Move to the music : understanding the relationship between bodily interaction and the acquisition of musical knowledge and skills in music education

Abstract

This study revolves around questions on musical knowledge and skill acquisition with embodied learning strategies. Embodiment is, in its most general sense, the use of the body as a learning tool in musical learning processes. Rather than celebrating cognitive capabilities over bodily learning, which is the mainstay for most educational practices, I focus on bodily communication and its pivotal role in learning. This conversion provokes reflection on the often disregarded body in learning processes and sheds light on the manifold ways in which we can mobilize the body as a successful tool for learning. The main goal of this research is scrutinizing the music transmission and learning process of young musicians in band formations in informal learning settings in Nepal and the Netherlands. This study seeks to understand the role of the body in musical learning processes in order to contribute to the understanding and implementation of embodied learning in formal music education