Research
In celebration of 10th anniversary year of Chamber Tots in the Community, Wigmore Hall, in partnership with Exeter University, commissioned a research report by Dr Susan Young and Dr Victoria Rowe on the effect of Chamber Tots which is published today.
It emphasizes Wigmore Hall’s conviction in the intrinsic benefits of music for the humanitarian, aesthetic, imaginative and emotional education of all children.
Download the full report and summary report:
Published: 3 February 2010
Summary of Chamber Tots research outcomes
The main strengths of the Chamber Tots project were found to lie in the exceptional musical experiences the project offers, raising the level of musical provision in the early year’s settings and impacting on the longer term provision of musical experiences for the children. The support and training of early years staff is also a main priority for the team; the aim being to leave staff equipped with the confidence and skills to lead musical activities themselves on into the future.
The CT Programme provides children with enrichment experiences that would not normally be available to them: the activities and performances by high quality musicians and the participatory concert occasion at the Wigmore Hall.
One of the distinctive elements of Chamber Tots was found to be the strong structure of the programme’s activities, a product of the fact that that it has been able to run for ten years and the long term commitment and experience of the workshop leaders. These workshop leaders maintain a balance between adult-led and child-initiated learning , something that was discovered to be unusual for this type of programme. The structure of the workshops support this: the first half of any Chamber Tots session is teaching based, with workshop leaders teaching songs and leading group activities, and the second half is more free-flow, with opportunities for the children to play with the instruments, and with the musicians engaging in improvisation directly responding to what the children themselves are doing.
The research has been vital in supporting and developing the Chamber Tots team’s reflective practice. The team has since taken part in further early years training addressing the barriers of EAL (English as an Additional Language) and a practical session led by Lucinda Geoghegan, Education Consultant and early years facilitator focusing on the pedagogy of children’s musical learning and early years vocal development.
Chamber Tots was found to have struggled meet very restrictive project targets.
‘In a climate which describes projects in performative terms of ‘delivery’, ‘targets’ and ‘impacts’, it is difficult not to get drawn in to justifications for music with young children in terms of input and output. It is my suggestion that a bold and ultimately more distinctive position for Wigmore Hall Learning – one with artistic integrity and one which would match the musical professionalism of its team – might be rooted in rationalisations based on music’s intrinsic, human value and the tougher, but ultimately more rewarding and valuable task of arguing this position.’ Dr Susan Young, Chamber Tots in the Community, A Research Report 2009.
Dr Susan Young’s recommendation to free up these specific aims has been very much integrated into the programme this year to positive effect. Workshop leaders are still able to maintain the high standards of facilitation and have an impact on the development of the children’s musical and social skills but this new culture of working has allowed workshop leaders to refocus back onto the simple quality of musical experience and therefore has rejuvenated their enthusiasm and commitment to the project.
