The validity and efficacy of ‘Spheres of Musical Understanding: A Fluid, Situational and Context-Specific Model’

The purpose of this article is to propose a model for the development of musical understanding that is fluid, situational and context-specific and to investigate the model’s validity. The model was developed through observations while teaching, viewing video recordings of young children in interactive music environments, analysing other models and theories of development of musical understanding, and discussion and reflection on our own practice and that of others. In this article, we present the model, comparing and contrasting it primarily with Gordon’s theories of Preparatory Audiation and Audiation and Voyajolu and Ockelford’s Sounds of Intent model. For this initial validation of the model, two early childhood music researchers independently observed a video recording of one 3-year-old child during a 60-minute preschool music class, documenting his musical responses and initiations as well as periods where there was seemingly a lack of musical engagement. We labelled each response in association with the model, as appropriate. Through this study, we were able to explain the child’s engagements through the lens of the model; it was clear the hypothesis of a fluid model was supported. Refinements to the model for easier use were recommended as well as conducting observations of children in other situations and contexts.