Hopal Romans looks at the work Youth Music is undertaking to get young children engaged in music.
In last month?s newsletter from the National Youth Choirs of Scotland (NYCOS), Lucinda Geoghegan, a Kodaly music education specialist who works for NYCOS, summarised perfectly the reasons for providing music-making in early childhood: intellectual, social, creative, emotional and physical development. She went on to describe how singing can increase a child?s understanding of language; how finger rhymes can develop fine motor skills and how music-making can aid discipline. What better justification for music-making in early years is needed? Her thesis is that music-making ? and specifically singing ? is a safe, encouraging, entertaining and holistic medium for every aspect of a child?s pathway to both socialisation and school.
Youth Music, the Lottery distributor set up in 1999, aims to support and campaign for widespread access to quality, progressive music-making opportunities for children aged up to 18. Early years music-making is an important area for us. By 2010 we aim to have reached at least 300,000 children, provided training opportunities for music leaders and to have provided extensive evidence, information and ways to engage with music-making for this age group. With partners across the UK, we must explain why all children in their early years need music-making in their lives. Parents are at their most optimistic at the birth of their children. If they don?t know much about the benefits of musical play, of singing games and rhymes, then nurseries, early years workers, music leaders must be there to help.
Since 2000, Youth Music has been providing support for early years music-making through its ?First Steps? programme, something of a trailblazer for music-making in antenatal settings. Much has still to be done in this specialist area. Over the next five years we are aiming to:
? improve the reputation and raise the profile of music-making for children aged 0?5
? invest in training and skills development and improve overall standards of leadership in the early years sector
? increase the number and quality of music-making opportunities for children in this age-group
? build relationships and partnerships with music organisations and with the early years sector, parents and the wider community.
The task ahead is one of confidence building. Many early years staff know the benefits of music-making but are anxious about their own skills. Professional musicians are able music leaders for this sector, but often lack experience, contacts or context. Currently, a big investment in early years music-making in Great Yarmouth and North Tyneside is being closely monitored and evaluated by the University of Northumbria. This will provide signposts for best practice, will give us feedback on music?s impact and provide us with robust evidence with which to spread the word. We want to ensure that music-making is a normal part of a child?s development before the age of five and that the skills and experience can be made ready for entry into Keystage 1 in infant school. Lucinda Geoghegan also advises that music-making for children in their early years must have a most crucial ingredient to ensure that pleasure and success is shared by all ? fun!
Hopal Romans is Principal Officer ? Policy & Programmes at Youth Music.
t: 020 7902 1060;
e: hopal.romans@youthmusic.org.uk