Mapping musical development in Brazil: Children’s musical practices in Maranhão and Pará

Brazil poses an interesting challenge to the study of musical development. Despite the fact that it struggles to assert its Western identity, it is a mestiço (i.e., mixed race) country with diverse influences (African, European, Amerindian), immense cultural differences across regions, and singular musical manifestations. In addition, its history of music education has been one of segregation by gender, religion and socio-economic status. Therefore, only a few children have learned music formally (i.e., through regular schooling or conservatory training), with much musical development happening informally, that is, through traditional practices. This preliminary study refers to an on-going project that intends to map musical practices across the country, in order to understand how children develop musically. In this first study, two different musical practices found in the states of Maranhão and Pará were analyzed