is one of their multiple intelligences. Therefore, we believe that they have a right to maximise their innate ability. The need music education early and often to lay the foundation for music appreciation and participation throughout their lives. Musicality needs to be nurtured before the age of one because babies begin to ‘prune out’ their highly-stocked neuronal system at that age. If their musical impulses and preferences are not encouraged by their loved ones, those opportunities will be lost 😢.
2. Learning in music supports learning in other areas
Early learning through music works particularly through the focus on deep listening and concentration on a task – it maximises the potential for each child to succeed in future learning by setting up enhanced neural networks.
3. Music socialises and binds groups together
This is crucial in the first group – the family. Shared experience of music releases oxytocin in the brain – the chemical found when groups feel a sense of togetherness. Along with the social confidence and emotional security available within groups come opportunities for effective communication in language, mathematics and other literacies. These are irresistible arguments for early learning through music experiences.
4. Music relieves stress and brings joy
Joy is experienced along with the release of the ‘feel good’ chemicals, serotonin and dopamine. This enhances positive emotional development and allows cognition to flow by removing stressors. Musical play opens the mind-flow of the child and sets up a habit of mind or disposition towards repeated musical experiences. Early learning through music gives opportunities to engage in activities such as experimentation with sound sources and instruments, improvisation, listening and moving to music, dramatising and singing song.
5. Learning music gives access to two large bodies of literature
The first of kind of literature is the language in song lyrics, the other kind is music literature, the written and recorded kind. We give children access to musics from history and across cultures. These cultural artefacts are part of the child’s rightful heritage and become indestructible toys for their minds. Musical works underpin creativity by providing a widely-stocked storehouse of knowledge – examples of language(s) and music(s) – necessary to create something new, either to the individual or to the world. Both bodies of literature are information that should be made available to the child according to the International Council of Music 5 Musical Rights.
A Sample of Influential Researchers and Educators in Early Learning Through Music
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Musical Rights of the Child, International Music Council, in official partnership with UNESCO.
Prof Sandra Trehub (dec. 2023), formerly of Infant and Child Studies, University of Toronto, Missisauga, Canada.
Laurel Trainor, Auditory Development Lab, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada.
Howard Gardner, Harvard Graduate School of Education, U.S.
Richard Gill Conductor (dec. 2018), Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australia.
Glen Schellenberg, University of Toronto, Missisauga, Canada.
Anita Collins, University of Canberra, Australia.
Daniel Levitin, Laboratory for Music Cognition, Perception and Expertise, McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Reggio Emilia Approach, Carolyn P. Edwards, Lella Gandini, George E. Forman, Italy and U.S..
Oliver Sacks (1933-2015), U.S. New York University School of Medicine
Margaret Boden, Department of Informatics, University of Sussex, U.K.
Jerome Bruner. New York University School of Law, U.S.
