Mtlsic in educationto the stage of musical development reached by the child, who will
then be asked to imitate it simply by ear and memory.
Music education takes the same form in the second year. The range
of the child’s voice gradually increases, he learns about musical time,
and his attention is drawn to the character (gay or sad) of the songs.
In the third year, children learn simple melodies the subjects of which
are life, nature, the society in which they live-the history and recon-
struction of their country. At this stage, children are already expected
to be able to distinguish between long and short notes, low and high-
pitched notes, and strong and weak accents.
In the fourth year, they begin to study musical notation, usually by
the ‘character’ method. They learn to sing the scale, using sol-fa with
phonomimic gestures. Use is also made of the modulator. The children
learn the musical scale, accompanying their singing with standard pho-
nomimic movements; point out on the modulator the notes of the scale
or melodies played to them; and take musical dictation.
During the four subsequent years (i.e. in the top classes of our pri-
mary schools, or in the &ckes), music teaching continues to be included
in the curriculum. Two hours a week are devoted to it in the first year
at the bcke, and one hour a week throughout the three subsequent
years. Children who are specially gifted musically join a choral group
or a music club involving two or three hours’ work each week.
Music teaching at this stage consists of developing, by methcds
appropriate to their age, the children’s sense of rhythm, musical me-
mory and creative gifts. By these means they receive a grounding in
the rudiments of musical theory, together with aural training designed
to develop their natural gifts.
Music teaching in the upper forms is designed to arouse the chil-
dren’s love for the art, train their taste, and prepare them for listening
to good music. They also receive a general knowledge of the history
of music, and of the life and work of the great composers.
Many different methods are used. Sol-fa is taught by means of the
tonic sol-fa and interval methods.
The children’s creative talent is encouraged by letting them impro-
vise on short musical themes, or write small compositions on the basis
of given rhythms and words, stressing the second voice of the melody.
Practical musical training is given in connexion with the school
choral group; and school orchestras, using the popular musical instru-
ments (tamburitsa, etc.), are formed wherever possible.
The purpose of the school choral group is to give the children a
chance of applying their theoretical musical knowledge in practice, to