The construction of auditory mental imagery and the development of composition skills in children and adolescents
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55028/yxv9ht83Abstract
Composition is one of the musical expressions produced by children even before they start school, and the development of composition skills can and should be encouraged through music education. Knowledge about how compositional development occurs in childhood and adolescence can support the work of those dedicated to a comprehensive music education that includes the construction of creative skills. The objective of this research is to observe the development of mental imagery in children and adolescents, associated with the development of their compositional process. This work was carried out through a literature review that included the works of Jean Piaget and theorists of music cognition. Additionally, a case study was conducted with three students from a music course, aged between six and 13 years, who were invited to join an activity of composition and an interview conducted in accordance with the Piagetian clinical method. From the work carried out with the participants, it was possible to observe manifestations of mental images typical of preoperational and concrete operations stages, along with compositions characteristic of beginner and intermediate levels. Based on these findings, we have a body of evidence that can serve to guide larger studies in the future, and to understand how the compositional development process occurs, more specifically with regard to the construction of mental images that support this type of creative activity.
Keywords: Mental imagery; Composition; Piaget; Musical cognition.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Eduardo Wanderley Brasil, Caroline Caregnato

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