Musicality engages the musical mind, body, and soul in exciting music making. Children LOVE being musical. Typical classroom music activities and choral activities are not necessarily musical, and students often tune out. Activities about musical instruments, composers, musical styles, music history, and music theory teach ABOUT music. They do not teach music. Activities that are dominated by the teacher talking are not musical—even if the musical content is worthy. Activities for vocal technique that engage the body and the thinking mind, without the musical mind, are not musical. Going over text for meaning or pronunciation is not musical. Activities that employ scarves, hoops, and other props can be delightful vehicles for the delivery of musical content, but too often the props dominate the music, or the music itself is not worthy of children’s artistry.
Students’ musical minds are compelled by meters, tonalities, movement, and quality song literature. Do a “musical reality check” and increase the level of musicality in your classroom. Diminish verbal instructions and teaching ABOUT music. Choose quality song literature. Engage in movement. Be expressive musically. Find the excitement in the energy of the line. Become the song. Develop activities that engage the musical mind, body and soul in exciting music making. Unleash your own musicality. Rekindle what brought you into this field, and you will light the fire of your young community of artists.
