Research at University of Bath (MBA)

(According to Financial Times 22. Oct. 2001, overall quality of Bath MBA belongs to the first 2.8% in the World)

• Evidence suggests that children should absorb classical music at a very early age in order to maintain this interest into adulthood. Therefore, the aim is to awaken and retain children’s interest in classical piano music.
• Classical music does a lot of good for young children. This is particularly applicable to the piano, a simple instrument that carries with it a holistic sense of melody and harmony, an instrument that can aid awareness of how music is put together.

There is considerable literature supporting this last statement:

• Stipp (1995) suggests that early musical training activates and enhances cognitive processes involved in language and reasoning.
• On June 17, 2002, Metro quotes an Associated Press report which warns that scientists studying the brain have concluded that without early training the gift of “perfect pitch” will be lost.
• Parks (2002) also recalls that scientists have proved that professional musicians have more grey matter.
• Rauscher et al I (1993) demonstrated using college students, that listening to a Mozart sonata induces and facilitates short-term spatial reasoning.
• Rauscher et al II (1993) extends this to suggest that musical training of three-year-olds provides long-term enhancement of non-verbal cognitive abilities which are, according to Wynn (1992), already present at significant levels in infants. Further well known benefits to children that must be mentioned include the development of discipline, self-confidence and self-determination in regard to various achievements later in life.

Knowledge that:

• listening to classical piano music and playing the piano have much value for a child’s development (these include as cognitive, intellectual, body and mind coordination, discipline, self-confidence and self-determination)
• classical piano music events in a position to bring children closer to the piano and piano music currently fail in entertainment and education
• inspired MBA Dissertation work at University of Bath “Harnessing Children’s Interest in Music of the Piano”. Thorough field research based on a very extensive literature review and vast amount of music expertise involved have produced the following conclusions:

“Persuasion of children’s interest in classical piano music is currently very much neglected not only by school curriculum but parents too. Fun-days affordability does not appear to be an issue these days. Regardless of income, parents regularly take children to “fun events” such as pantomimes, children’s theatre, concerts, and other similar events…

…Marina’s Concerts for Children is a new concept of harnessing children’s interest in music of the piano. These Concerts have been carefully designed to satisfy current theoretical criteria to meet children’s expectations (e.g. play and immediate gratification) and also parents’ expectations (clear future benefits for their children). The emphasis put on children’s desire to play, and the firm connection between music, attention and action has proved to be successful and children have responded with great enthusiasm. Visual action was closer to children’s own play experience where actions speak louder than words. The design of such performances motivated children to focus and concentrate. Therefore this combination of action and music encouraged children to actively participate and learn to differentiate between music played. Therefore in response to theoretical analysis and research design, field results show that Marina’s Concerts for Children are entertaining and educational. This is confirmed by the interviews with children, parents and teachers, selected festival organizers (such as Harare International Festival of Arts 2003), Steinway & Sons and many other parties who helped development of this methodology”.