Music Together's Ongoing Research and Development
As part of its ongoing research and development in early childhood music and the Music Together program, the Center for Music and Young Children operates a "lab" school serving the greater Princeton, New Jersey, area. CMYC is committed to helping families, caregivers, and early childhood professionals rediscover the pleasure and educational value of informal musical experiences. Rather than emphasizing traditional music performances, CMYC encourages family participation in spontaneous musical activity occurring within the context of daily life. CMYC recognizes that all children are musical and that every child needs a stimulating, supportive music environment to achieve basic competence in the wonderful human capacity for music making.
What does it mean when we say that Music Together is a "research-based" program? In addition to employing the research of others, we do three types of research on an ongoing basis: basic research, action research, and applied research.
Basic research is the stereotypical "hardcore" scientific method approach that attempts to collect and interpret data with more or less rigorous objectivity. Action research translates inquiries into actions in the real world which then generate more qualitative information, such as observing the rhythmic and tonal behaviors of children of various ages during a play-along experience. Applied research takes knowledge, often gained from basic and action research, and applies it in the field to see what really happens (e.g.: children learn through active music making, so what happens when these particular children experience those particular songs with this teacher in that environment, etc.).
All of these sources continually inform Music Together's creative work on program content, varied applications of the program, and teacher training.
Music Together as a Research-based Program
Research Findings on the Music Together Preschool Program Model
by Lili M. Levinowitz, Ph.D.
Research Articles
Music Together’s Lili Levinowitz on TV
In February 2009, Music Together coauthor and Director of Research Dr. Lili Levinowitz, was a featured guest on the public television show, Caucus: NJ with Steve Adubato. Caucus: NJ is a widely-viewed, Emmy Award–winning public affairs program dealing with issues of interest to the residents of NJ. Dr. Levinowitz was one of the panelists on the episode called “Raising Emotionally Confident Kids,” where she spoke with the host and other guests about the role of music in children’s development and some of her latest research.
