Understanding the development of musicality: Contributions from longitudinal studies.

Abstract

Reflecting a growing interest in the study of the development of musicality, this article provides a summary review of the contribution made by longitudinal studies. From an initial identification of 48 candidate example studies, 27 reports representing 4 subthemes are examined (music, language and music, education, and family/cultural context). Situating the studies on a dimension representing nuances of musicality, this review indicates that while distinct developmental trends are identifiable they are not specifically linked to definitive age boundaries. The first 3 years appear particularly important for enhancing musicality given the consistent findings on focused adult input. We also note the interdependence between emerging musicality and children's first language, and that our understanding of musicality appears most developed in singing research. Concluding comments note that the study of the development of musicality employing longitudinal approaches has moved over the past 20 or 30 years from an initial focus on specific musical skills toward considerations of musical intelligence and communicative musicality, where playfulness and engagement in musical practices are viewed as central for promoting development.

What Makes Babies Musical? Conceptions of Musicality in Infants and Toddlers

“…Thus, many studies examine skills that are present on average at a given age in order to draw conclusions about common developmental trajectories (Stadler Elmer, 2011). However, this can lead to glossing over or omitting important dimensions/indices of musical development (Forrester and Borthwick-Hunter, 2015). Although this approach may show that a skill or competence has emerged, it can easily fail to capture the causes, context and important associations of its emergence (Forrester and Borthwick-Hunter, 2015).…”

“…However, this can lead to glossing over or omitting important dimensions/indices of musical development (Forrester and Borthwick-Hunter, 2015). Although this approach may show that a skill or competence has emerged, it can easily fail to capture the causes, context and important associations of its emergence (Forrester and Borthwick-Hunter, 2015). A more comprehensive approach requires the consideration of more complex behaviors in culturally embedded settings (as has been shown for early singing development; see Stadler Elmer, 2011Elmer, , 2012.…”

Cultura digital e docência: possibilidades para a educação musical

“…A tendência atual para a conceituação do termo musicalidade é compreendê-lo como a capacidade de geração de sentido através do fazer musical (Gembris, 1997;Maffioletti, 2001Maffioletti, , 2011Forrester, & Borthwick-Hunter, 2015). Segundo Cuervo e Maffioletti (2009), o desenvolvimento musical é resultado de uma conjunção de fatores biológicos e culturais, composto por elementos que extrapolam as habilidades técnicas particulares e estão sujeitos às transformações do meio.…”

Revisiting singing proficiency in three-year-olds

“…The words of a song can be considered as providing percussive texture. Words are sounds, first and foremost, and are most likely treated as such by very young singers (Forrester & Borthwick-Hunter, 2015; Gudmundsdottir & Trehub, 2018). Some songs also feature bodily gestures that may be as important to young children as the syllabic sounds, rhythm, pitches, or melodic contour.…”