AIRS 4th Annual Meeting: 2012

Title: Musical and Non-Musical Content in Children's Favourite Tunes
Authors: Beatriz Ilari (University of Southern California), Vivian Agnolo Barbosa (Federal
University of Parana and Alecrim Dourado Formacao Musical, Brazil) Tiago Madalozzo
(Federal University of Parana and Alecrim Dourado Formacao Musical, Brazil)

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine musical and non-musical contents in
children’s favorite song renditions (AIRS Test Battery Component 6). Renditions of favorite
songs sung by 23 middle-class Brazilian children aged 5-9, who completed the AIRS test battery,
were assessed. Children’s songs were analyzed in two ways. First, they were examined in light
of their musical contents (i.e., singing ranges, melodic accuracy, rhythmic accuracy, and use of
expressive features) using 5-point Likert type scales. Second, song lyrics were categorized
according to emergent themes. Two independent judges checked 50% of both musical and
content analyses. Results suggest that most renditions could be placed between Welch’s (2005)
phases 2 and 3 of singing development, with musically trained and older children scoring
higher than their peers. In regards to contents, children’s song selections were quite similar to
those found in previous studies (e.g., Campbell, 2010; Young, in press). These ranged
enormously from traditional children’s songs to pop music, in both Portuguese and English.
Interestingly, lyrics were based on typical children’s themes (i.e., animals, routines, acceptable
manners), TV and film characters (i.e., Shrek), and ‘adult’ themes like love, sex and sorrow. This
last theme was present particularly in songs sung by older children (mainly girls), with younger
children singing more traditional children’s songs. Taken together, these results suggest both
global and local aspects in children’s sung performances. While there might be similarities in
children’s voices and song choices across cultures, local aspects pervade the repertoire that
children choose to sing. These repertoires reveal multiple conceptions of children, childhood,
and musical childhoods (Young, in press). Implications for music education are discussed.