Songs are the life blood of the music classroom. They pilot rhythm and tonal skills in flight. They are the voice of children’s artistry. Children deserve song literature that reflects, employs, and develops music learning at all ages and stages.
Instrumental music requires musical material of increasing difficulty that engages and challenges developing technique at every level. Traditionally, however, our field has not adhered to the same standard for children vocally. Words to songs often guide song choices more than anything related to the music or to music learning. Words speak to the thinking mind. Songs that compel the musical mind impel children to rise above the judgmental thinking mind and receive the songs as musicians, with musicality as the driving force.
Once children are ready for Bach and Schubert, the whole vocal repertoire opens up to them, but children’s artistry deserves so much more on the way to Bach and Schubert. With language, children don’t have to wait until they are old enough for Shakespeare to engage in quality literature. They are exposed to the full spectrum of literature at every level of development. Some is simply for fun. At the other end of the spectrum is fine poetry—with its imagery, sound sense, and artistry. Somewhere in between is quality prose—more sophisticated than email, yet not such high art as poetry.
Music literature for children should offer the same opportunity for growth throughout childhood. Some songs are simply for fun. At the other end of the spectrum—the poetry of song literature—are Art Songs, which invite sheer musicality and take singers of every age and stage into another realm. Somewhere in between are the quality prose, what we might call “Gem Songs”— little gems that feed developing musicianship (G-E-M, Growing Expressive Musicians). We will always do songs that attract the thinking mind, but children deserve songs that attract the musical mind. A steady diet of Art Songs and Gem Songs at every age and stage of development feeds music learning, nurtures vocal development, and inspires children’s artistry.
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