Music in Early Childhood

In this scholarly, theoretically focussed and immensely practical book Susan Young has succeeded in creating what I believe will be a seminal text for all music educators who are developing their praxis with young children. Despite the rapid developments in the practice of music education for the young child over the last three decades, stimulated in no small part by Susan herself, there has been a yawning gap in accessible texts which set out clearly the underpinning theory and philosophy which is essential to ensure critical and reflective music practice. This book fills that gap beautifully and powerfully. Susan has carefully selected, evaluated and curated a collection of the key theories and philosophies which have underpinned music education practice over time, and made a critical case for their relevance to contemporary early childhood music education. This book provides a new and original vehicle to inform and deepen the delicate of art of effective music education praxis. I believe any music educator who engages with this book will be inspired and motivated to reflect more critically on their current practice and take action to ensure it is both empowering and theoretically executed for the young children at the centre of their music making. Professor Chris Pascal, OBE; Director, Centre for Research in Early Childhood, UK At last! A bespoke theoretical handbook to guide and support early childhood music practice and research. Susan Young carefully lays out the landscape for us from evolutionary theory to quite specific early childhood music practices and pedagogical approaches. The concise, systematic writing makes this an accessible and essential book for students of early childhood music education. It would be of interest to those studying music education more broadly, for music education and community music researchers, therapists, practitioners and parents/caregivers of young children. Dr Jessica Pitt, Lecturer, Music Education, Royal College of Music; Research-Director, Magic Acorn Susan Young provides an incredibly broad overview of approaches to Early Years Education, from traditional, well-established music-centred 'methods' and child centred approaches to the fields of sociology, musicology and psychology. Young encourages us to think critically and practically about how we can apply such thinking in our own work today and signposts many useful avenues of further development which will appeal to both newcomers and more experienced practitioners alike. Jimmy Rotheram, Music Lead (Feversham Primary Academy) Advisor (DfE, Benedetti Foundation), Ambassador (Varkey Foundation)