STEFANA TITEICA - Mozart and Today’s Children
Abstract
It is widely reported in the Western world that today’s children have poor listening skills and short attention spans. Combined with the low status of music in general education, the current young generation are at risk of losing out on any appreciation of classical music and the opportunity it provides to learn to listen. Mozart is known to all and his iconic status as well as the popularity of some of his works could provide a gateway for children to classical music. In order to effectively introduce Mozart and his music to children, active engagement and exploration is favored over verbal information. Examples of verbal, kinesthetic and purely musical activities are presented, in which children can explore samples of Mozart’s music. This approach fosters an improved ability to listen and concentrate for longer. The role of children’s books about Mozart’s life is also discussed.
Keywords
children, classical music, Mozart, active engagement, attentive listening