Function of Physical Activities in the Process of Evolution to “Expression” in an Instrumental Music Lesson :

Focusing on the Transformation from “Material” to “Media”

Abstract

  The purpose of this study is to clarify the functions of physical activities in the process of evolution to “expression” in an instrumental music lesson focusing on the transformation from “material” to “media”.

  First, we reviewed the literature on “expression” by Dewey, and considered the process of evolution to “expression” on the instrumental music lesson focusing on the transformation from “material” to“media. Next, we inspected the functions of physical activities in this process by analyzing lessons with physical activities. Last, we considered the significance of incorporating physical activities into instrumental music lessons.

  From our analysis, the following results were obtained. The developmental process is as follows. 1) The phase in which children deal with tone as a “material” and play the instruments without intention. 2) The phase in which children interact with tone or music and have ideas, images, and emotions. 3) The phase in which children deal with tone as “media” and devise the way of playing the instruments with intention based on their ideas, images, and emotions. The functions of physical activities that is exercised in each phase is as follows. In the first phase, 1) Physical activities enhance the children's interest in the music as teaching materials. 2) Physical activities make children feel the sense quality that is given by the musical elements. 3) Physical activities make children improve their understanding about musical elements with actual feeling and enhance the children's motivation to play the instruments. In the second phase, 4) Physical activities exaggerate the sense quality that children feel through the interaction with musical materials, and promote this interaction.