3 Specific Responses To Music

Here are the responses to music from a child that I might see within a music group in each music developmental level

Awareness- track sound of moving instrument with eyes/ and or head, reaching toward source of sound with arms, and changing vocalizations in response to unpleasant sounds.
Trust-Making purposeful, pitched vocalizations, using descending intervals in melodic contour, and locating sounds in the distance.
Independence- using repeated sounds, clapping hands, and matching intensity of movements to intensity of music.
Control- Singing intervals of 2nd, minor and major 3rd. 4ths, and 5ths, using spontaneous song fragments, and using varied vocal dynamics.
Responsibility-uses pulse when moving musically, maintains play of instrument within a group, and sings in both the major and minor keys.

Awareness:
Reaching for the music: Turning towards sounds, look away from sounds, move limbs
Vocalizing including breath sounds (sighs)
Move body part rhythmically
Trust:
Descending melodic contour in vocalizations
Matches pitch
Turns towards or away from the music
Explores instruments touch, feel, shake, hold, mouth with different parts of their bodies
Independence:
Touches, explores and maneuvers instruments
Pass instrument from hand to hand
Isolating body movements (hands, feet, head etc) to music
Control:
Dances spontaneously to music
Will follow along with movements modeled and imitate clapping
Pounding and/or banging on a drum
Responsibility:
Can match and maintain a steady beat
Can follow sequence of movements
Stops and listens to the musical play of others

Awareness
turning toward the source of sound or instrument
recognizing the sound of a parent’s voice
Calm to familiar melodies, including ones they may have heard in utero

Trust
Reach out to touch instruments, exploring with their mouths and hands
Move body parts in response to the music
Purposeful vocalizations in response to singing

Independence
Claps hands
Uses hands to play instruments like guitar and piano
Simple whole body movement patterns like rocking, bouncing

Control
Adjust vocal dynamics to match the dynamics of the music (soft, loud are so fun at this stage!)
Use individual fingers to play piano or guitar
Start and stop instruments in response to music (one of my favorites!)

Responsibility
Use individual fingers (on dominant hand) to play piano
Singing and playing at the same time
Retrieving/choosing and putting instruments away

Awareness: infants can turn their heads toward or away from music depending on their preference, maintaining eye contact with music making person to absorb in the sounds, and reaching out towards the sound

Trust: Infants can begin sweeping their eyes around the room and looking from sound to sound, exploring instruments with hands and mouths, deciding when to stop and start music by turning their heads away or looking away

Independence: fulling grasping instruments and striking instruments with hands, changing babble/pitch of sounds to begin mimicking conversation, imitate rhythm

Control: imitating words more than matching pitch now, beginnings of structured movements through dance, generally have fast movements and rhythm, not necessarily out of control

Responsibility: maintains steady beat, can wait their turn while another child is playing an instrument, lead the group