Why Teaching World Music to Children Matters (More Than Ever)
Music is one of the first languages children learn. Before they can read or write, they already respond to rhythm, melody, and emotion. That’s why introducing world music early isn’t just about expanding musical knowledge - it’s about shaping compassionate, curious, emotionally intelligent human beings.
In her article Teaching Culturally Diverse Choral Music With Intention and Care, Catherine Bennett reminds us that meaningful multicultural music education requires far more than simply adding “diverse” songs to a program. It calls for intention, care, kindness, and respect for the cultures behind the music. I deeply resonate with this approach, both as a teacher and as someone who grew up surrounded by multiple musical traditions.
My Own Musical Beginning
I grew up in Dnipro, Ukraine (formerly part of the Soviet Union). The first music I heard was Ukrainian folk music and Greek Orthodox church music. Later came Soviet children’s songs, followed by Western European classical composers like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Shostakovich when I entered music school at age eight. Through my father’s family, I also learned Yiddish songs.
But despite this rich upbringing, I had very limited exposure to global traditions. I never heard West African drumming, Indian classical music, Celtic music, Indigenous tribal music, East Asian music, or Middle Eastern maqam systems. Choir meant sheet music and written lyrics - always through a Western lens.
Years later, when I joined a gospel choir at the Mama Foundation for the Arts in New York, everything changed. There was no sheet music. We learned through call and response. Music was embodied, emotional, and communal. This experience mirrored exactly what Bennett describes: some traditions are meant to be learned aurally, with freedom of expression and deep cultural context.
It reminded me that how we teach music matters just as much as what we teach.
The Real Benefits of Teaching World Music to Children
🌍 1. Children Learn Empathy and Cultural Awareness
When students explore music from different cultures, they begin to understand that people across the world express joy, grief, celebration, and struggle through sound. Bennett explains that when students research the background of a song — its language, history, and purpose — they don’t just sing better; they connect more deeply.
World music helps children see beyond themselves. It builds respect for differences and appreciation for shared humanity.
🎵 2. Musical Skills Grow Faster and Deeper
Different traditions teach different skills:
African drumming develops rhythm and listening
Gospel strengthens emotional expression and community awareness
Indian classical music sharpens pitch and melodic sensitivity
Folk traditions encourage storytelling through sound
Children become more flexible musicians when they experience multiple ways of making music, instead of only one system.
💛 3. Music Becomes About Connection, Not Perfection
Bennett emphasizes that culturally responsive teaching centers care over performance alone. This is something I hold close in my own teaching. Music should not feel transactional or mechanical. It should feel alive.
When children understand the meaning behind the music, they sing with heart — not just accuracy.
🤝 4. Students Feel Seen
For children from diverse backgrounds, hearing music connected to their heritage can be profoundly affirming. For others, it opens doors to unfamiliar worlds. Either way, inclusive music education tells students: you belong here.
Teaching With Intention and Care
One of the most powerful parts of Bennett’s work is her practical guidance. She encourages teachers to:
Research cultural backgrounds
Teach pronunciation carefully
Invite guest artists when possible
Discuss the social purpose of songs
Reflect on authenticity and respect
She also challenges educators to think ethically: Are we honoring these traditions? Are we truly listening to culture bearers? Or are we using music merely to appear inclusive?
I especially appreciate her focus on healing and connection through music. Education, at its best, is relational. Music builds community.
A Lifelong Practice
Teaching world music isn’t something we ever “finish learning.” It requires humility, curiosity, and openness. Bennett views this work as an ongoing journey — and I agree.
When taught with intention and care, music becomes more than sound. It becomes a bridge between cultures. It becomes emotional education. It becomes a way for children to understand themselves and others more deeply.
Music tells our human story.
And every child deserves to hear that story in many voices.
