Abstract
Why singing with children, and why this publication? What is it in singing that makes it such a unique experience and an effective form of artistic expression? Singing is one of the oldest forms of expression, if not the oldest. Songs, being in turn one of the oldest forms of musical genre, primarily enhance the intended meaning of the text by musically reinforcing and enriching the emotional content of the written text.
The beauty of singing is that it cuts across all cultures and traditions; different cultures have different musical traditions and are characterized by a distinct style of singing and a combination of musical elements. Nonetheless, the essence of singing remains the same, whether in different cultures or even in different stylistic epochs, namely, to communicate feelings and emotions. Using music and songs to teach emotions can be a useful tool to lead children in understanding their feelings. Songs to express joy, grief, loneliness, adoration and many more emotions can be found in virtually all musical cultures. Songs do not exclusively express personal feelings, but also have the power to express shared feelings of a broader community – they can unite people by igniting a shared expression of emotions, feelings, opinions and beliefs. Songs and the medium of singing are the vehicles for transmitting such messages. Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” brought the message of human rights and brotherhood to nineteenth-century audiences, and as recent as 1972 having been adopted by the Council of Europe as the Anthem of Europe. We have seen that famous artists have used songs in the past to unite people for humanistic reasons as well as global fundraising efforts to save lives or to increase the level of social responsibility. Singing seems to represent a universal language of emotions and is a very accessible form of artistic expression. Even musically untrained people can utilize it.