Embodiment, sound and visualization: A multimodal perspective in music education

Abstract

Recently, many studies have emphasized the role of body movements in processing, sharing and giving meaning to music. At the same time, neuroscience studies, suggest that different parts of the brain are integrated and activated by the same stimuli: sounds, for example, can be perceived by touch and can evoke imagery, energy, fluency and periodicity. This interaction of auditory, visual and motor senses can be found in the verbal descriptions of music and among children during their spontaneous games. The question to be asked is, if a more multisensory and embodied approach could redefine some of our assumptions regarding musical education. Recent research on embodiment and multimodal perception in instrumental teaching could suggest new directions in musical education. Can we consider the integration between the activities of body movement, listening, metaphor visualization, and singing, as more effective than a disembodied and fragmented approach for the process of musical understanding?