UQ School of Music researcher Professor Margaret Barrett led a creative thinktank that examined how music impacts development in the early stages of our life.
Co-created by Professor Barrett, Professor Graham Welch, and Katherine Zeserson, the event brought together researchers, practitioners, advocates, policy-makers and education professionals to consider:
- What is known, what is contested and what is unknown about the impacts of music on wellbeing in the early years?
- What are the barriers to effective early years music education in the home, community and pre-school settings
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of current early years music provision?
- What training and support is needed for practitioners?
- What research questions are arising for further investigation?
The discussion embraced a wide range of wellbeings, including physical, psychological, emotional, social, educational and musical.
Discussions indicated that:
(1) engaging successfully in music pre-school is likely to bring additional developmental benefits, and;
(2) that this is especially likely to be the case where the adults involved (parents, carers, teachers, assistants) are enabled to develop insightful values and beliefs about such benefits. This creates a virtuous circle to enable and foster both musical and wider development.
