music as creative_language
DESCRIPTION
Music as Creative Language A presentation by The Mosaic Art & Sound Teresa dello MonacoTRANSCRIPT
Adults Learning for Intergenerational Creative Experiences
Project number: 518106-LLP-1-2011-IT-Grundtvig-GMP
Advanced Training Course A.L.I.C.E.Learning Unit 2
Music as Creative Language for Adult-Child Interplay
Teresa Dello ManacoThe Mosaic Art And Sound
SOUND AND MUSIC IN ADULT-CHILD INTERPLAY
In their first year of life, children activate a non-verbal
communication by using rhythm with parts of their body or vocal
sounds and inflections that can be intended as musical characteristics
Caregivers and infants are engaged in a sort of communication that does not concern a transfer of
information from one to the other, but a
simultaneous creative interplay
Through this, they relate and make contact
The communication is continuously recreated in action, through the
expression of simple, shared games of repetitive actions
A typical example is the familiar and universal game of peep-bo
Each new move in the game, hiding for a moment longer, hiding in different way, showing a more exaggerated surprise and so on depends on what has just gone
before and, crucially, on how the baby is reacting
The outcome of effective communication is a sympathetic
contact which is mutually rewarding to both partners
Communication becomes an active process which brings
people together and sustains, enhances and strengthens their
connection
In a jazz jam session the music performance exists because of shared impulses and ideas which are taken and given by the performers
None of the musicians know the outcome of the music
combinations that are about to appear in their performance,
until they are created at the very moment of their exchange
The creativity depends on an intangible chemistry between the members of the
group
It emerges out of musical conversation
Similarly, in non-verbal caregiver-infant interplay, the communication is not a
directional process from two individuals in turn, but operates
continuously as an active, dynamic system in which all participants are
simultaneously fully engaged.
As the child grows, the same spontaneous, natural structure of
music creativity, and therefore communication can be cultivated.
A child will be prone to develop harmonious social skills when the
adult is adaptive to her/his spontaneous musical expressions by being able to mediate between his
own music/cultural background and the child’s own musical impetus.
Nevertheless, although in their full spontaneity, in the music games children need to be given clear boundaries within
which they can act. This allows them freedom as well as clarity and grounding.
How can we support and
develop musical communication between parents, caregivers, teachers and young children?
Ask the social initiatives supporting families,
nursery and primary schools to draw their attention on the
subject of musical communication.
There is the need to develop children
music competences that enable them to
have harmonious social skills.
At home, have a variety of simple music instruments and play them
together with the children. The whole family can become a
music group.
Percussion instruments can be also easy to build. For instance, we can use different fruit seeds or shells and put them in boxes of various materials and shake them or we can use different
sized pan pipes and so on.
We can use recycled materials or buy a number of inexpensive educational
instruments and greatly enjoy jamming with our children.
End