I am always surprised when people think that they are not musical. Consider the following thoughts with me. Nada Brahma, sound is creation, is written in the ancient Vedas. ‘First there was the word’ is written in the bible. In science we talk about ‘the big bang’ as the start of the universe. Everything produces sound and is born from sound. Even the universe we live in. Understand that every living being is musical. If we would not possess an inborn sense of rhythm, our hearts would not beat a perfect rhythm. We literally have strings in our throat, our vocal chords, that can vibrate to create sound: our voice. And most of us have access to these inborn instruments. We all have a sense of melody and rhythm. If we would not have a sense of melody, our voices would be monotone like a robot.
When this inborn talent is cultivated and nurtured, we can create and appreciate music. That is where music education starts; the acknowledgement that we are ALL musical beings. There is not any culture known in the world that does not have its own form of music. Music for prayer and mindfulness. Music for community gatherings in song and dance. Music is everywhere around us, but we often do not make full use of its power. Music in its most restrictive way is only seen as entertainment and part of the ‘entertainment industry’. In this scenario, music is approached only as a ‘performing art’. It is this limited and limiting approach to music that has clouded the minds of politicians, educators, parents and schools on what the role of music could be in education. It is this attitude that immediately dismisses the importance music education can play in the overall development of children.
It also divides children and later adults in ‘talented’ and ‘non talented’. I have met innumerable adults that think that they are ‘just not talented’ in music. Why? Because someone told them when they were young that they ‘could not sing’ ‘ had no talent in instrument playing’ or were met with indifference of teachers towards music education. That perceived lack in talent is seen as a good enough reason not to pursue any form of music education, which has deprived them of countless invaluable lessons that music education can teach. Discipline, academic skills, social skills, fine motor skills, reading skills, language skills, leadership skills. The list is endless. This is one of the reasons that we created Sangeet4All Music Education Framework. A music program that honours our inborn musicality and makes use of it in education. I will share more insights about the role music and music education can play for the entire school community in the next weeks.
Comentários