MUSIC PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN

Our music program is based on "Music Learning Theory” as developed by Edwin E. Gordon, a musician and music professor at Michigan State University. Throughout over 40 years of research carried out in various American universities, Gordon has developed a theory based on the assumption that music can be learned according to the same learning mechanisms of the mother tongue. In fact, his research shows that the musical environment profoundly affects, in the first years of life, the ability to understand and learn music. The course has therefore been conceived with the aim of making the child live an experience that will lead him to enrich his own expressive heritage with music. The voice and the body in movement will be the instruments for the production of melodies and rhythms without words composed specifically for the musical development of the child at a very young age.

The Music classes at our school are aimed at children from 0 to 36 months, divided by age groups (0-12, 12-24 and 24-36). The lessons last 30 minutes and are held once a week by a qualified teacher, together with the educators and a group of about 12 children. The atmosphere during instruction will be free, relaxed, enjoyable and will allow children to immerse themselves in a sound universe made of sung voice and fluid movement. In this context, they are naturally urged to listen, to express themselves through the body, to interact with the instructor, to construct an understanding of the musical language and, finally, to speak this language. In addition, the educators will have the opportunity to learn musical activities that over time will be an important repertoire of games to relive with the children.

What do you learn?

Making music at this age means providing an environment in which the child develops a range of skills:

• feel and move your body harmoniously (fundamental for the development of the rhythmic sense).
• listen and talk musically through songs without words (words are not used because they would divert attention from music).
• form first mental representations of music.
• build relationships with the instructor and their peers.

What do you do?

The instructor introduces the children to a rich and differentiated range of musical materials:

- sings melodies in different styles

- sings rhythmic songs based on regular and irregular meters.

- moves and dances as they sing.

- creates moments of silence to encourage the internalization and/or active intervention of children.