Songs are taught, songs are learnt: musical preferences in early childhood

ABSTRACT

This study analyses the musical preferences of children in early childhood education. It also strives to determine the learning environment where these preferences develop, as well as to identify both teachers’ and families’ degree of knowledge of these preferences. The study was conducted in four Spanish autonomous communities: the Basque Country, Cantabria, the Community of Valencia and the Balearic Islands. A total of 286 five-year-old children, their parents and their teachers participated. The analytical design consisted of a threefold interview through which we gathered and compared the information obtained. The genres and sub-genres of music that the children prefer emerged from the analysis of the results, as well as the influence of each learning environment. Likewise, information is provided on the percentage of parents and teachers who are aware of the children’s musical preferences.

KEYWORDS:

• Musical preferences
• learning contexts
• musical repertoire
• early childhood education

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Professor Maravillas Díaz-Gómez, from University of the Basque Country, Spain, for her support and advices during the research processes.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Cristina Arriaga-Sanz is teacher of Music Pedagogy and has got a PhD in Philosophy and Educational Sciences. She is currently Full Professor in the area of Didactics of the Musical Expression at the University of the Basque Country, Spain. She is author of several publications on motivation in music learning in primary education, mainly in its relation with teachers’ performance and the interactions that occur during music education practices. She has also researched on traditional music and its didactic approach, and on the use of multimedia resources in the artistic education for pre-service teachers.

María-Elena Riaño-Galán, formally trained as a pianist, is currently lecturing Music Education at the University of Cantabria, Spain, in the Bachelor Degree for Primary School Teachers and in the Master of Research and Innovation in Educational Contexts. She has got a PhD in Philosophy and Educational Sciences. She has also been in charge of the Musical Management in this university (2009–2012) as well as being President of the Society for the Musical Education of the Spanish State, SEM-EE (2006–2011), affiliated to ISME. Her interests are related to Creativity, Musical Education in early childhood and Interdisciplinary Projects. She has published articles in specialised journals, edited some books and collaborated writing some chapters in others. She is presently working on a nationwide Project researching on the musical heritage.

Alberto Cabedo-Mas is currently lecturing Music and Education at the University Jaume I of Castellón, Spain. He studied music, with a speciality in violin, at the Music Conservatory in Castellón and got a Master’s degree in Music at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, in Tallinn, Estonia, and a Master’s degree in Peace Studies, Conflict and Development at the University Jaume I of Castellón, Spain. He obtained his PhD at this University. He is author of several publications in books and specialised journals. He is co-director of the journal Eufonía: Didáctica de la Música. His research interests include music education, musical heritage, coexistence, interculturality and the transmission of music across cultures.

Noemy Berbel-Gómez is currently lecturing at the University of the Balearic Islands, Spain. She obtained a PhD in Educational Research and Innovation in this University. She has a Degree in Music, in the specialities of Piano; Music Theory; Transposition and Accompaniment; Music Pedagogy; and Harmony, Counterpoint and Composition at the Conservatorio Superior de Música of the Balearic Islands. She has also a Degree in Economics in the University of the Balearic Islands. Her research interests focus on music education, creativity and interdisciplinarity and evaluation of educational centres. She has presented several works at national and international conferences, and has published articles in books and specialised journals.

Notes

1. The author of the questionnaire and survey protocol was Dr Silvia Malbrán, who was a member of the research team that performed the following studies in Argentina and Spain: Malbrán, S., M. Díaz, and M. Mónaco. 2013a. Preferencias Musicales Infantiles. Visiones del maestro, los padres y los niños [Early Childhood Musical Preferences. Perspective of the Teacher, Parents and Children]. Buenos Aires: EECOM; and Malbrán, S., M. Díaz, and M. Mónaco. 2013b. Investigación en Educación Musical. Desarrollo de un protocolo de entrevista [Musical Education Research. Developing an Interview Protocol]. Chile: Conferencia Iberoamericana de ISME. In this study, only the results from the Spanish sample group are used.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [grant number HAR2011-30164-C03-03], to the project entitled Music, dance and ritual in the Ibero-American encounter. The shared heritage and its importance in Education.