DIANA ELENA SÂRB

Perspectives on the Importance of Music in

regard to the Development of Human

Personality

Translated by

Denisa-Alexandra Ionescu

Cluj-Napoca, 2019

2

Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naţionale a României

SÂRB, DIANA ELENA

Perspectives on the importance of music in regard to the development

of human personality / Diana Elena Sârb ; translated by Denisa-Alexandra

Ionescu. - Cluj-Napoca : MediaMusica, 2019

Conţine bibliografie. - Index

ISMN 979-0-707655-61-0 ISBN 978-606-645-135-2

I. Ionescu, Denisa-Alexandra (trad.)

Coperta: CIPRIAN GABRIEL POP

© Copyright, 2019, Editura MediaMusica

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD ........................................................................................ 5

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 7

CHAPTER I Music and Human Personality ...................................... 13

1.1. Formative Valences of Musical Education from the

Perspective of the Educational System Reform ................... 15

1.2. Formal - Non-forma-Informal Musical Training ................ 26

CHAPTER II Instances of Employing Musical Elements forLearning

Enhancement ...................................................................................... 35

2.1. Song and Sung Voice ........................................................... 37

2.2. The Instrument – Convergence Point of General Artistic

Education and Interpretative Performance .......................... 45

2.3. Eurhythmy, sine-qua-non Condition in Musical Education . 48

2.4. The Musical Game ............................................................... 52

CHAPTER III Benefits of the Involvement of Music in the Growth of

Human Personality ............................................................................. 61

3.1. The Influence of Music on the Learning Process ................ 63

3.2. Musical Intelligence and Logical-Mathematical:

Typological Synapses ........................................................... 68

3.2.1. Multiple Intelligences. Musical and Logical-

Mathematical Intelligence........................................... 69

3.2.2. The Expression of Logical-Mathematical

Elements in the Musical Field .................................... 74

4

3.3. Musical and Linguistic Intelligence – Operating Dichotomy

in regard to the Development of Communication Skills ....... 83

3.3.1. The Complementary Character of Musical and

Linguistic Intelligence ................................................. 83

3.3.2.Benefits of Associating Music with the Study of

a Foreign Language ..................................................... 90

3.4. Advantages of Introducing the Study of an Instrument in

General Music Education ...................................................... 93

3.5. The Musical Instrument asFacilitator in the Simultaneous

Activation of the Cerebral Hemisphere ................................ 97

3.5.1. Cognitive Benefits of Studying the Instrument ........... 98

3.5.2. Music and Dynamic Cortical Mapping ..................... 100

CHAPTER IV Musical Anthology ................................................... 107

4.1. Collection of Songs Rhythmically Sustained by Musical

Instruments .......................................................................... 109

4.2. Collection of Songs Rhythmically Sustained by Musical

Instruments .......................................................................... 111

4.3. Scenarios for Musical Games with Movement ................... 112

4.4. Impressions of Music from a Subjective Perspective –

Questionnaire ...................................................................... 120

CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................... 125

REFERENCES: ................................................................................. 130

ANNEXES ........................................................................................ 134

5

FOREWORD

I consider the very act of writing the foreword for this book to be

a challenge and I would like, following the generous invitation made by

the author, to approach it from different perspectives; each of them,

although having a well delimited area, is in my view still inseparable

and interdependent the one from the other, correlated in an artistic

career and a professional life that endorse this documentation.

Therefore, my task is facilitated as I completely find myself in

Perspectives on the Importance of Music in regard to the Development

of human Personality, whether as a singer or instrumentalist.

The title of this work arouses the interest of the common, keen

reader, wishing to know more about human personality in relation to

one of the seven arts, but also from the perspective of the researcher

passionate about the extraordinary result of allowing the infiltration of

music in the growth and consequently the development of human

personality. The previous books anticipated, to some extent, due to the

topics approached, these perspectives with special connotations

emphasised by the author within the present approach.

The growth of human personality is undoubtedly grounded in

education. In its turn, artistic education, especially the musical one,

needs to be amplified to the maximum also by or especially by! reforms

in the educational system – completed by the three types of education –

formal, non-formal, informal whose advantages need to be explored –

having a decisive role in the future definition of the human being.

The fact of not applying and not complying with them in due

time (kindergarten, secondary school, high school) unfortunately

results in gaps impossible to make for later on, while at academic level

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where they should find their maximum applicability, we are often

confronted with prejudicial consequences!

In a natural course of events, we pay attention to the aspects

related to the efficiency resulted from the employment of musical

elements in view of optimising the learning process, the

aforementioned aspects being used in different instances. I think that

this topic will never carry too much weight within any research work.

The thorough and detailed analysis points to the author as being

herself an excellent connoisseur of both instances, namely the

theoretician’s and the practitioner’s in the field; she owes this to her

own expertise and to the thoroughness of the documentation. Musical

education within educational institutions is something that I

recommend and I strongly consider necessary; studying to play an

instrument or the study of singing prove to be of immense value in

regard to the growth of the personality of the future adult.

Emphasising the essence, I fully state that in a society more and

more dominated by technology, we should not forget that one of the

real aspects which influence human personality and intelligence

enhancement is still music, exploited under all of the polymorphic

“classic” aspects it provides; brilliant Einstein used to state that he

understood his life in musical terms; furthermore, “Hadn’t I been a

physician, I would have probably been a musician”.

Associate Professor OANA LIANU, PhD

Cultural Ambassador of Romania

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INTRODUCTION

Music has always been an integral part of man’s life, whether we

are talking about rituals as early as the dawn of humanity up to the

present day, or about childhood games or artistic manifestations

eminently musical. Introducing the child to the wonderful universe of

the musical sounds from an early age creates the premises of a

harmonious growth, able to form complex and balanced personalities.

The ability to sing employingthe phonetic apparatus, the closest

within the human being’s reach and the one which distinguishes

him/her from the other beings, along with his/her capacity to listen to

and appreciate music, emphasise even more the strong bond that exists

between manifestations of sound and the human being. Music

positively influences the human body and its health by its specific

elements, singing or playing an instrument and listening to music

which, synchronised with the sense organs, activate the sensorial paths

and have a strong impact on the intellect, on feelings and emotions

being frequently employed in different types of therapeutic

interventions.

By the extraordinary features it possesses, namely to bring

pleasure and to create a favourable atmosphere for learning, music

develops prevalently some very important aspects in the growth of the

individual. To name but a few: stimulating creativity and raising self-

esteem, enhancing the ability to communicate, all of which in pursuit of

forming a balanced, autonomous personality able to contribute to the

evolution of the community in which one lives and to the evolution of

human society as core educational desideratum.

8

This is why professionals in the field of education are interested

in optimising musical education by introducing, along with reforms of

the educational system, various elements to ensure an interactive type

of learning, to create a joyful climate endorsed by the pupils’

satisfaction and able to result in the endurance of the things learned, the

appreciation of aesthetic beauty and the increaing number of future

audiences. An important role is being played by song, eurhythmy and

musical instruments which contribute to the initiation and growth of

children in relation to the musical field and in time, with sustained

efforts, they will provide the artists to be found in future concert halls.

The first chapter entitled Music and human personalityhighlights

the formative valences of musical training consistent with the current

modifications in education as well as with the environment the

individual’s musical background is being built: formal, non-formal și

informal.

The second chapter presents the key role of music and all of its

directions as resource, means and content of the learning process,

associated with various instances in which it may be applied in

activities; this results in an inexhaustible source of ideas and creative

approaches for teachers. The multiple educational valences music

possesses embodied by singing or playing an instrument, by eurhythmy

or musical games need to be explored by the ones carrying on learning

processes no matter the subject as they may result in richer and more

dynamic teaching activities.

The benefits of the involvement of music in the growth of human

personality configured in chapter three, associate musical intelligence

with three other types of intelligence, namely logical-mathematical and

linguistic, which result in the emergence of interdisciplinary

connections between different fields leading therefore to the creation of

9

favourable learning contexts from the perspective of the multiple

intelligences theory.

Music is both science and art, it is an important component of

human nature, existing in all cultures, generating joy and pleasure by

means of interpretation or listening to it. Music is scientifically

explained from Pythagoras, while connections between mathematics

and music have been signalled since ancient times. Furthermore,

nowadays we are also studying possibilities to streamline the

functioning of the brain which involves relationships between different

types of intelligences, corresponding to different cortical areas.

Music is often referred to as the mathematics of sounds due to the

numerous synapses that occur between the two fields of knowledge.

The influence of mathematical concepts in music is mirrored by

parameters such as musical rhythm, archetypal forms of musical

creations as well as melody and harmony. However, the art of the

musical sounds remains a universe with a strong presence of the

emotional and of the creative side of the human being.

Over time, songs have become an integral part of our linguistic

experiences representing a powerful element in developing

communication skills in the mother tongue but also in learning a

foreign language. The multiple educational valences any song is

endowed with, accompanied by lyrics in the mother tongue or in a

foreign language, may enrich and render more dynamic the activities of

learning another language. Research conducted on the brain highlighted

the fact that there is a strong bond between linguistic and musical

intelligence due to the similar way of functioning of these two systems

of communication, music and language; the frontal and temporal lobes

are responsible for the aforementioned aspects at the level of the

neuronal connections; research concluded that the two directions can

10

considerably improve the development of linguistic abilities in both

spoken languages.

Further on, the presentation of the advantages of the study of a

musical instrument in view of overall artistic education or interpretative

performance highlights the simultaneous activation of the two brain

hemispheres while playing an instrument due to some special

connections that occur in the brain.

The active involvement in studying to play an instrument at any

age enhances the child’s cognitive capacity as well as the very act of

being initiated in music, growing and developing artistic sensitivity.

Music, by its diverse dimensions – singing, the study of a musical

instrument, musical listening, rhythmic, melodic and rhythmic-melodic

compositions – often improves overall school performances. There are

various other directions for which the existence of music in children’s

life is extremely important as well as the support they are given from

the ones carrying on the educational process, teachers and parents,

namely raising self-esteem, developing core aspects for any type of

human activity, self-motivation, self-discipline in relation to work,

systematic study of the instrument.

In order to have a pleasant manner of entering the universe of

music we selected several songs included in the collections to be found

in chapter four, Musical Anthology, which bring to this valuable

structural element of music other means which we turn to in order to

practice or create it: instruments, games and movement.

In addition, the last chapter entitled Impressions of Music from a

Subjective Perspective, presents the reader with a questionnaire having

children as respondents; the study emphasises their pleasure and joy of

practising music by means of instruments and musical games

accompanied by movement.

11

In order to endorse the benefits of music’s involvement in the

growth of human personality, the conclusions drawn stress the

importance and effectiveness of its existence in our lives. Worthy of

note is the way in which children can acquire linguistic and

communication skills in their mother tongue or in a foreign language

more easily and in a more pleasant manner with the help of songs and

musical games, but also logical-mathematical, emotional, social

competencies by studying a musical instrument, abilities that will be

reflected in relation to other subjects as well.

12

13

CHAPTER I

Music and Human Personality

14

15

1.1. Formative Valences of Musical Education from the

Perspective of the Educational System Reform

Specialists in the field of education are concerned with

streamlining musical education by introducing, along with reforms in

education, various elements to ensure an interactive learning process, to

create a climate of joy and satisfaction enabling a long-lasting memory

of the things learned, of appreciating aesthetic beauty and creating the

future audiences.

Childhood is a period of the human being’s life to be found under

the umbrella of the mysterious universe of musical sounds and our duty

as teachers involved in the teaching process at any level is to attract

them and to preserve their interest in view of musical training aiming

either at artistic education in general or interpretative performance

according to each and every one’s wishes and possibilities.

Musical education is a consistent part of aesthetic education and

encompasses a wide range of activities organised within the teaching

process or within extra-curricular activities pre-school children and

pupils take part in. Many skills, notions, concepts necessary to every

age group may be learned by listening to and using music. As the child

consolidates his / her relation with the musical field, they learn

numerous songs, listen to musical strains, move on music or start

studying an instrument; hence, with the help of music they go through

various types of experiences. All these situations become educational

contexts favourable to the growth of a complex personality by which

the individual (whether child or adult) improves upon their intellectual

performance, develops creative attitudes, the ability to focus as well as

their multi-tasking skills, rhythmical and movement coordination, their

16

ability to socialise, their capacity to memorise and update the

information memorised, all of which in a very pleasant fashion.

Education, just like any other field, is going through a reform

process due to several factors: the historical evolution of the schooling

system and of society (having a fast-paced dynamic), the modern

systems of education after 1968 is facing a crisis in education, all of

which results in numerous changes and innovations. The 20th century

bears the mark of these innovative tendencies of conspicuous ascension

especially in its second half, continuing in the early third millennium.

Education becomes an important factor involved in solving the

problems of the contemporary society, and the attempt to answer the

challenges of this reality aims to several restructuring directions:1

- The redimensioning of the educational activity which implies

the passage from a hovering-type of learning (generating an adaptation

to the present days) to an innovative one (adaptation to future times,

nurturing autonomy and the ability to integrate);

- Ensuring the optimal balance between the informative side

(knowledge) and the formative one (aiming to develop various

behaviors and attitudes that comply with the values promoted at social

level);

- Extending the educational tasks throughout one’s entire life,

and redistribution of efforts in view of positively influencing the human

being towards various factors or institutions such as the church, the

media, all the levels aimed to by the concept of new education;2

- Educational objectives to be imbued with European and

universal cultural connotations through the promotion of international

1Sas, Cecilia, Fundamentele pedagogiei, Editura Universității Oradea, 2013, p. 81. 2Pedagogical concept introduced in the last decades in Romania as well; it contributes to the

broadening of the perspective on how to conceive and achieve educational processes

(ecological, nutrition education etc.)

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cultural cooperation as well as the display and the enrichment of

specific and authentic values;

Education, seen as a complex process of conveying and

absorbing scientific, economic, cultural, technical values, encompasses

several directions such as the new educations and parallel educations

(formal, informal and non-formal education);their purpose is to prepare

the individual in view of a better adaptation to the fast-paced dynamic

of society which implies a change of view, the emergence of a new

mindset paying closer attention to the qualitative aspects of personality.

These are worldwide tendencies in regard to current education,

the evolution of the core principles of education taking place in time,

especially in the last decades, and bearing the mark of the general

progress of humanity. Our country has been tryingover the past few

years to put in place an educational reform willing to embed global and

European exigencies in our national system of education, focusing on

several key components of school activity such as: the curriculum for

all cycles of learning, lifelong learning programmes specialized for

teachers but also the implementation of the concept of ongoing

education, long distance learning by designing educational electronic

platforms, research in education, infrastructure, international

cooperation following the launch of numerous educational projects

with the participation of various countries.

For a better understanding of the current educational context,

some observations regardingthe legal framework of our country as well

as the pedagogical specialized terminology are needed.

The Romanian education mirrors the directions aimed to by the

reforms made in education worldwide, and they are embodied, at the

level of the new schooling legislation, by the innovative ideas

characterizing pedagogical thinking. In this context, according to the

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latest regulations set by the Ministry of National Education, some

modifications have been made related to the contents of the educational

process (balance between formative and informative), to the manner of

approaching them aiming mainly to the applicative and pragmatic

potential (adaptation in view of future times), to the schooling cycles

and their peoridisation.

The reform started with kindergarten by organizing the contents

around six consistent learning units including the topics to be studied, a

model taken from the IBO (International Baccalaureat Organisation)3

structure, a renowned system appreciated worldwide which goes on

with these six units (units of inquiry) until completion of the schooling

period, namely 12th grade. They are taken up again and again in a

spiral-bound system year after year by adding other perspectives and

topics for development according to the children’s age and individual

peculiarities adapted to the first period of learning of the programme,

PYP (Primary Years Programme: 3-years old,4 in the case of our

country.

For the first cycle of schooling programmes, changes have been

made regarding the years of study as well as related to the approach of

contents, consistent with the psycho-pedagogic developmental profile

of the young pupil. In regard to infrastructure, the infant group from

kindergarten (6-7 years of age) has been turned into the infant grade,

being upgraded to school grade. Therefore the primary cycle has been

extended to five years and encompasses ages in between 6 and 11 years

(infant grade to 4th grade).

3International Baccalaureate Organisation, Making the PYP happen-Guide, Geneva, 2000, p.

23. 4Research units:1. Who we are? 2. Where we are in place and time? 3. How we express

ourselves? 4. How the world works ? 5. How we organize ourselves? 6. Sharing the planet.

19

The educational reform has included school subjects, as well,

both in terms of their denomination as of their contents and their

approach. Consequently, the subject named Romanian Language has

been turned into Communication in Romanian for the first three grades

(infant, 1st and 2nd) and into Romanian Language and Literature for

grades 3rd and 4th. According to the latest regulations set by the

Ministry, Musical Education becomes Music and Movement. The

foreign language that is already being studied starting with infant

grade, therefore a new change in the curriculum plan, is named

Communication in Foreign Language 1, while the denomination of the

subject Mathematics has been tunrned into Mathematics and

environment exploration.

In secondary school too new subjects have emerged replacing

or diversifying the spectrum of the ones already existent. For instance,

Social Education, which pertains to the curricular area of Man and

society, is to be named Critical Thinking and Children’s Rights in 5th

grade and is to be completed by other disciplines throughout the

secondary cycle of education, i.e. Intercultural Education in 6th grade,

Education for Democratic Citizenship in 7th grade and Economic-

Financial Education in 8th grade.

School curricula for all subjects are structured and designed

according to the new model of curricular design which considers the

cycle of core acquisitions and the formation of competencies to be

followed up and matured over a longer period of time. We can

therefore talk about a pedagogy based on competencies compared to

the one based on objectives5. The latter determines the representative

differentiation of the fields of knowledge and the conceptual

5Objectives and competencies in curriculum design, http://documents.tips/documents/obiective-

si-competente.html

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restructuring of the learning disciplines. The act of learning has a

prevalent informative character and is centered on knowledge and their

use in typical contexts. Edifying when coming to characterize this type

of curriculum based on objectives are verbs such: “to know”, “to

comprehend”, “to apply”, corresponding to the first three levels of

Bloom’s taxonomy6.

Conversely, pedagogy based on competencies relates to the

higher levels of the classification made by the American educational

psychologist, being updated according to the requirements of the 20th

century by Bloom’s successors, a group of researchers of cognitive

psychology led by Lorin Andersen (Bloom’s ex student) according to

whom the key concepts are given by verbs such as: “to think critically”,

“to decide”, “to assess” and “to create”. This type of curriculum implies

a process of learning that involves reasoning and information transfer,

the use of knowledge in different atypical situations which favour inter-

and trans-disciplinary organisation of the learning contents. The

objectives are some specific targets the educator aims to, while

competencies relate to the achievement of capacities, skills, intellectual

or practical abilities, much better emphasised.

The model for the design of the curriculum centred on

competencies is beneficial to education from the perspective of the

three core processes involved in the didactic approach, teaching,

learning and especially assessment which becomes more transparent

and efficient. The development of various competencies mirrors better

the pupils’ upbringing needs hence strengthening the formative

character of education aimed to in the last years; it also points out the

practical side related to the operationalization of knowledge while the

6Popa, Carmen, Teoria și metodologie instruirii, Editura Universității Oradea, 2013, p.100-104.

21

teacher’s role is to create an immediate and clear bond between theory

and practice.

The curriculum for Music and Movement from 2013, aiming to

children aged 6-9 (infant grade, 1st and 2nd grade) and the one from

2014, 9-11 year-old pupils (3rd and 4th grade) aim to form general

musical competencies over a period of three years, two years

respectively, and they are presented in a parallel fashion so that

progress in terms of contents from one year to the other and increase in

the level of difficulty of the requirements and of the tasks assigned to

the pupils are even more obvious.

Specific competencies are derived from each general

competency and they are formed by going through various contents

which become topics of the learning units, and titles of the music

lessons respectively. Compared to the previous curricula (e.g. the

Curriculum for Musical Education for 2nd grade from 2003), general

competencies are more detailed, clearer directions being provided.

Table no. 1. Comparison between School Curricula 2013-2003

Music and Movement Curriculum,

Primary Cycle of Studies, 2013

Musical Education Curriculum,

Primary Cycle of Studies, 2003

General Competencies Key Objectives

1. Reception of various songs for

children and of various easy elements

of the musical language

2. Performance of children’s songs

with the proper age-related means

3. Expressing various ideas, feelings

and experiences by means of music

and movement, individually or in a

group

1. Capitalization on the musical

language elements picked up during

classes due to vocal and instrumental

musical practice

2. Expressing oneself through music

22

Specific competencies bring some changes in regard to the key

objectives, firstly at the level of the means of expression these being

relayed through nouns and not verbs in the subjunctive form as

objectives in education are relayed (“reception” / “creation” – “to

distinguish” / “to improvise”). The new curriculum stresses movement,

creation, intuition, conducting, practical applications, these being the

key words which guide the pedagogic approach; the existence of higher

levels of psychic activity involved is emphasised and aimed to by

means of the cognitive objectives (assessment, creation). Some

objectives starred in the old curriculum become compulsory

competencies in the new policy; the focus is now on applying

knowledge in different contexts and not repeating it in typical

situations. They come to emphasise even more the stress on formation,

on “know-how” and not just “know”, on developing the intellectual

abilities and skills meant to ensure a rigorous training through

individual work, self-study and lifelong learning according to each and

every person’s interests; these aspects are also stipulated by the current

reform of the Romanian educational system. The same trend is to be

noted in the case of the Music and Movement curriculum for 3rd and 4th

grade.

The new textbooks published along with the introduction of the

new curricula endorse the contents by providing the proper illustrating

resources. In terms of the primary cycle of studies, children are being

gradually accustomed to the sounds that one may find around him/her,

with vocal and instrumental timbre. Every content is accompanied by

suggestive images and short motivational stories or stories meant to

create an image which is more familiar to the children’s world.

Practical activities for children are suggested such as manufacturing

musical instruments. Pupils are introduced to the realm of the pitch of

23

the sounds and of rhythm by images which indicate the development of

a melody or the accents that need to be pointed out in order to identify

the metre of a song in the period of musical pre-notation; the next step

consists in writing the notes and durations starting with 3rd grade.

The contents are similar to the previous curricula for Musical

Education but the stress is on the practical side, shifting perspective

from understanding and picking up music by focusing on the practical,

visual, auditory (more musical listening, as well as auditory contexts to

consolidate the topics proposed), intuitive side and on associations with

aspects known from the children’s everyday life. The period of musical

pre-notation is extremely important in order to get the child accustomed

to the musical phenomenon at a rhythmical and melodic level and it

implies practical activities of consolidation thorough repeated

associations of the musical elements with the universe of young pupils,

embodied musically by counting, easy songs from children’s

collections, movement, dance.

Starting from this idea and adding the tendencies of the reform of

the Romanian educational system meant to enable education to meet

European standards, the change of the name of the study subject

Musical Education in Music and Movement in primary school is not

casual especially because of the syncretism that exists between the two

concepts. Music, whether sang or played, listened to or composed,

naturally implies an oral character, practical games and good humor,

and the attempt to stress music’s applicative and practical side through

the requirements of the new curriculum contributes to satisfying the

children’s acute needs for movement and for expressing themselves

through music at this age according to their psychological profile.

Worthy of note is the conclusion that music along with dance and

movement represents a dimension that we have to make the best of in

24

children’s life, not only to increase the variety of their daily activities

but also in view of its beneficial effects on their cognitive development.

Starting 2017, the new curriculum for Musical Education for

secondary school was made public; its design complied with the one

illustrated previously, namely the derivation of specific competencies

out of the general ones, this time aimed to throughout the entire

secondary cycle of studies. In its turn, it brings changes in terms of the

learning contents, of the musical strains listened to or of the song

repertoire suggested, these being much closer to the pupils’ interests

and combining classical music with other musical genres, while some

topics are studied only later on (musical intervals in 6th and 5th grade).

The main focus when reorganizing the curriculum has been the

applicability of knowledge, the enrichment of pupils’ practical musical

experiences and the desire to render the contents more accessible; all

these aspects are in the teachers’ reach and imply designing activities

that are appealing and efficient, thus ensuring that musical educational

objectives are met.

In terms of general competencies, we may also find changes

compared to the previous curriculum.

Table no. 2. Comparison between School Curricula 2017-2009

Musical Education Curriculum,

Secondary Cycle of Studies, 2017

Musical Education Curriculum,

Secondary Cycle of Studies , 2009

General Competencies Key Objectives

1. Expressing ideas, feelings, attitudes

by performing various musical works

2. Operating with elements for writing-

reading and musical language

3. Appreciation of musical works,

including their emotional, behavioral

and ideatic content

1. Developing performing skills (vocal

and instrumental)

2. Developing the skill to pick up

music and to grow musical background

3. Knowledge and use of musical

language elements

4. Nurturing sensitivity, imagination

and musical as well as artistic

creativity

25

Due to their alignment to the new curriculum, secondary school

textbooks are more interactive, more vivid and better structured,

providing learning units and their contents, clear guidelines for their

employment (discover, listen to, be creative, apply, review), special

boxes comprising the new information pupils have come across in each

unit. The general and specific competencies aimed to are presented at

the beginning of the textbook as extracted from the curriculum and the

assessment methods for each learning unit are displayed (even the

initial assessment test). Every textbook has its own CD providing the

opportunity to listen to various songs and musical strains, to group and

structure information according to the target criteria, to emphasize

some elements of the musical language through enhanced images or

supplementary information.

As one novel feature of the curriculum, every textbook mirrors

initiation lessons in relation to playing an instrument (the piano, the

guitar, the recorder or other small percussion instruments), a favorable

initiative as it provides the opportunity to immediately apply the newly

acquired theoretical knowledge as well as a better understanding and

consolidation of the musical phenomenon.

Children have always felt the joy of singing or playing an

instrument, and the need for harmonic and rhythmical accompaniment

is embraced by them with great enthusiasm at any age. Their musical

universe may be completed by similar challenges which bring

immediate but also long term satisfaction. They also result in the

development of the melodic, harmonic and rhythmical perception of

music, the desire to master an instrument, the curiosity to explore the

musical timbral universe; these are all coordinates by which the child

manages to approach music, to appreciate it and to enjoy its presence.

26

1.2. Formal-Non-Formal-Informal Musical Training

When talking about education, there is the tendency to associate

it to a school-related environment, therefore limiting its functionality

and impact only to formal compulsory schooling. Educational activity

operates throughout one’s life and it manifests its molding valences in

multiple contexts of activity.

Man is the product of the action of several factors, influences

which transform us toward a specific direction due to our conscious or

unconscious participation in different actions. The individual is not

educated only by the school but also by other social environments.

Coombs and Ahmed, according to C. Cucoş, equated the learning

process with education and identified as early as 1974 three of its types:

formal education, non-formal and informal7. The three types of

education determine the types of formal, non-formal and

informallearning given the fact that the conditions the learning process

is being carried out are different from one context to the other, both in

terms of content and form, as well as in relation to the means by which

it is achieved.

There are numerous definitions of the three concepts in the

literature but they are very well delimited, have clear features with no

debates in regard to the description of the similarities and differences

between them.

In order to highlight the way in which musical training is

achieved in each and every educational context, some aspects need to

me mentioned in order to get the reader accustomed with every

direction.

7Cucoş, Constantin (coord.), Psihopedagogie, Editura Polirom, Iaşi, 1998, p. 34.

27

Formal Education

According to an elaborate pedagogical definition, we may state in

regard to formal education that it is the one that it is carried on within

specialized educational institutions and it is underpinned by a system of

educational actions which benefit from good organization, are

intentional, systematic, and achieved within the educational system and

in accordance with well defined educational outcomes.8 The term

“formal” is used hereby with its official meaning, specific to each

particular country. The results of formal education refer to the contents

that pupils acquire in school. These are organised according to the

children’s age and individual peculiarities; they are to be absorbed

gradually moving on an upward spiral and they correspond to pre-

established objectives.

The defining features of formal education consist in having

clearly stated aims and objectives and in being achieved within an

organised framework. Other characteristics derive hereof, namely the

fact thatit is structured, guided, systematised; it alsoimpliescertain

didactic competencies from the one who is involved in its

achievement9. Effective education implies the existence of teaching

staff trained at specialised level for each subject, as well as from a

methodological and practical-applicative perspective, competencies

that mature over time and give the opportunity to make correlations in

view of pupils’ formation in line with educational aims.

This is the framework in which school education is carried on.

Within this educational context musical training is achieved through

the activities of Music and movement / Musical education provided by

8Ionescu, Miron, Instrucție și educație, Vasile Goldiş University Press, Arad, 2007, p. 52. 9Cucoş, Constantin (coord.), Op. cit., p. 35.

28

the curricula and by enabling the children’s contact with the universe of

the musical sounds once or twice per week. The teaching staff endowed

with solid didactic and specialised training should masterfully

configure lesson plans that encompass the contents required by the

curriculum and that are intended to be achieved in a pleasant,

interactive and appealing fashion to ensure the proper climate for the

absorption of the elements pertaining to the musical language, listening

to musical strains and vocal or instrumental performance.

Beside the curriculum and the various syllabi in order to achieve

formal teaching/learning, the teaching staff employs numerous

materials and learning tools to aid the presentation of the contents

proposed for study. In order to carry on musical activities within

schools, there have to be instruments, song collections, auditory aids,

encyclopedias, music scores, books and varied materials to provide the

contents specific to the musical field, educational music software,

special programmes, smart boards, data projectors, all off which ensure

a more pleasant and efficient approach of the contents.

Another noteworthy feature that distinguishes from the other

forms of education, is that any learning process occurring in school is

to be assessed in different ways, manners and stages10, all of them in

view of ensuring academic performance given the fact that evaluation

implies the application of meliorative methods to help the pupil to

overcome learning setbacks, to come back and resume learning when

the results have not been satisfying. The initial assessment helps the

teacher evaluate the starting level for any psychopedagogic approach

with a new group or a new subject. Ongoing assessment allows for a

quick intervention in order to eliminate learning gaps. Final evaluation

measures the performance level reached at the end of a learning period

10Ibidem.

29

and it determines the nature of the interventions meant to correct the

issues that have been identified.

Assessment in the musical field should consider first and

foremost the benefits that music brings in relation to the growth of a

harmonious personality at all levels: cognitive, affective, volitive-

motivational. In line with these observations, we may talk about the

musical phenomenon as process; it is extremely important for the

psychical processes to be forced and required to think musically on an

ongoing basis; this ensures real intellectual progress, no matter the

moment in which assessment is being carried on. One great advantage

of formal education is to make the pupil aware of the results obtained

in the different moments of assessment of the learning process with the

possibility to come back to some of the contents by means of a

permanent, systematic, objective, formative evaluation of the musical

contents.

On the other hand, the assessment may be embodied by a concert

or show, may materialise itself in an educational outcome thus standing

for a product of the learning process. Both the process and the product

of the musical phenomenon is a real gain provided by musical

education that contributes substantially to the enhancement of overall

school performances, building one’s character, strengthening of

constructive emotions as well as increasing the quality of life.

Formal education features an indispensable function of the

learning system; still, there are some professionals in the educational

field who highlight some of its gaps, namely the tendency to acquire

knowledge to the prejudice of some of its practical applications, the

focus on certain objectives and competencies required by the

curriculum only at theoretical level; thisresults in the predisposition

toward boredom and routine, lack of interest and under-motivation in

30

relation to the learning process11. This is why as far as the musical field

is concerned, it is very important to practice it to the prejudice of over

theorising therefore ensuring the proper climate for learning in general

and for enjoying the process of making music.

Non-formal Education

The type of education that is not formal, namely non-formal

education, refers to relatively organised educational activities carried

on outside of the learning system; they are intentional and systematic,

i.e. extracurricular activities. Still, they do not have a clear educational

goal being carried on by certain clubs organised in relation to certain

fields of interest, artistic or sports associations, camps, state-owned

children’s clubs12. The term non-formal stresses the fact that the

aforementioned activities are carried on in other contexts than at

school, the effects of this type of education being formative. The

contexts referred to are those specific perimeters in which the child or

the adult may complete their education according to their interests,

preferences, predispositions after school or kindergarten hours or

activities at the work place. The features of this type of education are:

diversity, mobility, stronger and active engagement of the participants.

MironIonescu talks about the existence of two types of activities

involved in non-formal education, namely: peri-scholar (classes similar

to the ones carried on within formal education) and para-scholar

activities (organised outdoors or in other institutions)13.

In regard to the first category of activities and the years of

schooling we can state that lately most parents with average economic-

social-cultural status are interested to enrol their children to different

11Sas, Cecilia, Op. cit., p. 153. 12Ionescu, Miron, Op. cit., p. 52. 13Ibidem.

31

activities outside the school noticing the benefits these educational

contexts bring. The subjects in demand are: classes in view of learning

to play an instrument (the piano, the guitar, the violin, the recorder),

classical or traditional music singing, pop music, choir, dance (modern,

social, tradition dances, cheerleading), sports activities (tennis, football,

volleyball, basketball, handball, athelitcs, karate, taekwondo,

swimming), foreign language classes, visual arts and chess clubs. In

this way numerous children’s areas of interests are covered through an

extremely rich educational palette of activities they take part in

according to their aptitudinal level and their preferences.

All the activities encompassed by non-formal education are

carried on by specialised teachers. The core feature of these educational

programmes is their flexible, appealing and preferential character

compared to the compulsory ones achieved within the training-

educational process carried on in school. When it comes to musical

education classes or classes in view of learning to play an instrument,

the teacher is bound to comply with the curriculum; through non-

formal education they may tailor better the learning situations that are

strictly connected to the group or individual peculiarities involved.

Para-scholar activities, another way to achieve non-formal

education, materialise themselves in attending concerts, visiting

museums, going outdoors in botanical gardens, at the zoo, visiting

institutions. Changing the educational context leads to the elimination

of monotony and routine. The more factors are involved in learning

through direct interaction with the surrounding environment, the more

long-lasting and efficient the learning outcomes, directly proportional

to the joy of direct experimentation without feeling the weight of

intellectual effort. Listening to musical pieces in a concert hall creates

by default the premises for a special atmosphere generating powerful

32

artistic emotions. Seeing musical instruments live, as well as soloists

and special settings (e.g. opera props), the child has a comprehensive

understanding of music, of the numerous finalities of study hours,

whether from the perspective of the amateur audience or the one of the

rising artist.

Activities carried on in such circumstances have the role to

broaden the children’s horizon, are based on their aptitudes and

preferences and have an optional character; they involve children

directly in the planning, structuring and unfolding of these activities; a

particular feature emerges: the lack of grades as embodiment of the

assessment process (the risk not to nurture the lack of value or a

precarious cultural background implied by the absence of the structured

evaluative approach of non-formal education is to be avoided).

Pedagogues state that, being less rigid than formal education, non-

formal education provides more freedom of action capitalizing on a

differentiated and personalised pedagogical approach14.

The two forms of education, formal and non-formal, implying

different learning contexts, have to complete one another, to be

complementary in terms of content and means of achievement, both

leading to the attainment of core intellectual and practical capacities

under the direct guidance of the specialised teaching staff. Both musical

education classes and classes in view of learning to play an instrument,

along with attending concerts or giving one’s own recitals have a

crucial contribution to the formation of a balanced personality.

Informal Education

Heterogeneous influences which leave their mark on us in a

spontaneous manner, deprived of clear intentionality, undifferentiated

14Ionescu, Miron, Op. cit., p. 53.

33

and non-systematic throughout our lives, achieve informal education

processes. They derive from the daily activities that ensure the contact

with other people from the social, cultural and economic environment

and by which the individual absorbs acquisitions directly, i.e. he/she

does not deliberately aims to the achievement of educational

objectives.15

Informal education stands for the highest percentage of time

and of extensive influence on the different elements of human nature. It

is carried on outside the institutional, organised framework and it

comes from the individual’s environment, from the family and

community climate configuring one’s autonomous acquisitions. In this

context, each individual internalises new values, absorbs knowledge,

socio-cultural models filtered in one’s own way, adopts attitudes that

will enrich the profile of their personality.

One of the dangers that may emerge in the sphere of learning

within the framework of informal education is the influence of the

media (written press, TV, radio, internet, computer networks). It may

beneficial if embodied by educational software aiming to certain topics

of interest for the child / individual, but also destructive due to the

negative or aggressive impact of various TV shows or situations one is

exposed to having effects that are unwished for (flawed formation of

one’s character, verbal or physical violent manifestations, depreciation

of values).

An important role is played by education received from one’s

parents in regard to the cultural values of life. The child, being in the

process of forming a character therefore not always being able to

choose between good and bad, needs to be controlled and deprived of

certain negative actions that come from the outside and which are not

15Ibidem.

34

proper to their formation. At musical level, the family may contribute

to the creation of a sound environment proper to the child’s age and

formation providing access to different but valuable musical genres. So

that, later on, the child will be able to select and promote high quality

music also influenced by the social environment.

Capitalized on judiciously, all elements encompassed by formal

education, family, different social groups, the media, the community,

the society may have positive or negative effects on the human being,

may contribute memorably (with some help) to fulfilling the children’s

cultural and experience background, as they represent the adults of the

future.

Formal education, corresponding to 15 to 20 years of one’s life, is

completed by non-formal education, both types being grounded in daily

influences; therefore informal educationguides the activity toward self-

education and self-study.

The interdependency of the three forms of education in the

process of the formation of human personality is unquestionable. The

important fact is to extract from this complementarity the positive

features of each type of education in view of achieving optimal learning

outcomes that may ensure the development of a personality strongly

anchored in individual progress as well as in the progress of the entire

society. There are no boundaries between the three forms of carrying

on educational processes, as they are cooperating incessantly and are

tied by a universal bond.

35

CHAPTER II

Instances of Employing Musical

Elements for Learning Enhancement

36

37

2.1. Song and sung voice

All connections that allow the human being an efficient

communication with their peers take place in the brain. The human

mental system involving cognitive, affective, motivational processes

along with a good physiological functioning of analyzers, ensures the

consolidation of interpersonal human relations, optimal integration of

the individual in society based on communication; this results in the

necessity and importance of the development of high communication

skills.

As superior competence of the human being, the voice allows

them an enhanced relation with their peers which distinguishes them

from other living creatures. Animals too are endowed with voice but

they use it in view of and empirical and external gathering of

information, not as rich in the use of articulated sounds.

Sounds may be analysed from different perspectives, namely

from the point of view of their production, propagation, relaying or

recording, or of the analysis of the quality of the sounds; numerous

scientific fields investigate them: music, physics, the medical field,

neurophysiology, psychology. Not all sounds may be perceived by the

human being; in order to do so they have to fulfil certain requirements.

Four of these, namely pitch, duration, intensity, timbre, are the main

directions approached by musicians also from the point of view of the

musical sound, being analysed from an early age within children’s

musical education framework.

Hearing and voice are inseparable in establishing interpersonal

relationships and people use them to convey and receive information.

Transposed in the phenomenon of speaking (or shouting, laughing,

crying) and in song, sounds result from the specialization of a complex

38

neuro-auditory-phonetic system16.Following the principle of stimulus-

reply, the human being utilises numerous analysers which ensure

feedback in relation with external stimuli for a better adaptation to the

surrounding environment.

The ear is one of them being specialised in relation to the

reception of the frequencies and vibrations of sounds that render

communication possible. The hearing and the phonetic apparatus are

the directions that ensure musical communication, their development

being directly proportional to its quality and efficiency. Analysed from

a psychological perspective, interpreted as sensation, hearing is based

on the three parts of the ear – external, middle and inner – and the

segment responsible for sound identification due to the existence of

auditory sensorial cells is the the cochlea of the inner ear. Through

these cells, acoustic information reaches the cortex, the acoustic-

vestibular nerve, therefore preparing the reply at the level of the central

nervous system.17

Research conducted in the field demonstrates that, at birth, the

auditory analyser has a well developed anatomical structure which

allows for the reception of auditory stimuli, resulting in a certain

predisposition in regard to the perception and learning of music from

an early age.

In the complementary relationship hearing-voice, the ear is the

analyser which allows the perception of sounds in general while the

voice is the first means that we always have at our disposal for

producing them, especially when it comes to musical sounds. Liviu

Comes, in his book where he describes the way in which children’s

16Comes, Liviu, Azi, Grivei e mânios, Editura Arpeggione, Cluj-Napoca, 2002,p.7. 17Cosmovici, Andrei, Psihologie generală, Editura Polirom, Iaşi, 2005, p. 101.

39

musical education is achievedthorough song18, he also presents this

auditory-neuro-phonetic system emphasising its complexity as well as

the existence of various special aptitudes indispensable when it comes

to the differentiation of pitch and duration of sounds, of the relations

that exist between them, of the ability to produce sounds of different

qualities (intensity, duration, pitch). The emission of sounds with

different degrees of pitch by the phonetic apparatus through its own

mechanisms has to be achieved in full concordance with the

information provided by the auditory organ, all directions (phonetics,

listening) taking place under the command of the central nervous

system (NSC) by multiple connections imposed by the relation between

stimulus-reply.19

As main mediator in the emission of music, the voice turns to an

ensemble of components such as: the respiratory organs, the vocal

cords, the mouth and nasal resonating cavities, a relation of

interdependency being established between them and acting as a

unitary whole.20

Starting as early as from the intrauterine period, the child is

exposed to vocal sounds, especially the mother’s voice, spoken or sung,

due to the resonance produced by the body, but also to other voices.

This is why, later on, the mother’s lullaby calms down the baby more

than anything else because of the familiarity in regard to those

sonorities (the mother’s vocal timbre, her singing).

As far as the child’s voice is concerned, worthy of note is the fact

that it has to be nurtured over time; it emerges as a given genetic

18Comes, Liviu, Op.cit, p. 7. 19Ibidem. 20Munteanu, Gabriela, Aldea, Georgeta, Didactica educaţiei muzicale în învăţământul primar,

Editura Didactică şi Pedagogică, Bucureşti, 2001, p. 60.

40

feature that every individual has at their disposal in a latent form21, but

in order for it to develop and to become the ability to sing it is

necessary to take part in a continuous and systematic musical education

process carried on by specialised teachers.

The song provides the opportunity to mould and develop the

voice and the interest in singing which exists since early childhood as

children sing joyfully at the playground, when hiking, every time they

need to express joy. They also sing in educational institutions,

kindergarten, school, in an organised framework with people trained in

this regard, namely the music teacher, the primary school or

kindergarten teacher. Noteworthy the fact that the activity to sing

creates an atmosphere full of sensitivity and good humour and children

join in with great interest and joy; numerous educational objectives

related to musical education (starting from the simple song, the musical

game based on song up to introducing children in poliphony) may be

met with by benefiting from the aforementioned atmosphere and

putting to good use the teacher’s mastery and the proper tools.

Maurice Chevais, musician and inspector within the French

educational system recommends that the interest in educating the

hearing to start at an early age22. Musicality, a complex concept

explained by Liviu Comes as natural quality23, inborn endowment, can

manifest itself very early in children who are more gifted in terms of

their musical aptitudes, children who are exposed to music within the

family, or it may exist in a latent state waiting to surface only in group

singing when specialised musical education starts.24

21Comes, Liviu, Op. cit., p. 7. 22Munteanu, Gabriela, Aldea, Georgeta, Op. cit., p.59. 23Comes, Liviu, Op. cit., p. 7-9. 24Ibidem.

41

The degree of musicality, due to one’s personal predispositions at

birth and provided by the individual genetic code, differs from one

person to the other; this is why communities are heterogeneous from a

musical point of view and teachers have to notice, to be aware of this

and to encourage the musical development of the less gifted pupils

based on the conclusions reached by research in the field of pedagogy

and musical psychology according to which each individual is endowed

with musical aptitudes. Carl Orff himself, as a result of numerous

musical activities with mediocre or less gifted children, used to say that

each and every one of them is fit for music being able to make

progress; one only has to find the peculiar and most efficient way in

this regard.25

The child’s voice has a unique and unmistakable timbre, with its

own physiology; this is why it is not to be mistaken for a woman’s

voice. The vocal range starts from the fifth re 1 – la 1 and extends itself

gradually along the children’s physiological and psychological

development, most of the songs dedicated to or performed by children

being written in registers which start from here. The prevalent tonalities

are C major, D major, F major, sometimes the minor scales from this

tonal area being present. Later on, while studying music and practising

the use of the voice, the children’s vocal range increases. There are

voices, especially girls’ voices, which surpass the limits suggested by

Jean Lupu (1988), as there are voices which do not reach them easily

from the beginning and require perseverance in order for vocal

education to reach the normal parameters.

Singing may occur individually or in a group resulting in a

rudimentary choir. Each variant is beneficial to the child’s musical

25Toma-Zoicaş, Ligia, “Principii - probleme ale unui sistem de educaţie muzicală” în Cristina

Maria Sîrbu, “Carl Orff -viaţa şi opera”, p.230.

42

development. Individual performance allows both the performer and

the audience to form a better representation of the emission as there is a

direct control from the singer by displaying their own qualities or

correcting some of the imperfections. Individual singing has a strong

impact on emotional development; not every child is willing to assert

himself/herself by singing solo. Some of them, due to their shyness or

lack of high-level musical aptitudes refuse to sing individually but do

not encounter any problems in singing the songs when in a group. For

others, individual singing provides the artistic framework to assert

themselves, especially if it is endorsed by inborn talent and a well-

trained voice.

Group singing implies the existence of various qualities that are

formed over time as voice homogeneity. Singing in equal voices,

children have to learn that every voice has its own peculiarities starting

from timbre – specific feature to each and every one of us - , finding

the proper dose of intensity, regulation of breathing while singing, the

right pronunciation during singing (different from the spoken one),

vowel emission going towards an educated one. All of the above leave

a mark on the collective sound which has to be glued together, formed

with stress on homogeneity in order to achieve interpretative flexibility,

accuracy, vocal elasticity.

In regard to songs arranged for different vocal parts, they

contribute to the development of harmonic hearing and they imply the

existence of special singing competencies as the ability to sing and

keep one’s voice simultaneously with the unfolding of the others, as

well as keeping the tempo that ensures an aesthetic performance, also

paying attention to the conductor in order to answer to the requirements

suggested by his/her gestures. The introduction to polyphony has to be

43

thoroughly prepared starting from the harmonic underpinnings, namely

the canon.

Liviu Comes describes a particular method that he makes

available for teachers involved in children’s musical education;

therefore, he introduces them to polyphony by means of a game,

different mixing procedures, recombination of the strains of various

songs, ornamenting the songs which are later on given to the same

vocal part or to a different one, thus accomplishing an imaginary

polyphony and then a real one in the act of performing26. For an

evolution in the direction proposed by the author, one has to start with

songs arranged for just one vocal part; one has to absorb thoroughly

this phenomenon starting from a primitive polyphony that exists in the

musical tradition of several people: ornaments, prolonged sounds,

imitations27. When children are able to perform correctly a song

arranged for one vocal part but with different variants of performance

(soloist-group, one verse sung aloud while the other mentally, girls-

boys), it is possible to go to the next level, i.e. real polyphony by

distributing its strains to two vocal parts.

The passage to polyphonic singing represents a reasonably

difficult step and this is why it has to be done delicately in order not to

push the children away from music given the difficulties that may

emerge in performance.

The nurturing of children’s voice aims to form certain qualities

such as: precision of intonation, flexibility, personal timbre, the right,

natural emission through the resonance of all the cavities, regulation of

breathing while singing, compliance with musical phrases, knowledge

regarding the right intensity dosage, clear pronunciation. All these

26Comes, Liviu, Op.cit., p. 33. 27Comes, Liviu, Lumea polifoniei, Editura Muzicală, Bucureşti, 1965, p. 76.

44

become the objectives of the teacher who is concerned about children’s

musical education. Due to desire, passion and consistent effort, to

choosing the appropriate song repertoire, the employment of modern

means therefore achieving an update in terms of the new technologies

used in teaching-learning new contents, but especially due to reaching

common frequencies, vibrations embodied by a good horizontal as well

as vertical relationship, children’s musical activities may be able to lure

them into this fascinating universe thus creating a pleasant work

environment that may lead to high level performances and to the

absorption of certain values for life.

Following various constructive conversations with teachers of

Musical Education and English (those who study it as a

foreignlanguage) the conclusion reached was that this inexhaustible and

very diversified resource in terms of form or content – song, musical

game based on song – increases the interest in class, because of joy to

sing, develops communication skills, optimizes linguistic acquisitions

while producing endless pleasure to the person involved in this kind of

activities.

The power of the song allows for the formulation of an

unanimous conclusion, namely the one that transforms it in learning

content, means for achieving musical education and inexhaustible

resource. The song is capitalised on as content when one learns it for its

beauty, for its aesthetic value. It is a means when the teacher turns to it

in order to introduce new elements of the musical language (notes,

duration, musical intensity, musical metre, tempo). As resource, songs

are an inexhaustible source of inspiration and good humour, of creating

a pleasant work environment and they are in everyone's reach.

45

2.2. The Instrument – Convergence Point of General Artistic

Education and Interpretative Performance

Studying an instrument is a great pleasure for those who practice

music constantly. Regardless of the skills that an interpreter has, the

study for one’s own pleasure, intellectual and sensitivity development

on the one hand and interpretive performance on the other, playing

music through personal involvement offers more satisfactions than just

listening to it in concert halls or with various electronic devices.

The musical instrument offers the possibility of choosing,

depending on the musical genetic code, between general artistic

education and interpretative performance. Anyone can easily handle

simple percussion instruments (small drum, maracas, triangle,

tambourine, claves), which involve a more rhythmic support of a song,

but one can choose, depending on their musical skills and motivation,

to study a more complex instrument (piano, violin, clarinet); in this

situation they will have to practice more in order to achieve good

interpretation, phrasing, technique, but also to acquire knowledge of

musical theory.

Instrumental music has several formative valences; hence,

listening to instrumental music is first and foremost a challenge to

listen to music and then totella story related to what is being listened to.

In this sense, but this time from the performer’s perspective, playing an

instrument provides the opportunity to tell a story without words. Both

situations require the use of the right part of the brain at full capacity,

which demands, exercises, and develops creativity, but it activates the

whole intellect due to the neuroplasticity of the brain (especially while

individual development is still in progress). This is generallythe

46

purpose of arts, music, painting, dance, theater, to be a real holistic

representation or vision in terms of the capacity to boost intelligence.28

For example, by playing the piano as an accessible early

instrument for study, brings many benefits for the learning process, by

developing levels that contribute to the creation of optimal conditions

for various acquisitions. The peculiarities regarding the study of the

piano, the fact that it is interpreted simultaneously in two keys, usually

the floor key for the right hand and the key for the left hand, in two

distinct systems of notation, vertical singing, requires logical-

mathematical thinking, a good perception and representation, the

development of two communication languages, stimulates memory,

imagination and creativity (in the desire to make their own

compositions), activates motivation and increases the capacity for

attention as well as multi-tasking activities.

The child learns the concepts of patience and perseverance, learns

that only with a lot of practicing someone can achieve the desired

results. The piano position, using fingers, allows the development of

fine motor skills, small hand muscles, and the precision of finger

movement will be used at school, during writing processes or other

skills. Musical hearing evolves, and it becomes an advantage in

learning the mother tongue or a foreign language due to a better

perception of the sounds; therefore it offers the possibility of a more

accurate pronunciation.

In terms of obtaining musical performance, the sooner the child

starts practicing the instrument, initially as a game, the more beneficial

it is for further development. Of course, the time allocated to practice is

required to be much longer than others who sing at a mediocre level for

28Importanța muzicii în viața ta, http://www.pianoaround.com/the-importance-of-music-in-

your-life/

47

their pleasure and those around them. Thus, the psychic processes are

more advanced in the case of children who reach interpretive

performance due to the musical experiences lived in childhood, which

become indispensable. Blum,29in a recent study, provides information

about the possibility to listen to music before birth; this will have

obvious positive and clear effects in later perceptual and motor

development. The sensations and perceptions have a higher level of

development, which favors the formation of deeper musical

representations therefore allowing a faster approach of the score, both

in terms of reading the notes and instrumental music technique.

Special musical skills are required to achieve superior

interpretive performance. Gardner's multiple intelligences theory

confirms that musical skills are an organic part of the intellectual

structure of the human being, in a latent form, and those will be

developed and transformed into musical performances depending on

internal as well as external factors.30Included in the category of internal

factors there is the genetic code that we have (the innate talent) and the

second class refers to the environment that can influence musical

formation. An eternal controversy arises regarding the innate or

assimilated character of musical talent. A satisfying explanation could

be that through sustained work and commitment we can achieve higher

musical performances starting from the musical skills that we are

endowed with, being early stimulated in listening/hearing and exposed

to numerous musical contexts.

No matter the way in which we decide to address the study of a

musical instrument, affective and effective participation to the process

29Blum, Thomas, Human proto-development: Very early auditory stimulatio, în „International

Journal Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Medicine”, vol. 10, 1998, p. 447-466. 30Howe, M.J, Davidson, A, Sloboda J.A, Innate talent: Reality or myth?, în „Behavioral and

Brain Sciences”, vol. 21, 1998, p. 399-442.

48

of creating or performing music is very important. This aspect can be

masterfully endorsed by teachers by creating the proper musical

educational contexts in order to stimulatethe involvement in the

magical universe of music from a perceptive, auditory, visual

perspective. Children have to be trained and educated to listen to the

sounds around them, to distinguish between them from a timbral point

of view, to enjoy listening to a musical instrument, to savour the rests

between sounds, all of which contributing to the development of

auditory acuity meant to form future musicians.

2.3. Eurhythmy, sine-qua-non Condition in

Musical Education

Of Greek origin (eu “good” and rithmos “rhythm”), the concept

of eurhythmy describes a happy and proportionate structuring of the

parts forming a whole31 exhorting artistic beauty, symmetry and a true

symphony of the elements. Ever since ancient times, there has always

been a clear artistic concern towards the beautiful which involves

harmony, proportionality, coherence as an expression of physical,

artistic, psychological and spiritual development.

Rhythm, acting as one of the component parts of the concept of

eurhythmy, from the form of the word up to its content, has been

defined and extensively studied by professionals pertaining to different

fields of expertise. Professor PhD ConstantinRîpă, in his course on

Higher Music Theory,32 where he approaches Rhythm), analyses and

identifies the concept of rhythm (based on the Greek origin of the word

31Vancea, Zeno (coord.), Dicţionar de termeni muzicali, Editura Ştiinţifică şi Enciclopedică,

Bucureşti, 1984. 32Rîpă, Constantin, Teoria superioară a Muzicii-Ritmul. vol. II, Editura MediaMusica, Cluj-

Napoca, 2002, p. 8.

49

reo which designates a flow) with movement as process or succession,

all unfolding simultaneously, pointing out two of its definitions, at a

macro as well as microstructural level.

In relation to the first category, rhythm emerges as perception

of all the components of a whole which is in movement. Transferred to

the musical field, rhythm refers to the overall process of movement,

encompassing the musical parameters (duration, pitch, tempo, dynamic,

timbre, harmony) in their overt complexity. At a microstructural level,

rhythm is reduced to durations which presuppose the setting over time

of different relations of the musical unfolding.33

Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), Austrian scientist (founder of a

new type of science – spiritual, anthroposophic, emerging in the late

20th century), artist and philosopher, highlights in his theories the

existence of three types of eurhythmy: pedagogic, artistic and

therapeutic34. His underlying concern is spirituality, the soul, their

natural development as centre of the human universe from which all his

pedagogical principles derive. Steiner is the founder of the Waldorf

pedagogy, an alternative in education grounded in norms which aim to

a harmonious physical development, better understanding of the other,

amplifying the power of will by means of solid motivation, reinforcing

inner sensitivity, all functioning under the umbrella of spirituality and

utter balance35.

Eurhythmy emerges as individual study discipline within

Waldorf education,36 with clearly outlined objectives stated according

33Ibidem. 34Albulescu, Ion, Pedagogii alternative, Editura All, Bucureşti, 2014, p. 102. 35Ibidem. 36Waldorf School – School initiated by the aforementioned Austrian pedagogue; the

denomination given after the name of the owner of a cigarette factory from Stuttgart who

wanted to open a school for the children of his employees. The pedagogical ideas from Waldorf

50

to the natural evolution of the child, their spirit having as generating

nucleus the rhythm with all its implications. Having rhythm as its

starting point, Waldorf philosophy sets a healthy alternation in the

teaching-learning process, an alternation between movement and

relaxation activities, between the means of accomplishment based on

listening and one’s own involvement, between individual and frontal

forms of organisation, ensuring a varied trajectory of the child towards

a harmonious education37.

Eurhythmyhas existed since Ancient times, but the 20th century

revived this concept, refashioned its appearance as Professor

NelidaNedelcuţ, PhD states. The author mentions the fact that

eurhythmia as contemporary method in education as well as form of

art, endorses the interdependency of three core dimensions –

movement, rhythm and sound – which remind us of the Greek

syncretism38.

Eurhythmy is the underlying principle of different methods for

musical education, the most obvious ones being endorsed by musicians

such as Dalcroze, Orff, greatly concerned with the musical

development of children in a manner as natural as possible, close to

their interests, appealing to a set of game-based activities. The benefits

of this educational model are obvious and are to be found in the

intellectual, emotional, artistic as well as psycho-motric development

of children. In the musical field, eurhythmy manages to develop, in a

complex environment and in the most pleasant way, the children’s

schools have eurhythmy as their constituent element and they are wide spread within the

educational systems of many schools from all over the world. 37Albulescu, Ion, Op.cit., p. 103. 38Nedelcuţ, Nelida, Euritmia, model contemporan de interconexiune între mişcare, ritm şi sune

, in revista Palestica Mileniului III, civilizaţie şi sport, March 2009 Vol. X, Nr. 1(35), Cluj-

Napoca, p. 40-42.

51

music instinct, their musical sensitivity, the ability to form perceptive

images to determine them to comprehend and live the music they are

listening toto the fullest. The children’s immersion in music takes place

gradually, complying with the peculiarities and needs of their age and

the body enables them to transpose it physically, to compose it, to

improvise.

Starting from Rudolf Steiner’s contributions, JaquesDalcroze

and Carl Orff have resourcefully joint musical sound and auditory

images with the visual ones, accomplishing a unique melange of artistic

forms by transposing the sonorities in the sphere of gestures, therefore

amplifying the expressive power of the sounds involved in speech or

songs39. The juxtaposition of the two directions sustains the joy of the

experiment, its uniqueness, the child being in the centre of the action; it

also explains problematic situations, it gets involved in a plenary

manner which results in the development of reasoning, it creates, it

forms new abilities for artistic expression. Music, a language with

complicated theoretical concepts, is more often than not abstract, but by

involving more analysers requested for its production by means of

varied techniques and methods, characteristic to the artistic forms

employed, these elements are organically assimilated, intuitively,

through movement and with a lot of creativity and imagination.

The institutions spread all over the world which turn to

eurhythmy in view of a plenary formation of the human personality at

any age, exploit in this regard an evolution in which games are mixed

with rules, freedom is associated with rigour and improvisation and

creative thinking are joint together towards a prolific artistic horizon40.

39Ibidem. 40Nedelcuţ, Nelida, Op.cit., p. 40-42.

52

Present in our life in different aspects and to different extents,

eurhythmy expresses the harmony existent between sounds, lines,

movement, as well as the systematic functioning of a rhythmical

organic activity41. This definition leads us towards the artistic field

(music, visual arts, dance) but also towards the medical field. In art it

emerges as the happy encounter of sounds within the melody, the

proportion of the lines in a piece of visual art work, the harmony of

dance movements, while the regularity of the pulse is a concern of the

medical field. Seen from the perspective of musical education, the two

directions characterise the activities carried on with the children,

embodied on the one hand by lessons based on songs accompanied by

movements, dance; on the other hand, by the ones based on rhythmical

poems and songs underpinned by pseudo-instruments, beats achieved

by means of the body or small percussion instruments. All of the above

point out the presence of eurythmia in children’smusical life by means

of a holistic approach of musical education and appealing to several

different artistic fields such as dance, poetry, graphics thus stressing the

fundamental principle of syncretism. The practice of music therefore

ensures, throughout one’s life, an inexhaustible source of harmony,

emotion, creativity and joy in the purest form.

2.4. The musical game

By playing, the child assimilates the intellectual realities that

otherwise remain external to their intelligence (Jean Piaget)

41Vancea, Zeno (coord.), Dicţionarul Explicativ al Limbii Române, Editura Univers

Enciclopedic Gold, Bucureşti, 2012.

53

From a scientific perspective, the game started to be studied in

the early 20th century though, ever since Ancient times scholars have

mentioned its positive, formative and informative valences. One

famous figure who considered the game as fundamental and core

feature of one’s existence on Earth was Johan Huizinga, a Dutch

historian, teacher and essayist who emphasized the importance of the

homo ludens dimension next to homo sapiens and homo faber42. In his

view, the game is the main forming element in human culture, being

defined by the author due to the functions that it holds: discharging

excessive energy or relaxing after tension.

The essence of the game resides in the process of reflexion and

metamorphosis by means of imagining the concrete, a phenomenon by

which the child enters a complex reality whom he/she gets accustomed

to gradually43. Along this rigorous itinerary, one may notice the

presence of factors that are configured in certain contradictions. The

game unfolds continuously therefore developing the child’s personality

by designing and finding solutions to the contradictions that may be

between:44

the child’s level in regard to maturing skills and his / her

intention to comply with the purpose of the objects;

the child’s intention to imitate the life of adults and his / her

much more limited possibilities;

aspirations and skills available to meet them;

the child’s freedom of action and the need to comply with the

rules of the game;

imitation – creativity;

42Huizinga, Johan, Homo ludens, Editura Humanitas, Bucureşti, 2012, p. 35. 43Ilica, Anton, Psihopedagogie, teoria şi metodologia jocului didactic, Educaţia-plus, Nr. 4,

Editura UAV, Arad, 2006, p. 111-112. 44Ibidem.

54

the anchorage of the game in reality and the mental dimension.

By comparison with the animal kingdom, Huizinga extracts several

core features of the game easy to be extrapolated in regard to human

culture. Thus, the game implies the need for an invitation, a certain

ritual with specific gestures, there is a set of rules that all the

participants have to comply with; every player has a specific attitude –

some being serious or even mean – and, maybe the most important

aspect, it brings a lot of pleasure and enjoyment, noticeable from the

outside45.

Throughout his / her life, the human being carries on numerous types of

activities46 and psychologists state that to each stage there is a

correspondence in a prevalent activity, as follows:

- the game during childhood;

- the process of learning during school years;

- work and creation as adults.

Between the four forms resulted from human interests along the

ontogenetic development there are not strict limits, they are naturally

interwoven; therefore children play mainly in their preschool period

and learn mainly during their school years; in the meantime the

preschool pupil matures cognitive knowledge by playing just like the

game represents a much more efficient and pleasant way for the young

pupil to absorb knowledge, being the tie that eases the passage from

kindergarten to school. The new structure of the Romanian educational

system consisting of various grades allows for numerous playful

activities during the infant class, so that the evolution of the child takes

place naturally according to the individual’s psycho-physiological-

somatic development.

45Huizinga, Johan, Op.cit., p. 39. 46Popescu-Neveanu, Paul, Creţu, Tinca, Zlate, Mielu, Psihologie-Manual pentru clasa a X-a

şcoli normale şi licee, Editura Didactică şi Pedagogică, Bucureşti, 1996, p. 103-104.

55

The didactic game emerges as a rigorous version with clear teaching

objectives, used in class in order to render the process of maturing

knowledgemore efficient. It plays a plurivalent role and it develops

several facets of personality starting with the intellect (reasoning,

imagination, language, memory) and reaching other dimensions such as

the affective, motivational and volitional ones.

The didactic game emerges in two instances: as teaching method as

well as form of organization of the training-educational activity. No

matter the situation, it weaves together in a harmonious unity the tasks

that are characteristic to the game along with the objectives of the

learning process; it is undoubtedly the most efficient means in view of

consolidating knowledge, skills, practical and intellectual abilities,

maturing competencies, attitudes and values that will influence the

behaviors of the future adults.

In the past decades, research conducted in education emphasized the

significant importance of the active-participative methods which appeal

to creativity, imagination as well as the employment of didactic

strategies founded on the independent practical-applicative spirit of the

learner. As teaching method, the didactic game encompasses all the

aforementioned qualities; this approach becomes extremely efficient

when used masterfully, wittingly and skillfully by the teacher according

to the aims to be met with, the topic, the individual peculiarities and

age, the necessary materials at their disposal and the conditions in

which the teaching process is carried on.

As a complex forming and informing activity within the training-

educational process, stimulating and developing creativity and

therefore resulting in a boost of the pupils’ performances, the didactic

game implies an intricate structure based on the existence of various

components: scope, didactic task, elements as constituent parts of the

56

game, specific content, didactic resources employed, rules of the game

ensuring transparency and coherence47.

The musical game has considerable weight and plays an important role

in children’s musical education. For its better understanding two of its

instances are worthy of note: as teaching method alongside other

traditional and modern methods, but also as form of accomplishing the

didactic activity. Both options of its employment bring numerous

benefits to managing children’s musical education process, especially

in the case of the young ones for whom the game as activity takes up a

large part of their time throughout the day.

Due to the complexity of the configurations that it displays, the musical

game is classified according to various criteria. When associated with

different musical elements having a didactic function, it may emerge

as:48

- game accompanied by song (based on song);

- listening-based game (based on listening to a musical piece);

- game-type exercise (based on exercise).

The existence of one of these components, used by complying with the

specificity of the children’s age and having clearly delineated

objectives, turns the mere musical game into a musical didactic game

by taking the steps characteristic of the game: introduction of the game,

presentation of the resources, demonstration, trial execution followed

by children’s execution; it thencontinues with gradually rendering it

more difficult.

There are Romanian professionals who have analysed the musical game

from different perspectives showing high interest in this regard and

47Romănescu, Camelia, Jocul didactic în învăţământul primar, Editura Cadrelor Didactice,

Bacău, 2012, p. 12. 48Munteanu, Gabriela, Aldea, Georgeta, Didactica educaţiei muzicale în învăţământul primar,

Editura Didactică şi Pedagogică, Bucureşti, 2001, p. 33.

57

therefore emphasising once more the impact of the game on the child’s

musical life. They tried to describe the proper contexts for using the

games and to provide methodological instructions sustained by solid

experience-based arguments to endorse their unfolding. Some of them

are George Breazul, Liviu Comes, AurelIvăşcanu, GabrielaMunteanu.

The afore mentioned scholars promote the major role that the game

plays in achieving didactic musical goals; theystress that this activity

covers a wide range of topics pertaining to the musical field but even

more so, it facilitates the evolution of different latent competencies49

aiming to the musical hearing (the sensitivity of the perceptions and of

auditory representations), intonation (voice inflexions, the right

intervals, the hearing-nervous system-vocal emission circuit),

rhythmical instinct (the right execution of various rhythmical

formulas), coordination of the movements with the melody.

Talking about musicality50, Liviu Comes mentions two of its consistent

components: natural endowment (overt musicality) and competencies,

skills gained by taking part in the proper musical contexts, within the

family or at school (latent musicality). Research conducted by the

author in pre-school and primary school contexts within groups of

pupils who benefit from the organization of an ongoing musical activity

(preferably carried on by specialized teachers) has demonstrated that

this climate provides and ensures the proper environment for

development in view of an enhancement of the musicality deficit for all

the participants51. The explanation resides in the fact that, in most of

the cases, musicality is latent, it exists somewhere, hidden; all one

needs to do is to create the proper framework for it to manifest itself,

the ideal means being the musical game. This is the role of the music

49Comes, Liviu, Op.cit., p. 7. 50Comes, Liviu, Op.cit., p. 9. 51Ibidem.

58

teacher, the kindergarten or primary teacher, namely to ensure the

necessary climate for such a development, aspect unconditionally

connected to didactic expertise, to the desire to find the most pleasant

and efficient ways to derive satisfaction from in view of a complex

development of the child’s personality.

Interested in Romanian musical education, VasileVasile

synthesizes a classification of the game by gathering together data from

various scholars in the musical field based on the main goal set for the

activity:52

1. Didactic musical games meant to form specific skills and

competencies:

- Melodic games

- Rhythmical games

- Games in view of timbral dissociation (vocal and intrumental)

- Games in view of absorbing the expressive means (nuances,

tempo)

2. Games for stimulating creativity and imagination:

- Games to design the form of a song

- Games meant to join melody to non-musical elements

(movement, image)

3. Games meant to make children socialize through music:

- Team building games

- Games to overcome shyness

- Games in order to form adherence to a common goal.

These musical games are joined by creativity games or show-like

games53 as means for achieving musical education with older adults as

52Vasile, Vasile, Metodica educaţiei muzicale, Editura muzicală, Bucureşti, 2004, p. 203. 53Ilea, Anca, Stoica, Magdalena, Petre, Beatrice, Muzică.Metodica pentru clasa a IX-a, Şcoli

Normale, Editura Didactică şi Pedagogică, Bucureşti, 1992, p.45.

59

they require the acquisition of complex theoretical concepts and rich

practical experience.

The activities based on musical games underlie the successful

achievementof musical education, initial or advanced, by means of

world renowned methods. Hence, institutions have emerged in

Romania employing notorious concepts of practising the methods for

musical education (the Jacque-Dalcroze Institute54); they explore music

by having as guideline the principle that states that “experience should

be prior to science”. Studying closely the organic bond between bodily

movement and musicality, the process for carrying on the workshops

turns to all the senses of the human being, stressing the auditory, the

kinaesthetic, the tactile and the visual ones. By means of captivating

musical games participants of all age groups (from young babies to

adult-parents) get integrated from a sensorial point of view and they

approach music from a holistic perspective requiring the

immobilisation of the whole body in oreder to pick up on the sound

phenomenon.

Music can create another existential dimension when you let yourself

charmed by the beauty of timbral diversity and of instruments, when

you let your imagination wonder when you touch an instrument, when

you let yourself captured by its rhythms and carried away towards the

fascinating realm of dance. By associating music with concepts

borrowed from other fields as colour, diversity, innovation, some

guidelines have already been outlined in view of its interactive and

multicultural approach resulting in an efficient educational process.

Interfering with the general goals of any game whether organized with

a didactic purpose or free of it, its role is to bring pleasure, to create an

54Institutul Dalcroze Romania; The Institute was founded in Bucharest in 2015 following the

staff’s training in centres speciliased in the Dalcroze, Orff and Kodály musical education

methods

60

atmosphere of buoyancy underlain by an intrinsic motivation, i.e. to

develop social bonds between the participants, for affective

homogenization, free externalization of spontaneity and to educate

team work; all of the above thus result in the powerful emotions felt by

children.

The educational potentialities of musical games are higher than the

ones of other types of games as they are connected to various

elementary musical requirements (and needs) such as developing

musical hearing, rhythm, children voice training, cherishing love and

interest in music, in aesthetic beauty in general. The didactic musical

game, considering age differences, provides multiple educational

contexts, agreeable and entertaining, in view of absorbing the elements

aimed to by the goals of musical education related to rhythm, melody,

duration, pitch, expression, improvisation, intonation, agogics,

dynamics, and underlain by the indissoluble unity existent between

music, dance and poetry.

61

CHAPTER III

Benefits of the Involvement of Music in

the Growth of Human Personality

62

63

3.1. The Influence of Music on the Learning Process

Music, no matter one’s age, represents an important component

of life and a source that contributes to the regulation of one’s emotional

state. George Enescu, talking about this constant feature of his life,

used to say that it is part of the first memories he recalled of his

childhood and his entire being, reasoning, pulsation, life had been

interwoven with music.55 Extrapolating to a general human level,

crossing the borders of the realm of classical music, one may state that

this magical universe accompanies us constantly and brings colour and

expression to our life.

Music has been present in the life of the human being as early as

the times when humanity was organised in tribes and perhaps even

earlier than that; tribes used to have rituals or customs which involved

melody and rhythm, lasting up to the present day. JacǫueChailley talks

about the oldest proof of music history referring to a painting

discovered in the cave of Ariège which embodies a musical bow dated

40.000 years ago.56 It is hard for us to imagine over such a long period

of time how our lives would have been in the absence of musical

sounds. If all these were erased from all older or more recent electronic

formats, if all musical instruments disappeared as well as any other

object able to produce music, music would still endure because people

would start to sing.

Our body reacts positively to enjoyable music. One possible

explanation may be the fact that one of the most important dimensions

of music is rhythm, and rhythm is an inborn feature of the human

being, as well as an important component of one’s life. As early as

55Gavoty, Bernard, Amintirile lui George Enescu, Editura Muzicală, Bucureşti, 1982, p. 26. 56Chailley, Jacǫues, 40.000 de ani de muzică, Editura Muzicală, Bucureşti, 1967, p.6.

64

intrauterine life, the child listens to the mother’s heartbeats and

breathing which relates to the concept of rhythm. Further on, one

comes across rhythm in nature in the form of the succession of day and

night, the alternation of the seasons, in the Universe embodied by the

rotation of the planets, in our daily life, in the series of daily activities,

in the intellectual, affective and emotional development of each and

every one of us.

Rudolf Steiner57 (according to Albulescu, 2014), the founder of

Waldorf pedagogy as mentioned previously, pays due attention to the

great importance rhythm has in regard to the harmonious development

of the child and he associates the human biological rhythm to cosmic

rhythms: day, month, year. The proper weight each type of activity

carries results in eurhythmy, the concept that underlies Waldorf

pedagogy. It grows both spirit and body as it is an art of the movement

visualising musical and spoken sounds by means of gestures.58

A renowned representative of this line of thought also exploring

how rhythm is involved in children’s musical education is Émile

Jacques Dalcroze (1865-1950), Austrian pedagogue, who employs

rhythmic and movement exercises which underlie the child’s discovery

of the immediate space. The body is integrated as a unitary whole that

brings together intellect, movement and emotion, therefore favouring

learning related to what is around us and to life itself. The initiation in

musical education has as its starting point this concept based on

rhythmical movement, preparing the entire body for the practice of

music59.

57Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) - Austrian pedagogue, initiator of a pedagogical concept based on

activities comprising movement, meditation which prevalently develop artistic skills: creativity,

fantasy, imagination. 58Albulescu, Ion, Op. cit., p. 102. 59Munteanu, Gabriela, De la didactica muzicală la educaţia muzicală, Editura Fundaţiei

„România de Mâine”, Bucureşti, 1997, p. 130.

65

Children prevalently manifest their desire and need to express

themselves through music this being their inner nature and they join

gladly any activity accompanied by melody: they often sing at the

playground, whenever they feel the need to express joy, to

communicate their happiness. The child has to be encouraged from an

early age to listen to music, to move according to its rhythms and to

sing or play an instrument due to the benefits that it brings in relation to

the learning process and to building one’s character.

We live in a society characterised by an ongoing state of change

which forces us to adapt constantly to the social climate in which we

carry on our activity. This aspect requires permanent learning, greater

flexibility in getting oriented towards a specific field and proper

training to cover a wide range of activities, hinting therefore to the

well-known syntagmcontinuous learning.

The issues characterising contemporary society and its effects on

the field of education have led to the employment of various concepts

along with the aforementioned one, such as: lifelong education, adult

education, self learning, self training, self education.60

The presence of music in relation to the learning process is

extremely important and beneficial due to the impact it has on the

cognitive processes involved in learning and in overall human

development. Research conducted over the last decades in regard to

learning has demonstrated that the universe of the musical sounds,

integral part of our lives by the different forms it embodies – song,

musical game with movement, listening to musical strains, instrumental

performance or rhythmical poems – influences significantly by means

of a constant musical education process, the development of certain

60Ionescu, Miron, Instrucţie şi educaţie, „Vasile Goldiş” University Press, Arad, 2007, p. 433.

66

parts of the brain and favours peculiar neuronal connections which

contribute to the achievement of higher cognitive performances.

Katie Davis and Gregory J. Crowther, professors at the University

of Washington, are renowned personalities who conducted solid

experimental research and obtained significant results within STEM,61

founded in the United States of America. Activities within this

association are grounded in a curriculum that aims to the principle of

educating children from the perspective provided by four specific

subjects: science, technology, engineering and mathematics within an

interdisciplinary approach in view of learning enhancement in the field

of science. They conducted an experiment starting from various studies

regarding the importance of music, also considered a proper tool for

enhancing science-related education in schools. Their interests resulted

in the foundation of the Sing about science and math-songs for

teaching, learning and fun organization which provides numerous

direction and related resources in order to improve learning; therefore

the importance and the role of music were emphasised in relation to

learning abstract concepts in a more pleasant, appealing fashion.

The studies were conducted on over 100 respondents with an

average age of 12. The first study has as its starting point the question-

topic Can watching science music videos improve student’s

comprehension of scientific concepts? The methodology employed and

the results obtained were published in the article entitled Leveraging

the power of music to improve science education (Gregory J. Crowther,

Tom McFadden, Jean S. Fleming, & Katie Davis), in International

Journal of Science Education. According to the results, pupils who

watched a musical clip regarding a specific aspect of the world of

science, didactically transposed according to their age, achieved better

61STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), https://stem.org/

67

learning outcomes compared to the ones who had been deprived of

music; the results were endorsed by direct answers to questions and by

a deeper understanding of the concepts; it was therefore proven that

music represents a promising introduction into the conceptual field of

other sciences62.

Due to the favourable impact of music and of arts in general, but

also in relation to the world of science, the organization has now a new

configuration, STEAM, the arts being also introduced in the system.

Another interesting study is the one that compares the effects of

learning after watching a clip about fossils (Fossil Rock Anthem63) also

employing music and of another one which presents the same content

but in the absence of music. Following the experiment, the two samples

of pupils (the experimental and the control one) filled in the assessment

tests by giving answers provided before the viewing (pre-test),

immediately after the viewing (post-test) and 28 days from the viewing

(long distance test). Both groups got significantly better results after

watching the clip, but the evaluation of the long distance test

highlighted the persistence of knowledge over time for the respondents

of the experimental sample, the ones who watched the clip

accompanied by music, the musical element playing a key role in long

term learning. Hence, embedding music in learning activities results

not only in benefits in regard to mnemotechniques, but also transforms

the classes in interactive activities and provides access to knowledge

and scientific concepts64.

62Crowther, Gregory, McFadden, Tom, Fleming, Jean, Davis, Katie, Leveraging the power of

music to improve science education, articol din revista International Journal of Science

Education, Volume 38, 2016, p. 73-95. 63Fossil Rock Anthem, http://www.npr.org/sections/can-songs-help-you-learn-scientific-

concepts 64Crowther, Gregory, McFadden, Tom, Davis, Katie, Op. cit. p.73-95.

68

These studies demonstrate the utility of music in different fields

of activity as well as educational contexts; also worthy of note, the

importance of achieving solid musical education of children therefore

contributing to the formation of a personality capable of higher

intellectual acquisitions and underlain by organised activities that bring

pleasure and immediate satisfaction.

3.2. Musical Intelligence and Logical-Mathematical:

Typological Synapses

Conventional wisdom has it that music is present in everyday life.

Ever since ancient times scientist have stressed the importance of music

throughout the evolution of humanity due to its beneficial effect visible

at emotional level (the simple pleasure of singing, playing or listening

to music), social (rituals that accompany the main events of a human’s

life and involve the presence of music) as well as at cognitive level (the

relationships that exist between music and other fields of science).

Along these lines, the great Greek philosopher and mathematician

Pythagoras states that there is a certain geometry in the display of

mathematical sequences as music exists even in regard to the distancing

of spheres. The symbiosis between these two fields is later on

highlighted by opinions of researchers such as James Sylvester who

considered that mathematics is the music of reason or Gottfried

Wilhelm von Leibniz who thought that music is the mathematics of the

soul which does not know that it is counting.

Ever since those times the evolution of the human kind has been

studied from different perspectives. The study of human cognition has

been a concern for many fields of expertise such as psychology,

69

pedagogy, philosophy as well as the medical field especially in the last

century. The evolution of the human being, their cognitive

development, the possibility to delineate and forge the directions of

intellectual progress accompanied by solid scientific evidence, they all

lead to surprising findings one must be aware of in order to master and

guide the scientific advancesfurther on. Teachers must master these

findings and continue the directions of research in order to ensure the

optimal evolution of all the fields of knowledge by means of the school

curriculum.

3.2.1. Multiple Intelligences. Musical and Logical-

Mathematical Intelligence

Neuroscience (French neurosciences), a domain derived from the

advanced study in the medical field, provides multiple explanations for

a better understanding of the brain and the ability to have neuronal

connections in an original manner. The concept was coined in the early

1970s and it defines the pool of brain sciences such as: neurobiology,

psychophysiology, psychobiology, neuroethology, neuropsychology,

neurophilosophy. There is an attempt to integrate other areas of

expertise such as psychophysiology, psychobiology and neurobiology

within the field of cognitive psychology.65

Intelligence is defined by scholars as the psychological function

or pool of functions due to which the organism adjusts to the

environment elaborating original combinations of behaviours, acquires

and employs new knowledge and eventually reasons and solves

65Popa, M. D., Stănciulescu, A., Matei, G. F., Tudor, A., Zvăgărdici, C., Chiriacescu, R.,

Dicționar Enciclopedic, Editura Enciclopedică, București, 1993-2009.

70

problems according to the rules that result from the information

received by means of logic.66

Romanian scholars in the field of psychology67 explain the

concept of intelligence as a real fact as well as a potential one both in

terms of it seen as a process and as aptitude or capacity, both as form

and attribute of mental and behavioural organization.

Being intelligent can be exteriorized in different ways due to the

multiple abilities that people often manifest and employ in daily

activities. The Intelligence Quotient (IQ) measured by means of

standardized tests (aiming at language and logical-mathematical

intelligence) usually targets intellectual dexterities related to words and

numbers, skills used to memorize them and to relay different patterns,

stressing less the social perspective, art, nature.

Dr. Howard Gardner, Professor at Harvard University, concerned

with the process of human learning (in young children as well as adults)

proves that the concept of homogeneous school, i.e. a unidimensional

vision of assessing human mind based on IQ is limited and he

advocates for a new approach to learning completely different from the

previous one;this also generates a different conception of the school

system. The new alternative is grounded in eight different types of

intelligence and it encompasses a wide spectrum of the human

cognition as briefly described hereof:68

66Doron, Roland, Parot, Francoise, Dicţionar de psihologie, Editura Humanitas, Bucureşti,

2006. 67Popescu-Neveanu, Paul., Dicționar de psihologie, Editura Albatros, București,1978 68Gardner,Howard., Inteligențe multiple. Noi orizonturi, Editura Sigma,București, 2006, p. 12-

13.

71

Table no. 3. Howard Gardner’s Eight Intelligences

Intelligence Description

Linguistic An ability to analyze information and create

products involving oral and written language

such asspeeches, books, and memos.

Logical

Mathematical

An ability to develop equations and proofs,

make calculations, and solve abstract

problems.

Spatial An ability to recognize and manipulate large-

scale and fine-grained spatial images

Musical An ability to produce, remember and make

meaning of different pattern of sound.

Naturalist An ability to identify and distinguish among

different types of plants, animals, and weather

formations that are found in the natural world.

Bodily

Kinesthetic

An ability to use one’s own body to create

products or solve problems.

Interpersonal An ability to recognize and understand other

people’s moods, desires, motivations, and

intentions.

Intrapersonal An ability to recognize and understand one’s

own moods, desires, motivations, and

intentions.

Later on, Gardner explained the possibility of the existence of

other types of intelligence, existential and naturalist, but these do not

yet benefit from sufficient scientific underpinnings.

Regarding the two types of intelligences, Gardner briefly

describes each one: logical mathematical intelligence is an ability to

develop equations and proofs, make calculations, and solve abstract

problems and music intelligence is an ability to produce, remember, and

make sense of different pattern of sound. When describing the types of

intelligence Gardner emphasizes the fact that they are independent the

one from the other in the sense that a high level of mathematical

intelligence does not also involve enhanced musical intelligence which

72

contrasts with the traditional standardized IQ tests, actually a correct

assessment of human intelligence.69

In order to render this explanation even more comprehensive, the

author introduces the concept of cultural role which requires a plurality

of intelligences. Therefore, a good violinist also needs, besides musical

intelligence which provides him / her qualitative training, other types of

intelligence as the interpersonal one, in order to create a bond with the

audience;also bodily-kinaesthetic skills in view of a better coordination

of the movement of the hands, fingers and body.

In his turn, Dr. Thomas Armstrong70, conducting research in the

field of human intelligence, wrote his book entitled You’re Smarter

Than You Think, which sets out to be a true educational guide in the

field of self-awareness, for children as well as for teachers or parents.

The problem arised and emphasized is that the majority of educational

and cultural systems are the Homogeneous school-type within which

only the intelligences capitalised on by IQ testing (verbal and logical-

mathematical) are valued, while ignoring the other dimensions of the

human intelligence. It is clear that every one of us benefits from these

types of intelligence but to different extents, while one dimension is

prevalent.

The book reveals some important aspects in the field of human

intelligences:

• The categories of intelligence are different but equally

important;

• Every dimension can be explored, developed, amplified;

• Intelligence expresses itself differently for each type;

69Gardner,Howard., Op.cit., p. 31. 70Armstrong, Thomas, Ești mai inteligent decât crezi, Editura Curtea Veche, București, 2011,

p. 16.

73

• The human being is not limited to one type of intelligence, even

though he/she might excel in one direction;

• There is an ongoing cooperation between the types of

intelligence in our activities;

• The eight dimensions are to be found in all cultures and

throughoutthe age spectrum.

The theory of multiple intelligences broadens the range of the

possibilities of knowledge beyond the conventional methods employed

in education (verbal and logical-mathematical).

Musical intelligence is asserts itself when one truly loves and

appreciates music. It represents the ability to recognize and analyze

sounds, rhythms, melodies, patterns, to be sensitive to tones, to the

qualities of the musical sound (intensity, duration, height and timbre),

the ability to create and reproduce music, using musical instruments or

the voice. This type of intelligence involves active listening, increased

sensitivity to environmental sounds and requires a strong connection

between music and the ability to respond emotionally to it. Musical

intelligence is present when a person discovers the melosin the songs of

the birds, in the rhythm and noises of the city, in the sounds produced

by machines in factories, by the train ride but especially in vocal song

or instrumentalperformance.71

Logical-mathematical intelligence comes in two distinct forms.

The first one, the logical dimension, is related to processes, reasoning

(inductive or deductive), orders, classifications, cause-effect relations

and problem solving, and it surfaces when a person makes certain

deductions easily, formulates hypotheses and conclusions, even without

following all the algorithmic process. The latter, the mathematical

dimension, refers to numbers, working easily with them, having

71Armstrong, Thomas, Op., cit., p. 35-37.

74

guaranteed success in activities involving numbers; it is evident when

those who manifest this type of intelligence can easily make the process

of calculating in their mind, they quickly notice certain relationships

between numbers, they like to work with numbers.

3.2.2. The Expression of Logical-Mathematical Elements in the

Musical Field

The musical universe is an extremely prolific one and an

areastrongly connected with numerous scientific fields; this results in

different perspectives of approach.

Connections to the field of mathematics are made at many levels,

as illustrated in the descriptions below. Musicologist Iosiv Sava,

speaking to composer and mathematician ȘtefanNiculescu, highlights

the presence of mathematics in the composition process and talks about

its strong involvement in musical compositions72. Later, as it happens in

many areas, the human being was replaced by the computer and, based

on special programs, musical compositions were generated. Of course,

in the artistic field, the presence of the creative side of the human being

is compulsory.

Niculescu, speaking of the extension of the sound material, from

the sinusoidal sound to electro-acoustic conglomerates, from the sounds

of traditional instruments to everyday city noises (horn, screams),

emphasizes the presence of some compartments of mathematical

research, regarding the structure of the sound matter as well as the

development of this sound variety in time73.

72Niculescu, Ștefan, Reflecții despre muzică, Editura Muzicală, București, 1980, p. 318-319. 73Ibidem.

75

Musical Rhythm and Mathematics

A fundamental dimension of music is the rhythm (along with

melody, intensity, tempo). Rhythm has been defined and studied

extensively by specialists from different fields as it emerges in every

moment of our lives, whether we refer to the heart rate, the rhythm of

speech, musical rhythm, the succession of daily activities, the

alternation of night and day, the succession of seasons.

The study of musical durations and their corresponding rests is

made in strong connection with numbers and with the field of

mathematics. As illustrated in the next image, mathematical links

between durations can be easily established. On each line the total

number of times calculated is four:

Figure no. 1. Musical durations

The same happens in regard to the musical meter, known as

measuring the succession of accents and durations, which is based on

musical rhythm, but the meter refers to a programmed succession of

these musical accents. Thus, in the 2/4time signatures the accent comes

with every second beat, while in the 3/4 time signatures the accent

comes with every third beat and the 4/4 time signatures have two

76

accents: a main accent that repeats at every four beat and a secondary

one, the third beat of each measure.

Figure no.2. 3/4 time signatures

As illustrated in the adjacent figure, at the beginning of each staff

the time signature is written after the clef and key signature. The image

of time signatures looks like two numbers arranged like a fraction. This

sign tells us how the music construction is to be counted. The top

number 3, which is written above tells us how many beats to count. The

bottom number 4 tells us what kind of note to count in each measure.

The aid of mathematics is essential because it helps make additions and

subtractions to create a rhythmical variety.

By changing a variable, the same ternary bar can have number 8

as a type of note to count (number 8 below, which is half of the

quarter), which implies new organizations of the rhythmic material.

Adding another change, number 6 on top, the system will be different,

and a time signature of 6/8 means count 6 eighth notes to each bar.

Suddenly the system changes, the initial data, and the music are

organized from a different perspective: 6/8 is grouped into 2 groups of

3 eight notes and 3/4 time would be grouped into 3 groups of 2 eight

notes. People characterized by a high level of mathematical intelligence

will easily find opportunities to combine durations and rests or to think

in this new system.

Even simple poems can be put on the staff through durations and

bars, replacing the syllables in the text:74

74Sârb, Diana, Abordări praxiologice în didactica muzicală: învățarea limbii engleze, Editura

MediaMusica, Cluj-Napoca, 2018, p. 85.

77

Animals from the farm

Move to the rhythm, move to the beat

Move your body and move your feet:

Dog can bark- woof, woof

Hourse can jump-jump, jump, jump

Cat can snore-brrrrrrrrrrrr

Duck can swim

(movement counting to 4)

Move to the rhythm, move to the beat

Move your body and move your feet:

Cow eat grass-hmmmmm

Mouse can run-1,2,3

Sheep can sing-baa, baa

Hen ley egs-cluck, cluck

Move to the rhythm, move to the beat

Move your body and move your feet.

Figure no. 3. Poem with rhythmical notation

Symmetries in the Analysis of Various Musical Works

Music is a language, and, like any communication system, has

some structural rules. At the morphological level, the musical language

creates its own semantic structures and at the syntactic level several

components are mixed together. The way of organizing the sound

moments leads to a musical important concept which is musical form.75

75Timaru, Valentin, Dicționar noțional și teminologic, Editura Universității,Oradea, 2002.

78

It can be immediately associated with the mathematical domain, in

terms of the geometry level (geometric shapes and figures).

Therefore, musical creations take on different forms that lead to

the emergence and analysis of certain architectural typologies,

depending on the stylistic era they were composed in. The symmetry

principle regarding the form of construction of the musical work is the

basis of many musical genres that have emerged over time, such as: the

fugue, the sonata, the symphony.

Bach’s creation, in essence, is based on the principles of

mathematics. For example, by adding the numbers corresponding to his

name in the alphabet, B A C H (2 + 1 + 3 + 8), the result is number 14

and those which include the other initials of his name add up to 41, that

is, 14 in reverse. The fact, which is not accidental,

demonstratesBach’spredisposition towards the law of symmetry and

universal harmony in his creations. This is also proven in the organ

choral piece Von deinen Throntretich hermit, where the first part has 14

notes and all the score has 41.76

Bach also associated his own name with cryptograms. Thus,

BACH, transformed in musical notes would be:

Figure no. 4. BACH Cryptograms

The motif is frequent in the creation of the great composer, both in

direct form and in the mirror version. These structures require

transposition into other tones, which implies the presence of logical-

76Liern Carrión, Vicente, Las matematicas de J. S. Bach, Revista Suma, vol. 61, junio, 2009,

p.113-118.

79

mathematical intelligence, because any transposition means a

movement of the same sound material with one or more musical notes

above or below, that means structures, systems, calculations on the

staff.

Other phenomenon, the principle of imitation, can be observed in

some of Bach’s creations (and other composers), such as the imitative

technique musical genres, called invention or fugue, which are based on

the principle of repetition of a rhythmic-melodic pattern, according to

structural rules. From a musical thinking perspective, the entry of each

new voice implies transposition at the specific intervals of fifth, in the

following succession: subject, answer, countersubject, counterpoint,

free section.

After a syntactic analysis of the musical language, we can move to

another level of the connection of these two fields, mathematics and

music, which is represented by the morphological analysis of the song.

Some musical language terms, as phrase, period, according to some

structural patterns are related through mathematics; a period is made up

of two phrases (antecedent and consistent) and each phrase can have 4

bars (4 + 4 = 8 the equivalent of 8 bars in a musical period).

The Involvement of Numbers in Musical Harmony

Musical harmony approaches the musical field at a technological

level. Its object is the study of the chords and their succession, as well

as the learning of the technique of harmonizing a song.77

77Marcu, Șerban, Curs de armonie, Academia de Muzică Gheorghe Dima,Cluj-Napoca, 2014.

80

The second great dimension of music, together with rhythm, is

melody. The studyof the pitch of musical sounds is an important part of

music, representing the basis for practicing music. Mathematics is

already involved by establishing the level of pitch between sounds.

Pitch in music is the position of a single sound in the complete range of

sound. Sounds are higher or lower in pitch according to the frequency

of vibration of the sound waves producing them, a phenomenon based

on many mathematical and physical concepts. When the individual

thinks in intervals, a high level of logical-mathematical intelligence

favours the melodic reading of the sounds. If we add the rhythm

parameter two systems overlap, rhythm and melody; the two, endorsed

by the mathematical components, result in the musical phenomenon

entitled solfège.After acquiring the musical notes, the musical intervals

are learned, which implies the succession (melodic interval) or the

overlap (harmonic interval) of two sounds.

Figure no. 5. Musical Intervals

Intervals involve high level of mathematical knowledge. Musical

consecrated notes (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si and do repeated at octave)

are numbered with Roman numerals from I to VIII and musical

intervals, the distance from one note to another, with Arabic numerals.

The principles previously described are endorsed by mathematical

intelligence, but their transposition from C scale to other tonalities

depends especially on the level of musical intelligence.

In music, chords involve playingsimultaneously three sounds (at

least), arranged as third (root position, fourth or second).

81

Figure no. 6. Chords in C major scales

A chord is said to be in its root position when its root is the lowest

note. A three-note chord or triad may also stand in its first or second

inversion. A chord stands in its first inversion when its third is the

lowest note. It is in second inversion when its fifth is the lowest note. In

the following example, the major triad of C stands in its root position

and first and second inversion respectively:

Figure no.7. Chord-root position, first and second inversion

Music is both science and art, it is an important component of

human nature, existing in all cultures, generating joy and pleasure by

means of interpretation or listening. Music is scientifically explained

ever since Pythagoras’ time, while connections between mathematics

and music have been signalled since ancient times. Furthermore,

nowadays we are also studying possibilities to streamline the

functioning of the brain which involves relationships between different

types of intelligence, corresponding to different cortical areas.

Music is often referred to as the mathematics of sounds due to the

numerous synapses that occur between the two fields of knowledge.

Thus, it becomes a valuable tool for the analysis of some essential

structural elements of the human personality, as cognition, affectivity,

by highlighting some brain mechanisms. Neuropsychological

investigations realized in the last century resulted in the mapping of

brain areas and their functions; they also led to the identification of the

82

areas responsible for certain cognitive operations (developed in the next

chapter). These areas correspond to different types of information.

Mathematical sciences benefit from strong transfer qualities with

high applicability. Based on the elements of mathematical thinking,

children (adults as well) develop certain general competencies used for

learning: the capacity of thinking logicallyand of creative initiative,78

which demonstrate the presence of a high level of mathematical

intelligence. This transfer effect applies to several areas of knowledge,

including music, and it is visible in parameters such as musical rhythm,

melody, harmony.

However, the art of the musical sounds is still the universe that

embodies the emotional and subjective side of the human beingat the

highest level and the mathematical field doesn’t provide qualities such

as musical imagination, a specific human characteristic.79

In order to ensure the progress of a society, the need for multiple

intelligences arises, due to the variety of our activities. It can start from

the approach of education in school. It is important to balance the use of

multiple intelligences, to pay more attention to children with artistic or

naturalistic skills, but also to children often described as having

learning problems or attention issues during activities. All of them,

because of their special thinking, should be encouraged to express

themselves in their special areas in order to obtain optimum

performance.

78Csire, Iosif, Educația muzicală din perspectiva creativității,Universitatea de Muzică,

București, 1998, p. 40. 79Niculescu, Ștefan, Reflecții despre muzică, Editura Muzicală, București, 1980, p. 318-319.

83

3.3. Musical and Linguistic Intelligence – Operating

Dichotomy in regard to the Development of

Communication Skills

3.3.1. The Complementary Character of Musical and

Linguistic Intelligence

Starting from the previous description of multiple intelligences

one can state that comprehension, development and awareness of the

existence of such, becomes extremely important in orderto form the

personality of an individual. In regard to the educational field, a balance

needs to be struck when it comes to all 8 directions of multiple

intelligence, paying due attention to children who are artistically gifted

or endowed with nature-related predispositions, but also to children

who are often labeled as having learning or focusing issues during

activities. All of the above, due to their own peculiar manner of

reasoning, have to be guided and encouraged to express themselves in

the fields they have propensity for therefore providing the context

needed to perform and not being demotivated because of the fact that

they do have the satisfying skills in the traditional fields, i.e. linguistic

and logical-mathematical.

Research shows that there are many connections between musical

and linguistic intelligence; similarities have been observed in regard to

the way the brain functions for both fields.

Musical intelligence includes sensitivity to the elements of the

musical language, to the qualities of the sound, it implies an active and

sensitive listening, establishment of strong bonds between music and

emotions. This type of intelligence represents the ability to perceive,

transform, appreciate and express music. Most people possess, to some

84

extent, aptitudes that mirror musical intelligence, but there are just a

few who can use it at high level.

Musical intelligence and talent have always been a highly

debateable topic for specialists in the field of music. In his book, The

measurement of musical talent, Seashore, in close relation to musical

practice, identified the existence of several distinct components that

may be structured in five categories: sensations – identification of the

qualities of the musical sound, of harmony; musical activity – mastery

of the means and elements of the musical language; memory and

musical imagination; musical intelligence – the ability to feel the music,

to make connections, to be agood observer; feelings – musical taste, the

ability to react, to express oneself through music80. Still, all these

directions do not carry the same weight. In his study, Seashore also

designed a test which led to complaints from musicians.

Communication through language is the one that helps the human

being to develop, to initiate and keep relationships with the people

around him/her; it relates to the social dimension of human existence

and its evolution. The directions of communication are extremely

complex; they comprise the exchange of information, ideas, beliefs,

related emotions, but also listening, receiving messages. The

employment of the registers and approaches specific to communication

enables us to establish a balanced relationship with the people around

us where we can assert ourselves as individuals with distinct

personalities, which leads to the progress of knowledge and

communication.

Communication skills in our native tongue help us transmit easily

what we want. In a modern society in which the educational objectives

require the complex training of the individual in order to handle

80Seashore, Carl, The measurement of musical talent, Oxford University Press, The Musical

Quarterly, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jan., 1915), p. 129-148.

85

successfully the requirements aiming to current social insertion,

knowing English as the official international language represents a

major transversal competency. Complex acquisitions, rigorously

grounded in this language, shall broaden each person’s possibility to get

to know different fields, provide access to multiple educational or

work-related contexts, all of which being prone to be achieved at

European or even global level.

Learning a foreign language implies first and foremost the

efficient exploration of the mix between linguistic and musical

intelligence which, according to researchers, are complementary and

influence one another, but also the training of the other types of

intelligence, contributing to the upbringing of a complex personality.

Linguistic intelligence aims to the ability to use one’s mother

tongue and to excel in this field; but also a foreign language, to express

thoughts, desires, intentions, hence in view of a better communication

with the people around. The ability to learn easily a foreign language

demonstrates the existence, to a reasonable extent, of linguistic

intelligence. This type of intelligence manifests itself prevalently when

the individual is passionate about words and the ways in which they are

used in reading, writing, spoken communication. People whose

linguistic intelligence is higher think more in words than in images. To

be receptive to the sonority of words, to puns and their design, to be

sensitive to patterns, to have good memory skills for general

knowledge, to write well in terms of orthography, grammar and

creativity in relation to a given topic, to be a good public speaker who

arouses the public’s interest through form and content of their speech,

to learn quickly a foreign language, all of these are ways by which the

existence of high-level linguistic intelligence is proven.81

81Armstrong, Thomas, Op. cit., p. 16.

86

Both directions may be improved upon and may complete one

another having a complementary effect, but also by the other types of

intelligence for a greater efficiency in the activities carried on by the

human being. Therefore, if musical intelligence is high, linguistic

intelligence may be improved by reading aloud words for better

listening to their sonority, by uttering rhythmically words or

expressions that have to be memorised or by writing what one hears or

imagines when carried away by the music. Moreover, if linguistic

intelligence is higher, it may be beneficial to the evolution of musical

intelligence by focusing one’s attention on the lyrics of a song, on the

way in which they complete harmoniously the melody or on the ability

to relay through music the plot of the story82.

Music is an important component of human nature, existent in all

cultures when it comes down to a core analysis of the history of

humanity, bringing joy and pleasure of performing or listening to it.

Thus, it becomes a valuable tool in order to analyse the key structural

elements of human personality such as cognition, affectivity, by

stressing various brain mechanisms. Neuropsychological investigations

conducted over the last century have led to the emergence of a map of

the brain areas and their functions and to the identification of the

corresponding areas for certain cognitive operations.83

Musical activity appeals to numerous regions of the brain and it

involves a multitude of neuronal subsystems especially the frontal and

temporal lobes. The frontal lobe is specialised in spatial perception,

motor skills, decoding of signals received from the senses and it

provides a high level of “perceptive organisation”, while the temporal

lobe is responsible for hearing and memory84. Different cortical areas

82Armstrong, Thomas, Op. cit., p. 48. 83Levitin, Daniel, Creierul nostru muzical, Editura Humanitas, București, 2010, p.97. 84Levitin, Daniel, Op. cit., p.98-99.

87

correspond to the numerous musical aspects which are specialised on

identifying the characteristic features of the musical signals that allow

for the analysis of parameters such as timbre, pitch, intensity and

tempo.

Research conducted in regard to the way the brain works

emphasised the fact that there is a strong bond between musical and

linguistic intelligence due to the similar functioning of these

communication systems, music and language, the ones responsible at

the level of brain wiring being the frontal and temporal lobes;

consequently, neuronal connections are produced in the same cortical

area. Hence, a similarity between music syntax and the syntax of the

spoken language has been highlighted in terms of the auditory

perception of vocal and instrumental timbre; other qualities such as

pitch, intensity, duration were aimed to, being the ones that characterise

the sung or spoken sound. There is an acoustic equivalence between

“musical timbre” and “phoneme”, and the analysis of musical syntax

involves a calculation of the melodic relation between intervals and

harmonics between the functions of the chords aiming to musical

structure, as well as an assessment of the ties between words and their

functions as expression of grammatical structure85.

Certain musical or linguistic patterns result in the emergence at

the level of the brain of certain patterns of neuronal activity localised in

well defined cortical areas. Besides this regional specificity, one has to

apply the principle of the distribution of functions according to which

there is not just one centre for music or language, but rather some

regions are configured where elementary operations are carried on and

other which organise the collection of these pieces of information. The

ability that renders possible these operations, also suggesting temporary

85Koelsch, Stefan, Toward a neural basis of music perception – a review and updated model, în

TRENDS in Cognitive Sciences, Vol.9 No.12, 2005, p. 578-584.

88

regional specificity, is the plasticity of the brain (neuroplasticity) which

ensures the quick reorganisation of the perception of signals, and, in

case of deterioration of a cortical area, the processing centres of the

mental functions move towards other regions of the brain86.

In the thorough study on the neuronal bond between music and

language, Stefan Koelsch presents the results of the numerous

experiments regarding the auditory perception of musical and verbal

sounds which imply acoustic analysis, auditory memory, auditory

analysis of a spoken or musically performed fragment, the processing of

intervallic relations as well as musical syntax and semantics relations.

The study stresses the fact that, even though the neurons responsible for

the perception of music and language are localised in the same region

of the brain, neuronal populations which mediate the elaboration of

language syntax differ from the neuronal populations which mediate the

processing of musical syntax in the same cortical region. There is,

though, evidence of the existence of various common neuronal

resources in regard to the syntactic processing of music and language

through strong interactions at the level of the processing of both types

of syntax87. This aspect underpins the idea of the complementary bond

between musical and linguistic intelligence through the way in which

they influence one another by means of irradiation according to which

the stimulation of a cortical region produces effects in both directions.

An important role in this process is played by the auditory

memory given the fact that the perception of music and language is

produced over time. Recognising and establishing the delimitations of

musical or linguistic phrases allows the syntactic decoding of their

structure in relation to melody and musical rhythm or prosody and

rhythm of the spoken language. The processing of the delimitation of

86Levitin, Daniel, Op. cit., p.100. 87Koelsch, Stefan, Op. cit., p. 578-584.

89

the phrases is mirrored in both situations, music and language, in what

specialists refer to as “closure positive shift (CPS)”, i.e. a “positive

closure” of the phrases characterised by coherence and complete

comprehension of the contents.88 Researchers mention the existence of

a general pattern to be followed in perceiving music and language,

although the idea that humans have different competencies for the twoit

is commonly accepted, and they focus on pointing out the various

similarities, rather than the differences of perception, aiming to find a

deeper “competency”. The system of perception is oriented towards the

simplest structure (the principle of simplicity) which implies

associations with certain pre-established contexts. The results obtained

following various experiments based on the analyses of different

linguistic (text) and musical (songs) materials highlight the existence of

certain patterns (data-oriented parsing-DOP) which combine the

principle of simplicity and of probability in terms of perceptive

organisation, and which demonstrate that a combination of the two

principles outclasses the use of one of them and that the exact same

pattern, with an identical setting of the parameters, reaches maximum

precision for both branches, language and music.89

All the aforementioned aspects underline the strong

complementary bonds that exist between the two fields approached,

enhancing the influence of the intelligence level from one field to the

other.

88Ibidem. 89Rens, Bod, A Unified Model of Structural Organization in Language and Music, în Journal of

Artificial Intelligence Research 17, 2002, p. 289-308.

90

3.3.2. Benefits of Associating Music with the Study of a

Foreign Language

The study of a foreign language implies first and foremost the

efficient exploration of the mixture between linguistic and musical

intelligence which, according to research, are complementary and

influence one another, as well the involvement of the other types of

intelligence.

As a specific feature of the previous conclusion, extrapolated to a

pedagogical level, the introduction of musical elements in teaching

foreign languages provides a favorable sound environment and an

extremely rich one, representing a plausible educational alternative

which may enhance the children’s awareness in relation to sounds,

rhythms, rests and intonations. A programme of musical intervention in

teaching foreign languages may result in numerous advantages such as

stimulating the creative processes, activating linguistic information

stored by one’s memory, eliminating distraction of attention from

sounds in the class or outside of it, favoring a relaxed atmosphere as

well as a motivating and productive one during classes.

Research conducted in the last decades in relation to human

learning has proven that the universe of musical sounds, integrant part

of our lives - embodied by songs, musical games with movement,

listening to musical strains or rhythmical poems – influences

significantly through a constant process of musical education, the

development of certain segments of the brain and the formation of

certain specific skills in view of learning a foreign language at an early

age.

The didactic benefits of associating song with a foreign language

are enormous, being a positive, easy, workable manner of enhancing the

pedagogical approach, a fundamental goal of specialists in the field of

91

education. The principle that guides the methods aiming to the process

of teaching music is that the lyrics are never to be separated from the

melody which relates to primitive cultures, ancient times, syncretism;

this aspect should be speculated in teaching foreign languages due to

the fact that, according to this pattern, the lyrics are learned more easily.

The word syncretism has the same form as viewed internationally,

while the definitions attributed to it over time and in different fields are

distinct. If we consider children’s musical universe, no matter the

geographical affiliation, syncretism is identified with the merger of

artistic elements coming from different fields: music, dance, poetry.

The syncretic approach of the relationship between lyrics and melody

points out the existence of an ancestral and indispensable element that

is present in the life of each and every one of us in different instances,

namely rhythm. A thorough analysis of rhythm, an element infiltrated

both in music and speaking, as inborn ability of the human being, both

from a musical and linguistic perspective, emphasizes the fact that the

exploration of this unifying component of the two directions helps the

learner to absorb more easily the musicality of a foreign language, as

well as the durability of words and expressions.

The German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus conducted

numerous experiments in regard to the memorization of various

meaningless syllables, stressing verbal associations90. Gagné explains

this type of learning through verbal associations as a chain-type of

learning, this time sequences being verbally expressed; he also points

out the importance of the ties expressed through speech especially in

order to learn words or expressions in a foreign language. The two

demonstrate that, even in the cases when syllables are selected so that

they are meaningless, they are still predisposed to fit certain

90Gagné, Robert, Condițiile învățării, Editura Didactică și Pedagogică, București, 1975, p. 47.

92

associations91. Starting from these specific situations joined by the

cognitive relationship between the syntagms of the foreign language

and the activity of singing, one may state with absolute certainty that

the absorption of the given contents, of the vocabulary of the language

in question is faster and easier due to the existence of an intuitive action

achieved through song. Hence, the more difficult or complicated

aspects of language are more easily accepted and acquired by children

through songs. The ability to memorize enhances, while involvement in

singing increases text comprehension seemingly with no particular

effort from the pupils.

The benefits of the similarity of musical activities with the ones

related to the study of foreign languages are bidirectional. On the one

hand, musical elements – song, musical game, rhythmical recitative

fragment – introduced within foreign language lessons ensure a richer

auditory environment and favor a better memory of syntagms and

vocabulary, better pronunciation due to the development of enhanced

phonemic hearing. On the other hand, the component elements of

linguistic intelligence, proven by the passion for words, puns and the

ways they are employed, for linguistic structures used in reading,

writing and spoken communication, contribute to the development of

higher musical aptitudes, the accomplishment of both qualitative and

quantitative complex musical analyses due to the similar functioning at

cortical level of the two systems of communication. The two directions

also allow for and favor information exchange by achieving solid cross-

curricular connections.

91Sălăvăstru, Dorina, Psihologia învățării, Editura Polirom, Iași, 2009, p. 15.

93

3.4. Advantages of Introducing the Study of an Instrument in

General Music Education

An extremely pleasant way to musically express oneself is

playing an instrument which, along with the voice, completes

harmoniously the palette of timbral colours that are to be found in

nature and music.

Besides the joy to be able to create music, there are many other

reasons for which it is important to study a musical instrument.

Sometimes music – by its diverse dimensions (singing, the study of an

instrument, listening to musical strains, rhythmical, melodic and

rhythmical-melodic compositions) – enhances children’s overall school

performances. Professionals in the field of education criticize the verbal

character of instruction received in school which determines the

enhanced development of the left hemisphere; complementarily the

production of music is non-verbal and nurtures the right hemisphere

which has an overall effect on the development of a balanced

personality, able to increase their academic potential. Furthermore,

higher levels of self-confidence, the development of various core stages

in view of engaging in any type of human activity, self-motivation, self-

discipline in regard to work by the systematic study of the instrument,

all of the above are just some of the directions for which the existence

of music in children’s life is important.92

There are many musicians who engaged in introducing the study

of an instrument in the musical education activities carried on with

children due to the positive effects they have on their development. The

years they spent surrounded by pupils configured some principles

92Ben-Tovim, Atarah, Boyd, Douglas, The right instrument for your child, Orion Books Ltd.,

London, 2012, p.1.

94

which, later on disseminated worldwide, were the underlying principles

of children’s musical education all over the world. Some of the main

representatives who conducted rigorous research on children in regard

to the importance of using a musical instrument to develop the

perception of soundscape are: Carl Orff, Jaques Dalcroze, Edgar

Willems, Shin-Ichi Suzuki, Zoltán Kodály.

George Breazul, Liviu Comes, Dan Voiculescu are some of the

Romanian composers who were interested in developing the concept of

complex and harmonious musical education.

Sound Variety in Orff’s Universe

Concerned especially with the word-movement-music syncretism,

Carl Orff grounds his interests in the field of musical education in this

inseparable unity, materialised in the pedagogical work Schulwerk93to

which he allotted decades of work, experiments and research. The work

comprises the musical creation, the instruments94 employed in the

musical activities with children along with suggestions in regard to their

unfolding and directions of applying the ideas to the overall educational

system.

In order to ensure the success of his pedagogic ideas, Orff

introduced the instrument as means for education along with the voice

and in parallel with it. Though it led to controversy as to neglecting the

development of vocality, the introduction of the instrument ever since

the beginning of musical education, is a real gain in regard to children’s

musical development who are more or less musical. They take part in

93The denomination is Orff’s personal creation being a word composed of Schul- (school)

andWerk (work, piece); this unique construction exists in German only in this situation and it

meanspedagogical work [...]. The wordSchulwerkis translated by syntagms such as: the Orff

method for musical education, the Orff method, working technique.” Astrid Niedermaier.

Educaţie muzicalǎ modernǎ. Ed. Hora, Sibiu, 1999, p. 16. 94Instrumentarium – “It’s a collective name that encompasses all the instruments conceived and

created by Orff and his collaborators, instruments designers, in view of meeting the objectives

of this educational model” – Ibidem, p. 38.

95

the process of creating music in a very pleasant way even though they

may not be vocally gifted therefore enhancing the motivation to explore

the soundscape and because results are immediate (small percussion

instruments do not require prior study in order to be handled and

artistically activated); a stimulating and encouraging working

atmosphere is thus created and effort for successive acquisitions in the

musical field will not weigh as much. Still, Orff does not promote an

educational system based on the instrument, nor does he aim to

extraordinary performances in the instrumental field, but he becomes

the mediator of the rhythmical component of musical education.95

With the help of the instrument, the child is introduced to the

musical field thus achieving efficient musical education according to

each and everyone’s wishes and pleasure, everyone feeling great joy

when being given the proper framework for expressing themselves in

this way. This is why Orff instrumentariumexclude instruments that

require a longer period of training and which are demanding from a

technical point of view. Orff uses instruments that every child is able to

master, hence the syntagm “elementary instruments” – the ones that are

accessible to everyone and which ensures meeting the the objectives of

the Schulwerk model for musical education.

Knowing the role of rhythm in relation to Orff’s pedagogical

ideas, it goes without saying that percussion instruments will play a

decisive role in practical musical activities. These instruments can be

classified into two consistent categories, each with its own

subcategories (Anexa 1):

- with determined height of the sound (wood, metal or leather

instruments);

- with undetermined height of the sound (leather or glass bars).

95Toma-Zoicaş, Ligia. Op.cit., p. 231.

96

Numerous instruments of the varied range employed by Orff may

be used by music teachers using classes. The children’s joy in handling

them is unrestrained and the immediate effect of creating music ensures

a stimulating climate and work environment. Many of these instruments

are also financially accessible and may be completed or replaced by

musical toys or “pseudoinstruments” made by the children with

recyclable materials therefore contributing to the children’s education

in the spirit of protecting the environment. It is crucial, within musical

education classes, forthe child to dispose of other means too, apart from

the voice, to be able to express their own musical personality.

W. Thomas (according to Cristina Maria Sârbu) characterizes the

sphere of the elementary and presents its advantages in regard to

musical education; moreover, he reiterates the idea of the music-

movement-word syncretism and the group of instruments used by Orff

reunites in an organic manner the three directions enhancing the

effectiveness of the classes and the joy of making music96.

Having the concept of elementary music as his starting point, Orff

provides a new view on achieving musical education, a holistic,

extremely creative and efficient approach of music which sets in motion

the ensemble body-orchestra in the reception of the musical

phenomenon. Rhythm and movement are inborn, natural, and using

one’s own body to make differentiated music becomes easily accessible

and ensures a natural work climate, coloured and efficient, by turning

to: hand clapping, clapping on the thighs, thumping, finger snapping.

The alternation of the two types of body limbs and the

combination of all the possibilities of their employment, results in a

remarkable acoustic colouring. On the other hand, we have the

“pseudo-instruments” which are available to us, an inexhaustible and

96Niedermaier, Astrid, Educație muzicală modernă, Editura Hora, Sibiu, 1999, p. 67.

97

very pleasant resource for artistic exploration. Due to Orff’s appreciable

contribution, his pedagogical ideas may be employed by teachers and

successfully adapted to children no matter their age. Hence, in view of a

varied, interesting and efficient activity, the teacher’s portfolio should

include:

- a wide range of rhythmical and rhythmical-melodic exercises;

- pieces for instruments, arrangements for instruments;

- exercises for instruments only;

- pronunciation exercises, rhymes (verses).

All these educational contexts provide different combinations in

terms of form, texture, colour, with rhythmical function or timbral

effect, and contribute to the formation and development of aesthetic

taste, of experiencing deep feelings, children thus becoming young

artists during music classes; they also contribute to artistic school

activities, children being able to sing, play an instrument or even

compose music.

3.5. The Musical Instrument asFacilitator in the

Simultaneous Activation of the Cerebral Hemisphere

Music has always been present in people's lives as it has always

stood for the potentially harmonious development of human

personality. It is present in the most important moments of life, through

religious ceremonies (christening, wedding, funeral), in rituals

developed by different cultures during human evolution, in the

wonderful world of children, who accompany any game activity by

singing, but also as a possibility for relaxation and entertainment.

Music is the one which "feeds" the brain, and it sends special

commands to develop creativity. A creative mind has the ability to

make new discoveries and produce innovations. The most enlightened

98

minds of mankind, such as Albert Einstein, Mozart and Frank Lloyd

Wright, all shared the constant exploration of creative imagination,

which led to the creation of new products that have resisted the test of

time, and are still valid today97.

The possibilities of expression through music are diverse, but we

can outline two general directions, vocal singing and instrument

playing, which complete the existing timbre in nature and in the

musical field.

3.5.1. Cognitive Benefits of Studying the Instrument

There are many benefits of studying a musical instrument. First

and foremost, the increase in overall school performance is

demonstrated by professionals engaged in various studies in the field of

education. This highlights that the presence of music in our life

improves the general process of learning and can lead to acquiring

better and more resistant knowledge over time. The learning outcomes

are better in linguistics, mathematics, science and prove superior

attitudes in problems solving compared to those who do not play a

music instrument.

One consequence of studying a musical instrument isone's strong

confidence in their strengths, by interpreting some musical piece in

recitals and receiving appreciation from others. At the same time, self-

motivation and self-discipline are emphasized and developed due to the

desire to perform as well as possible and to obtain the highest skills,

which implies a constant and systematic study program. It is known that

studying an instrument takes time and requires sustained effort for

consistent and focused practice, especially when other factors emerge.

97Importanța muzicii în viața ta, http://www.pianoaround.com/the-importance-of-music-in-

your-life/

99

This discipline of working can be transposed later on to other levels of

personality, improving the quality of learning and of one's life.

Other benefits of studying music include stress reduction,

improvement of music appreciation, according to Aristotle in his

Politics (Book 8), unless you have taken part in music education, or in

learning an instrument, you have no real basis for assessing the quality

of a piece of music.98

Also, creativity is developed, music being asystem similar to

language, and as you learn more words you are able to express certain

ideas better, you can express your emotions through musical sounds, by

creating your own small compositions.

The improvement of the capacity to memorize is also due to the

study of the instrument, which involves repetitions of the musical

passage; those who study an instrument for a longer period of time have

a better verbal memory than those lacking musical training. Connected

to the study of an instrument is the development of time management

skills, by better and balanced organization of time, being a real

challenge (especial for a kid) to introduce the study program along with

other activities, intellectual and relaxation, socialization, electronic

devices.

The opportunity to share with others the joy of playing musical

pieces strengthens the relationships with one’s family and friends. If the

level of the performance is high, then we are talking about one artistic

relationship that is established between the performer and the public,

which implies a decoding part of the artistic message through a specific

communication path and the presence of common emotions, with an

empathetic character but also with a high level of musical preparation

of the audience.

98Levitsky, Mike, 16 Benefits of Playing an Instrument, https://pianopower.org/16-benefits-of-

playing-an-instrument/

100

3.5.2. Music and Dynamic Cortical Mapping

Research shows that studying an instrument develops a better

appreciation of music and enhances artistic sensitivity, stimulates and

streamlines the intellectual development of children, even leading to

physical changes in the brain. Specialists at Beijing Normal University

in China conducted several studies that revealed that people who started

instrument lessons before the age of 7, later on developed a greater

volume in brain regions, associated with self-awareness and hearing,

compared to those who started music after this age.

Theresearcher who conducted the aforementioned study, Yunxin

Wang, says that early musical training of children, beyond the joy of

listening to music as a first and easiest stage, can produce changes in

their brains, which could lead to cognitive progress, highlighting the

conclusion of the study that music training may change the structure of

the cortex, which is the outer layer of the brain. The study included 48

Chinese adults between 19 and 21 years of age. All the participants

started to take music lessons, but the starting moment made the

difference. Some of them started when they were 3 years old, while

others started later, when they were 15. The specialists examined the

brain volume of the study participants, in particular the surface area, the

gray matter and the folding index. Thus it was found that people who

started music lessons before the age of 7 had a thicker cortex than those

who made contact with music later.99

Music simultaneously activates the functioning of the four lobes

of the brain and requires numerous neural regions and subsystems,

99Taking Music Lessons As A Child Could Physically Change Your Brain, in Huffpost,

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/music-lessons-brain-child-physical-

changes_n_4260917.html

101

especially the frontal and temporal lobes. Generalizations referring to

their operation can be issued, but the behaviors are complex and cannot

be reduced to one single possibility. Generally, the frontal lobe is

specialized on spatial perception, on motor functions, on decoding the

signals received from the senses and offers a high level of "perceptual

organization",while the temporal lobe is responsible for hearing and

memory.100 Different cortical areas correspond to the different musical

aspects, which are specialized in identifying characteristic features of

the musical signals that allow the analysis of parameters such as timbre,

height, intensity, tempo.

Image no. 1. The functions of the brain (http://www.brainwaves.com/index.html)

The two cerebral hemispheres, forming dynamic cortical maps

during listening or playing music (playing an instrument), have

specialized functions as follows: the left-rational hemisphere, has

logical function, allows analytical, sequential thinking, based on

arguments, manages auditory memory, numbers, letters, language, it’s

about concrete mathematical science, coordinates and transforms the

100Levitin, Daniel, Op. cit., Editura Humanitas, București, 2010, p. 98-100.

102

senses into perceptions; the right hemisphere - the imaginary, is

responsible for creativity, coordinates emotionality and affectivity, is

based on mental representations, images, visual memory, allows

versatile thinking, is directly responsible for the artistic side, creation,

intuition, fantasy, manages artistic and spiritual senses, musical

aptitudes, the synthesis predominates and forward the analysis.

Image no.2. Brain hemispheres (https://sites.google.com/site/pyschwebsite/brain-

hemispheres)

Regarding the functioning of the brain, the study of the piano

involves several simultaneous actions that configure at the cerebral

level real dynamic cortical maps that allow the transmission of impulses

for the emission of musical sounds. The complex process of playing the

piano refers to all the analyzers (eyes, ears, hands and fingers, feet) but

also on the senses (touch, proprioception, spatial, temporal, artistic

interpretation). All these components are found on the brain map,

contributing to the running of whole process, being activated

simultaneously in the production of music.

The eyes, connected with the visual cortex located in the occipital

lobe, are deeply involved in learning a score, because playing the piano

implies two distinct keys, which represent two different musical

103

languages that must be decoded at once, but also in the visualization of

the keyboard. The ears, analyzer responsible for the auditory part and

connected with the auditory cortex located in the temporal lobe, make

permanent auditory control possible and adjust the interpretation in real

time. The hands and fingers, sometimes also the feet for pedals, are the

element of transition between the brain and the instrument, an analyzer

directly involved in the production of sounds, being influenced by the

primary motor cortex located in the frontal lobe but also connected with

the cerebellum.

The tactile and spatial senses are represented on the cortical maps

in the parietal lobe. The spatial sense is responsible for the distances on

the keyboard, with their memorization (“memory of the hand”), and

because of this sense the pianist knows very well the keyboard, without

looking at it every time, and the touch sense helps to measure the force

applied on the flaps or the pedals to control the intensity of sounds. The

proprioception sense (responsible for it being the cerebellum), is

involved during the interpretation of the music, and the pianist is

always aware of the coordination, relative position and balance of each

part of the body and the power of the effort invoved in each movement,

by developing motor skills.

Professional musicians are even able to imagine their music,

with a simple glance of the score. Imagining the music can activate the

auditory cortex at almost the same intensity as listening or producing

music, and the motor cortex is stimulated by imagining the movements

of the action to perform a song.101

Artistic interpretation is the unifying context of several elements

of musical language, such as the interpretive style of a period, tempo,

musical dynamics, rhythm, technique, to whichthe emotional part is

101Sacks, Oliver, Muzicofilia. Povestiri despre muzică și creier, Editura Humanitas, 2017, p.

87.

104

added by highlighting the mood suggested by the composer, transmitted

further to the public. All this is possible due to simultaneous cortical

connections in the two cerebral hemispheres and playing a musical

instrument is a favorable context for brain activation in a way in which

no other intellectual activity or game can do it. According to dr. Anita

Collins102, this fact allows the use of the cortical patterns at the level of

other activity areas, transformed into advantages that allow superior

performances, such as problem solving, management, planning,

strategies, detailed analysis, memory storage.

Research conducted over the last few decades in the field of

neuroscience, by employing specific instruments (Functional Magnetic

Rezonance Imaging-FMRI and Positron Emission Tomography PET)

shows that there are certain cortical areas in the brain which are

relatively isolated, responsible for the activities of language,

mathematics; but in the field of music, during listening or producing

music, many more cortical areasare activated simultaneously. In

particular, instrumental performance allows the connection of both

cerebral hemispheres using the whole body, the implicit activation of

several cortical areas that process complicated information in the same

time and perform certain sequences that occur in real time. The rational,

the mathematical, the decoding of symbols / linguistics, characteristics

of the left hemisphere, are combined with the novelty, the creativity of

the content, specific to the right hemisphere, unified by the corpus

callosum which allows the transmission of information between the two

hemispheres faster and in more diverse ways.103

102Anita Collins, Dr. Anita Collins is an educator, researcher and writer in the field of brain

development and music learning. 103Collins, Anita, How Playing an instrument benefits your brain,

https://www.ted.com/talks/anita_collins_how_playing_an_instrument_benefits_your_brain?lan

guage=en#t-9302

105

By the specificity of neuronal activity in contact with music,

listening to or playing, it seems that musicians might oftenuse

simultaneously both hemispheres of the brain compared to other people.

Due to the occurrence of these types of dynamic neural maps, there are

many benefits to the development of one’s personality by practicing

music, which can be found at the intellectual, emotional, motivational

and relational level.

Involvement in the musical field by listening to, practicing vocal

or instrumental music, requires intense activation of the brain and

provides transferable benefits in other activities as well. The

simultaneous use of the hemispheric brain provides a better

understanding of the systematic functioning of the brain and of the

benefits gained by practicing music.

Those who work in the field of education need to be aware of the

benefits brought by music, available to everyone by listening to music,

singing or playing an instrument. There are specialists in education who

accuse the verbal character of it that highlights development marked by

the left hemisphere. Considering the fact that producing music is non-

verbal and is connected with the right hemisphere, but it is one that

ensures the fast and varied transfer between the two hemispheres, is

important to conclude that the presence of music in our life has as a

general effect on the development of a balanced personality, able to

enhance her/his academic potential.104

104Ben-Tovim, Atarah, Boyd, Douglas, Op. cit., p.1.

106

107

CHAPTER IV

Musical Anthology

108

109

4.1. Collection of Children’s Songs in English

A particular case of learning due to the profound involvement of

music is learning English. Numerous researchers promote the idea of

introducing songs in order to learn a language. According to the studies

found in the literature, the presence of songs accompanied by text in

the target language increases the number of words memorised, their

persistency over time and contributes to better pronunciation.

Consequently, I have conducted various research regarding

children activities. The first step consisted in a longitudinal psycho-

pedagogic experiment structured in two samples, an experimental one

and a control one, with first graders (classes A and B).

The fundamental aim of the psycho-pedagogic approach was to

test, through practical experimental activities, and to provide arguments

in favour of the concept that music represented hereby by songs

sometimes rhythmically sustained by instruments, musical games and

rhythmic poems, all of them with lyrics in English, enables children to

learn more easily the vocabulary, idioms, different linguistic formulas

characteristic to this language.

This ergonomic learning context leads to better school

performance and the proof resides in the children’s results, the

competencies absorbed, the notable and significantly better linguistic

acquisitions achieved because of the existence of musical elements in

the English classes which brought added value to the teaching

approach.

By corroborating the results of the different means of assessment

(pre-test, post-test, re-test) existent in all of the three thematic units

underlying the psycho-pedagogic experiment, we can conclude that the

existence of music in the learning activities carried on with the pupils

110

from the experimental sample eased the absorption of the English

vocabulary and led to pronunciation enhancement, namely the

parameters aimed at within the experimental research. The results

obtained following the different types of tests were edifying, all of

them being favourable in relation to the experimental group in terms of

vocabulary and pronunciation.

The second step of the research aimed to didactically and

musically appealing and varied activities of applications in view of

learning English through music and involved the children in numerous

activities based on songs, movement and musical games based on song

and lyrics in English. This time, the age of the children involved,

ranged from 6 to 9 years old, i.e. one infant grade, one first grade and

two second grades and each group of pupils picked up several songs /

musical games.

All the participants were extremely happy with the new approach

of the English classes, and the musical elements (songs, musical games

and, aiming to the correct pronunciation, the rhythmical recitatives)

ensured the success of the activities and a favorable learning climate.

The musical training of the children was carried on through the

absorption of a set of songs and musical games based on song, all in

English, some of them performed only vocally, others accompanied by

movement, while the third category benefited from the children’s

instrumental rhythmical support aiming to the design of media

resources related to these three categories.

In line with the aforementioned observations, I hereby find fit to

present an anthology of songs in English, selected from the children’s

repertoire, on the three musical directions targeted (songs in English,

songs with instrumental rhythmical support and songs underlying

various musical games with movement), a resource that relates to

111

traditional American or British songs whose melodic line has been

adopted by the musical practices from Romania by adding lyrics in

Romanian. Other songs have been created on purpose by contemporary

composers and adapted to the age of the children thus complying with

their objective.

Table no. 4. Songs in English

No. Composer Piece Performer

1 Hap Palmer What are you doing

(Adaptaredupă What are you

wearing)

Grade II B

2 Kathryn Harper Happy Easter bunny Grade I C

3 Kathryn Harper Wash your face Grade I C

4 Anonymus Let’s have a picnic! Grade I C

5 Anonymus Birdie song Music Club

6 Pamela Conn Beall,

Susan Hagen Nipp

I’m a nut Grade II A

7 Pamela Conn Beall,

Susan Hagen Nipp

Down by the bay Music Club

4.2. Collection of Songs Rhythmically Sustained by Musical

Instruments

Singing provides a richer timbral colour when accompanied by

musical instruments, as well as an enhanced joy of the children for

producing their own music.

From this collection we hereby present a song that children love,

no matter their ages or level of their musical background.

112

Table no. 5. Songs Rhythmically Sustained by Musical Instruments

No. Composer Piece Performer

1 Pamela Conn Beall,

Susan Hagen Nipp

10 Little rabbits

(Adapted after

10 little indians)

Grade I C

2 Pamela Conn Beall,

Susan Hagen Nipp

Hey diddle diddle Music Club

3 Kathryn Harper The Halloween song Grade II A

4 Pamela Conn Beall,

Susan Hagen Nipp

Hickory Dickory Dock Grade II B

5 Traditional Strawberry juice Grade II A

6 Jane Taylor Twinkle twinkle little star Music Club

7 Pamela Conn Beall,

Susan Hagen Nipp

I love the mountains Grade II A

8 Traditional Wills on the bus Music Club

9 John S. Pierpont Jingle bells Music Club

4.3. Scenarios for Musical Games with Movement

The English language and the musical specialised literature in

English provide numerous musical or rhythmical games which, due to

their topics, relate closely to the interests of young children. Kids from

all over the world enjoy these games willing to learn English in a very

pleasant and interactive fashion. There is a series of collections of

musical games supplied by numerous authors interested in children’s

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musical education; they aim to contents that are to be absorbed in pre-

school and early school years (related to the seasons and the months of

the year, mathematical concepts-directions, dimensions, numbers,

making sums, subtractions, time, the alphabet, the human body,

animals, colours, the senses). Some of these collections are:

Pamela Conn Beall, Susan Hagen Nipp: Wee Sing – Rhymes,

Songs and Lullabies, Wee Sing – Musical Games, Rhymes and Silly

Songs, Editura Price Stern Sloan, 2002

Ken Sheldon: Sing Along&Learn, Editura Scholastic, 2006

Anna Maria Malkoç: Old favorites for all ages (songs for

learners of americanenglish), Editura United States Information

Agency, 1993

Amy Appleby, Peter Pickow, Liz Seelhoff Byrum: The library

of children’s song classics, AMSCO Publications, New York, 1993

Example 1 LITTLE PETER RABBIT (Pamela Conn Beall, Susan

Hagen Nipp: Wee Sing – Rhymes, Songs and Lullabies, Price Stern

Sloan Publishing House, 2002)

Little Peter Rabbit

Little Peter Rabbit had a fly upon his ear

Little Peter Rabbit had a fly upon his ear

Little Peter Rabbit had a fly upon his ear

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And he flicked it ‘til it flew away!

Little Peter _____ had a fly upon his

Little Peter _____ had a fly upon his

Little Peter _____ had a fly upon his

And he flicked it ‘til it flew away!

Little Peter _____ had a _____ upon his ear

Little Peter _____ had a _____ upon his ear

Little Peter _____ had a _____ upon his ear

And he flicked it ‘til it flew away!

The first stanza is learned by the children as such and according

to the previous score following the steps of learning a tune by listening

to it. Further on, with every new stanza, one word is taken out of the

text as presented in the table and is replaced by a characteristic

movement as follows:

- Rabbit is to be replaced by a movement that hints at the ears

of a bunny;

- Fly is to be replaced by a movement that hints at the way a

fly, flies.

The teacher’s main concerns are the correct intonation of the tune,

especially the ascending arpeggio sequence, as well as the children’s

ability to comply with the rhythm. Then, after having thoroughly

learned the first stanza, the song becomes a musical game per se. With

every new stanza one word is eluded and replaced by the appropriate

movement. The children are informed in regard to the rules

characteristic for each stanza and they have to comply with them as

well as they can. The final performance of the three stanzas implies

paying great attention to both words and gestures. The surprise, the

waiting and even the applauses are key constituents of the musical

game. Everybody appreciates them as they jazz up every game and a

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very important role in this regard is played by the progressive increase

of the musical tempo.

Example 2 THE FIVE SENSES SONG (Adapted from Bingo,

Anna Maria Malkoç: Old favorites for all ages – songs for learners of

American English, United States Information Agency Publishing

House, 1993)

The five senses song

Wee use five senses every day

To help us learn and play:

See, Hear, Touch, Taste, Smell

See, Hear, Touch, Taste, Smell

See, Hear, Touch, Taste, Smell

To help us learn and play!

Wee use five senses every day

To help us learn and play:

See, Hear, Touch, Taste, X (bătaie din palme)

See, Hear, Touch, Taste, X

See, Hear, Touch, Taste, X

To help us learn and play!

The five senses song

116

The song is quite easy and is made of one stanza and one chorus.

The children are to learn thoroughly the two segments accompanied by

the appropriate movements, i.e. the hand touching the corresponding

organ for each of the senses as follows: sight-eye, hearing-ear, tactile

sense-touching the desk, taste-mouth, smell-nose.

With every stanza one word to be found in the end of the chorus

is eliminated and replaced with a handclap. The last stanza will have

only handclaps instead of the chorus and due attention is to be paid to

keeping the right tempo as there is the tendency to go faster in this

strain:

Wee use five senses every day

To help us learn and play:

X, X, X, X, X,

X, X, X, X, X,

X, X, X, X, X,

To help us learn and play!

This musical game implies focus especially when it comes to the

chorus. It is of great importance to keep the tempo, to replace correctly

every sense with a handclap and to associate sense-the proper

movement-clap.

Example 3 WITCH ON HALLOWEEN (adapted from FARMER

IN THE DELL, Amy Appleby, Peter Pickow, LizSeelhoffByrum: The

library of children’s song classics, AMSCO Publications, New York,

1993).

117

Witch on Halloween

The Witch on Halloween

The Witch on Halloween

Hey, ho, trick or treat

The Witch on Halloween

The Witch choses a ghost

The Witch choses a ghost

Hey, ho, trick or treat

The Witch choses a ghost

The ghost choses a bat

The ghost choses a bat

Hey, ho, trick or treat

The ghost choses a bat

The bat choses a black cat

The bat choses a black cat

Hey, ho, trick or treat

The bat choses a black cat

Given the fact that children are fascinated by the magical and

emotional load of the feasts throughout the year, such as Halloween

and Christmas, many times traditional songs are being adapted (Farmer

in the dell) by replacing the original text with the new topic. Hence,

Farmer in the dell becomes Witch on Halloween, preserving only the

melody.

118

Following the steps of learning a song by listening to it, children

will learn first the song. After its correct intonation and compliance

with the melody and the succession of the stanzas, the rules of the game

are being explained. For this musical game the children are to be placed

in circle and, with every stanza, the same action takes place as follows:

one child is designated as the witch and he/she chooses a ghost, another

child, the ghost chooses a bat, another child, the bat chooses a black

cat, choosing therefore another child. A human chain is thus formed

surrounding the circle from the outside. The song is to be repeated for

as many times as needed until just one person remains from the initial

circle who may be the witch when the game starts and the lyricsmay be

continued with other characters.

Children are thrilled with this musical game because it involves a

lot of action, it strengthens friendships, it develops coordination of

movements and it brings joy and satisfaction.

Musical education contributes to the complex growth of the child,

developing various directions. Every musical strain, whether it is being

listened to or performed, introduces the child to a different learning

context via new ideas, feelings which result in the children’s spiritual

enrichment, their capacity to perceive how the world works, it

stimulates intellectual development, it outlines the proper attitudes of

future adults, it nourishes artistic sensitivity thorough the ability to feel.

Musical activities also have a positive impact on the physical

development of children. The means employed in musical education,

119

songs, listening to musical strains, easy musical games or with songs

children sing, often accompanied by movement, contribute to the

physiological development of the respiratory, vocal system and ensure

better blood flow. To all these roles musical education plays, another

very important one needs to be added, namely to bring joy to the ones

who practice music, whether it is singing or playing it, context in which

most children feel peers with the adult who is training them in the

process of creating music.

Other musical games and songs accompanied by movement are

presented hereof:

Table no. 6. Musical games and songs accompanied by movement

No. Composer Piece Performer

1 Traditional Witch on Halloween

(Adaptation from

Farmer in the dell)

Grade I C

2 Traditional Head, shoulders,

knees and toes

Grade I C

3 Anonymous Big-little Music Club

4 Pamela Conn

Beall, Susan

Hagen Nipp

Little Peter Rabbit Grade II A

5 Pamela Conn

Beall, Susan

Hagen Nipp

Skidamarinka dink Music Club

6 Pamela Conn

Beall, Susan

Hagen Nipp

Hockey pokey Grade II A

7 Anonymous Animal song Grade II B

8 Pamela Conn

Beall, Susan

Hagen Nipp

Five Senses

(Adaptation from

Bingo)

Grade II B

9 Traditional Wheels on the bus Music Club

120

4.4. Impressions of Music from a Subjective Perspective –

Questionnaire

The existence of music in our life is inherent, no matter the daily

activities we carry on: within educational institutions or in our spare

time.

Following the musical activities carried on with children, both

within the psycho-pedagogical experiment and in view of learning a

consistent repertoire of songs and musical games in English, various

principles took shape, conclusion-type principles reflected by a

quantitative and qualitative analysis of the musical instances organised.

Conspicuous results were registered following the filling in of a

questionnaire which identifies the impact music had at an emotional-

affective level; the respondents were 101 children 6 to 9 years old

(infant grade, 1st and 2nd grade).

In regard to learning English with the help of music, children

were extremely delighted by the new approach of the English classes

by means of music. The musical elements (songs, musical games with

movement, games in view of the right pronunciation, rhythmical

recitatives, rhythmic support of various songs with the help of musical

instruments) ensured the success of the activities and a supportive

climate of pupil learning.

The pupils’ attitude during the musical games as well as during

the varied performance of songs including the use of instruments, was a

positive one; they were very interested in taking part in the activities

wishing to explore the mysteries of the musical universe through as

better performances as possible in order to gain the appreciation of the

121

people around them, pupils and teacher. The atmosphere of maximum

intensity, laden with positive emotions of joy, the satisfaction of the

immediate result of one’s work, the wish to perform and improve

continuously, all these led to the creation of an atmosphere of pleasure

and good humour.

Music has the extraordinary capacity to have a direct and

immediate emotional impact. The existence of musical instruments

during activities produced an explosive reaction at the beginning due to

the peculiarity of the approach, direct involvement in handling the

instruments and the immediate results of the work led to numerous

satisfactions and the wish for continuous improvement therefore

contributing to the positive feeling in regard to the class. The desire for

instrumental accompaniment of the songs had existed prior to its

introduction during classes; it was visible in the practical representation

of the gesture (imagining the musical instruments) or in improvising in

instruments by using the fingers or pencils.

The questionnaire (Annex 2) comprised five questions aiming to

one’s pleasure to express himself / herself musically but also to the

importance of music within the activities of learning English.

Structurally, it was based on 5 items with closed or open questions,

with unique or multiple answer as described in the following lines.

Answering the first question, Do you like to speak or sing in

English?, children (except for two of them) expressed their preferences

for activities based on song aiming to acquire knowledge and improve

pronunciation in English compared to having a conversation in this

language. The following diagram is compelling in this regard as it

depicts the way the song, preferred by 98% of the respondents, with all

its psychological implications and means of achievement, fulfils the

ideal conditions in the children’s view.

122

Diagram no. 1. Preference for the singing activity

The second request implies the quantification of the manner in

which the three forms of carrying on the learning process through

music were perceived as emotion, namely: the song, the song

accompanied rhythmically by instruments and songs based on musical

games that imply movement. The results are showcased in the

following table:

Table no. 7. Appreciation of the musical elements featured during the

activities

Musical Element Number of

answers

Percentage

Song 2 3%

Song and instruments 35 40%

Song with games and movement 9 10%

Song / Song and instruments 4 4%

Song / Song with games and

movement

2 3%

Song and instruments / Song with

games and movement

40 44%

Song /

Song and instruments/

Song with games and movement

9 10%

123

In order to answer this question, children were allowed to choose

more than one answer; the study considered the children who circled

the song itself, but also the song accompanied by instruments or

movement or even all three options. Worthy of note is the children’s

preference for the existence of instruments in their musical activities

which resulted in a percentage as high as 40%, but also for movement

as it provides the proper context for expressing eurhythmy through

music hence ensuring a harmonious growth, both physical and

psychological, amounting to 44% of the respondents.

The importance of the song accompanied by instruments during

classes was the item of the third question. The children’s answers had a

palette of 5 options expressed through suggestive emoticons, ranging

from not at all pleasant to excellent expressed by a very generous

smile. The answers indicated prevalently the preference for the song

accompanied by instruments, the children using only scores 3, 4, 5 as

hallmarks; their corresponding percentages are presented in the

diagram below:

Diagram no. 2. Importance of instruments in the activity

The fourth request aimed to the children’s attitude in regard to the

existence or lack of musical activities during English classes. Only one

respondent gave a negative reply to musical activities, while the others

were pleased with the existence of music in their life.

124

The last item also provided the opportunity for open answers; the

children were able to choose another type of activity involving music

apart from the ones they had already been engaged in. This gave them

the possibility to express their desire to form small music ensembles

(bands), a framework that provides the proper opportunity for both

performers and public to express themselves through vocal or

instrumental music. Some were willing to learn thoroughly to play a

musical instrument (the piano, the violin, drums, the guitar, the

panpipes, the harmonica); others preferred to express themselves

artistically through modern dance.

Worthy of note is the conclusion that music, whether it is vocal or

instrumental, along with dance and movement, is a wished for

phenomenon, expected with interest to become part of children’s life,

not only to enhance the variety of school or daily activities, but also for

its beneficial effects on the cognitive and emotional development of

children of all ages. Children have always felt the pleasure to sing or

play an instrument and the need for harmonic and rhythmic

accompaniment of the melodies has been expressed out loud with

plenty enthusiasm. To the question What did you think of the song

accompanied by instruments?, children replied by using visual

expressions such as: “more melodic”, “more emotionally charged”,

“like at a concert”, “more beautiful”, “more complete”. The children’s

musical universe may be completed by such challenges which bring

immediate and long term satisfaction. They also result in the

development of melodic, harmonic and rhythmic perception, in the

desire to master an instrument, the curiosity to explore the timbral

musical universe; in fact, all these are the coordinates by which the

child manages to approach music, to understand it and then to enjoy its

existence.

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CONCLUSIONS

Following solid research in regard to the constant presence of

music in the life of the human being and to the peculiarities of the

learning process, we may emphasize that music through its multiple

dimensions is a key factor in the evolution and development of human

intelligence, in the growth of a harmonious personality as well as in

learning English; music acts as resource, means and content within the

learning process.

Carrying on efficient musical education and bringing joy at the

same time depends on the thoroughness and devotion of every teacher.

A small ensemble can be formed with small percussion and wind

instruments (the recorder) to which body movements may be added;

national folklore may therefore be capitalized on and thus music classes

may become more colorful. This method is both efficient and appealing

in view of solving the issues of the curriculum and of applying the

contents related to the elements of the musical language, also aimed to

by educational reform.

The current trends in didactics aim to individual progress, to

provide a wide range of learning methods and strategies each of them

being able to choose the proper option for their own personality. The

complementary contexts in which human personality is formed, non-

formal and informal, along with the formal educational environment

carrying the heaviest weight, encourage the transfer of knowledge and

allow for the emergence of strong cross-curricular bonds that are

extremely important in contemporary pedagogy.

Researchers have demonstrated for decades now the fundamental

role of music in relation to the development of the human brain

126

highlighting its beneficial influences on an ensemble of psychological

processes, at affective-motivational-volitive level but first and foremost

on the cognitive area (spatial reasoning, mathematical predisposition,

enhancement of communication skills, attainment of psychomotor

performances) which apparently do not share overlaps with the musical

field.

The introduction of music in daily activities as far as the

extracurricular environment is concerned along with classes of musical

education or instrument playing represents an ergonomic context of

learning and leads to better school performances. Voice and singing,

specific human traits that set the human being apart from all the other

beings, along with the skill to produce, perceive and cherish music,

highlight even more the bond that exists between this miraculous

universe and the human being. The constant study of musical

instruments, either as a hobby or in view of a future profession,

contributes to unique neuronal connections which allow for the

simultaneous activation of the two hemispheres of the brain.

The theory of multiple intelligences puts each individual in the

spotlight according to their genetic code and their predisposition and

affinity for a field of activity. Highlighting and studying thoroughly the

direction a person manifests a natural tendency to are crucial aspects in

terms of personal satisfaction and in order to achieve notable

performances, instead of recuperating one’s less developed side. In this

sense, music has provided over time numerous remarkable personalities

but achieving overall musical education is also important both from a

vocal or instrumental point of view.

The present work emphasised an important connexion that exists

between musical and linguistic intelligence which actually points out

127

the similarity between the two fields. Using musical elements, songs,

didactic games and instruments in learning the mother tongue and

especially when learning a foreign language, notable long-lasting

linguistic acquisitions are achieved resulting in added value of the

teaching approach. The superior communication skills matured in this

way are transferable to all of the subjects, pertaining both to the

scientific field as well as to arts and humanities and they underlie the

growth of the child’s complex personality.

The benefits of associating the mother tongue or a foreign

language with music and songs accompanied by lyrics in the respective

language are two-fold. Early musical stimulation following the

exposure of children to as many and as varied musical contexts, favours

the future development of their linguistic competences due to the

assertion and development of an enhanced auditory perception, of a

more refined phonematic ear and of the auditory memory which

contribute to a better retention of syntagms, of the vocabulary but also

to an increased fidelity of pronunciation. Linguistic intelligence,

expressed through the easiness and effectiveness of using both spoken

and written language, through the correctness of grammar analyses, an

enhanced sensitivity for sounds and phonology, for phrase structures or

syntax, semantics, contributes to the development of superior musical

skills, to the achievement of qualitative and complex musical analyses

due to the similar cortical functioning of the two systems of

communication.

Another beneficial level, seemingly unusual, in human

development, consists in the point of convergence of the musical field

with the mathematical one, the one of the exact sciences. Logical-

mathematical intelligence and the musical one have overlaps in

128

numerous musical contexts: rhythm (measures, duration, rests), tempo,

archetypal forms, notes, intervals, harmony. The numbers are the

expression of musical calculations which help the composer or the

performer to configure musical works that the listener enjoys

contributing to the growth of an artistic personality.

Result of the studies conducted in the field point out the fact that

the presence of music in the learning activities, in different fields of

knowledge, optimizes this process and leads to richer and long-lasting

acquisitions. Furthermore, the people involved systematically in the

qualitative process of musical education develop enhanced memory

skills compared to the ones who do not practice music, get better

results at language, mathematics, science standardized test and display

superior aptitudes in solving problems compared to non-musicians. The

practice of music, whether it is vocal, instrumental or listening to

musical strains, demands an intense activation of the brain and provides

a better understanding of its systematic functioning and of the benefits

to mental health and the increase of the quality of life.

The subjects “Music and Movement” and “Musical Education”

(terminology employed in relation to different age stages) as field of

aesthetic and creative education, by the traits that are characteristic to

it, provide opening towards disciplinarity as through songs, listening to

musical strains and musical games; hence, conspicuous aspects

pertaining to different specialised areas being conveyed. The

correlation of the acquisitions made within the different school subjects

may favour a systematisation of the pieces of information specific to

the fields of study aiming to the growth of a unitary system of

knowledge. The results will endure over time and will boost interest in

regard to the class if the teacher is concerned with proposing varied

129

activities based on diverse and appealing contents, materials and

didactic means that comply with the features that are specific to the

children’s age and that require the harmonious participation of the

entire body in terms of intellect, action and affection.

130

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Webography:

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brain,https://www.ted.com/talks/anita_collins_how_playing_an

_instrument_benefits_your_brain?language=en#t-9302

51. Fossil Rock Anthem,

http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2016/05/02/476419823/can-

songs-help-you-learn-scientific-concepts

52. Importanța muzicii în viața ta,

http://www.pianoaround.com/the-importance-of-music-in-your-

life/

53. Influenţa mass-media, http://influentamass-

media.blogspot.ro/2011/12/influenta-mass-media-asupra-

tinerilor.html

54. Institutul Dalcroze Romania, http://dalcroze.ro/misiunea-

noastra/

55. Levitsky, Mike, 16 Benefits of Playing an Instrument,

https://pianopower.org/16-benefits-of-playing-an-instrument/

56. Obiective și competențe în realizarea curriculumului,

http://documents.tips/documents/obiective-si-competente.html

57. STEM,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science,_technology,_engineering

,_and_mathematics

58. Taking Music Lessons As A Child Could Physically Change

Your Brain, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/music-

lessons-brain-child-physical-changes_n_4260917.html

59. Brain Hemispheres,

https://sites.google.com/site/pyschwebsite/brain-hemispheres

60. The functions of the brain,

http://www.brainwaves.com/index.html

134

Annex 1

Instruments designed to optimise musical activities

(Orff Instrumentarium)

A. Instruments with indeterminate pitch of the sound,

producing “noise”

A1. Wood Instruments

Wood Blocks

Wooden Cylinder Block

Claves

Castanets

Pinwheel

Instruments taken from jazz: temple blocks, maracas, guiro

A.2. Metal Instruments

Triangle

Big cymbals, cinelli

Rattle Instruments

A.3. Skin Instruments

Hand drum

Cymbals

Small drum

Big drum

135

B. Instruments with determinate pitch of the sound, producing

“musical sounds”

B.1. Skin Instruments

Timpani (the kind with metallic semispherical base and

the kind with wooden cylinder-body)

B.2. Barred Instruments

Xylophone (with one-row wooden bars; hard felt or

rubber-headed mallets are used; they provide a short and

acute sound, clear and pleasant)

Metallophone or glockenspiel (metal-barred xylophone;

felt or woollen-headed mallets are used; it produces

warm, closed sounds with prolonged resonance)

Musical hand bells (with bars made of stainless steel;

wooden or rubber-headed mallets are used; they produce

the most acute and high-pitched sounds)

B.3. Glass Instruments

Cone-shaped glasses (chosen so that each of them

produces a sound of the scale after being struck; the

glasses are struck with wooden-headed mallets for rattle

games)

136

Annex 2

Questionnaire in view of assessing the teaching activity

1. Do you like to speak or sing in English?

2. What did you like the most?

To sing To sing accompanied

by instruments To sing and dance

3. Which emoticon suits you best when it comes to singing

accompanied by instruments?

4. Would you like to have more musical activities?

YES NO

5. Which musical activities would you like to take part in?

singing Playing an

instrument Song and

dance others

(which

ones?)