My first UK MLT friend and the joys of Music Play
Another great positive that came from doing the GIML online short course in ECM (Early Childhood Music), was that I met the wonderful Trish Cummings, who teaches Music Play and piano in South East London, just a few miles away from me. She sent me a message while we were on the Zoom course, and we got chatting. We are both members of The Curious Piano Teachers, and we both have a passion for MLT. Trish got started with MLT earlier than I did, and just went for it!
Being inexperienced with baby/toddler music in general, and wanting to see what real life Music Play might look like with real children, I asked Trish if it might be possible for me to observe her teaching Music Play, which she was very kind in allowing me to do. I think I have been to her class three times now, and she has been happy to let me participate too. With MLT, early years music is stimulating for everyone in the room - I had the double whammy of enjoying the experience just for what it was, like everyone else, but also getting to notice the elements and processes involved that were familiar to me from my study of MLT - tonal activity, rhythm activity, locomotor movement, self space, locrian tonality, then something in uneven metre, then scarves - etc - as Trish went through different activities, many of which involved fun props. The parents/caregivers are guided to make music together with Trish (sometimes in 4-5 parts) around the children, who may respond how they wish. Improvisation is highly encouraged and responded to, in both the adults and children. There is a LOT of movement with flow. Lots of resting tone, some tonal patterns and rhythm patterns. And silence too.
After the sessions Trish and I talked for ages about it all. Trish has noticed parents coming out of music babble themselves (a lot of adults are themselves still in preparatory audiation, due to an inconsistent music education), through attending sessions with their child, over the course of a year or so. She is pleased with how the children are progressing, many of them reportedly recall songs and improvise musical ideas at home, and I certainly saw a lot of engagement from everyone.
Early Childhood Music in MLT is not something I will try to fully explain here, as there is a lot to it. But, in short, it is about preparing students through what is called 'Informal Guidance' to move through the stages of preparatory audiation. Audiation is a cognitive process by which the brain gives meaning to musical sounds. When students are able to imitate tonal and rhythmic patterns with accuracy, and coordinate their breath and movement with those responses, then they are considered to be ready to begin formal instruction, but in the lead up to this, they are in Preparatory Audiation. The Music Play curriculum is designed, through presenting a series of varied activities with highly contrasting short songs and chants to bring children through those preparatory audiation stages gently and in a fun, engaging way. I think the Music Play books are a work of art! And once you see how it works, you can also make up your own songs and activities, or adapt things from elsewhere. With informal guidance, you don't force engagement, you don't tell children if a response doesn't make sense to you, you simply make music and allow others to engage with you, you make eye contact, you respond to their responses, you model musical being and flow in your body, and the children (and adults!) absorb it in their own time. You all have fun, and the children may just listen at first, and do nothing, which is ok. They might try making sounds or moving in a way that doesn't seem to reflect what is going on, that's ok, too. They might be engaging loads, volunteering responses confidently and singing songs at home, and then in the class they might stop and stare, and look cross. That's one of the stages too. It's so cool, and absolutely fascinating.
So, in summary, these are things that I like about ECM in MLT:
1) It challenges the musicianship of everyone involved- class leaders need to be able to sing tunes and tonal patterns in all tonalities, chants and tunes and rhythm patterns in all metres, improvise freely and spontaneouly from a child's response, stay in tune without an instrument although instruments can (and should) be used sometimes, have many songs and a lesson plan memorised, facilitate part work with caregivers. It is never boring for any musician to teach and you need to be an excellent musician, like Trish. Also, all the leaping around is good exercise.
2) Watching young children go through the stages of preparatory audiation is AMAZING, and it is fun to try and identify the stages as they happen.
3) Nothing is forced. Children learn at their own pace while having fun, after all, they are naturally musical. When immersed in a richly musical environment, they develop musical skills effortlessly.
For more information please see the GIML website.