Accordage: voice, sounds, rhythms, gestures, music which cradles birth and growth” Project of training and research at the centre for families “Più Insieme” in the City of Bologna

The study approach that characterizes this experimental project, finds its major scientific reference in a new stream of studies, matured within the ambiance of the Psychology of Music, born recently as: Musicality of the Behavior (2000 M. Imberty, D. Stern). This approach, which defines the relationship between the individual and the music, sees the beginning of the child’s musicality coinciding with the fetal life. This “ancient link” with the music brings us to interact spontaneously with the “sound universe” and in particulary with the mother voice that is recognized and distinguished from other voices immediately after birth. The experiences gained from the fetal life should be expanded and enriched through early musical education wich can help to consolidate and develop the acquisitions of the first years of life. Here the reasons for this project that included 6 meetings of 2 hours each and involved 2 pregnant mothers (4 and 5 months), 1 father, 7 mothers with their children from 20 days till 3 years old, 2 educators and 1 assistent. The meetings contained differents activities characterized by interplay of repetition and variation as breathing exercises; free vocal improvisation on a harmonic interval (for example a perfect 5th ) played and repeated on the piano; free vocal improvisation on a jazz blues (music minus one: piano, bass, drums without soloist); children songs (and other repertory) proposed by educators and parents to the children; body movements interpretating different styles of music; grafic memory of the experiences; final conversation. Aims Activate awareness that can guide families and educators on how to reach a good “attunement” with children through the voice in relation with gestures, movements, ecc. We analysed and stimulated the musicality of these aspects in order to have a positive result on the child’s development, on the relationship between adults and children, among children and even among adults. Methodology The "musical history" of each person is the starting point of the project that outlines both cultural and intercultural aspects. It requires each participant’s direct involvement with his or her musicality that in a relation context can be played by reciprocal imitation, reinvented through different interpretation/ improvisation of sounds, songs, music, rhythms, gestures and movements, (re)discovering the joy and magic of the childhood. Results Meeting after meeting, the adults, gained awarness of their personal musicality. Children and adults learned to have confidence and to “attune” their musicality to others choosing their own way and time to express through the weaving of different (musical) languages. Conclusion As observation showed, adults became more sure in their musical expression wich resulted in a richer interaction with their children who became more attent to musical stimulations (also at home). Other meetings are planned with the same group that will include also the newborn children.