Need for Crescendo

Music and Children – The children in Head Start and early intervention programs face multiple social, developmental, and economic risks.  According to the 1999 Kids Count Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, multiple risk factors have been associated with developmental delays and behavioral problems.  Evidence shows that such problems may appear as early as age 4.  Comparing one high-risk 4 year-old to several other 4 year-olds with no risk factors found him to be twice as likely to have difficulty concentrating and three times as likely to have difficulty communicating.  The Kids Count Data Book indicates that participation in early intervention providing educational and family support services can alter the effects of cumulative risks, and family-focused programs are key to addressing the problems of high-risk children.

The Academy has found that the shared musical activity of its Crescendo program is an effective intervention for promoting the development of children at risk.  This is supported by a body of research which demonstrates that music is a beneficial tool to address the developmental and learning needs of young children.  For example, a 1993 study by Wolf and Horn found that preschool students learn information presented within familiar melodies more quickly than when the information is presented via spoken conditions.  Results of a 1997 study by Standley and Hughes showed that music significantly enhanced print concepts and prewriting skills in an early intervention setting.  Music has been found to increase interaction among children with disabilities and their typical peers, and to promote communication among generations.  Music and movement-based learning also helps fulfill Head Start Program Performance Measures by improving emergent literacy, language skills, general cognitive skills, gross and fine motor skills, positive attitudes toward learning, social behavior, and emotional well-being. 

 For more information on music therapy, check out www.musictherapy.org or contact us.

 Crescendo’s Documented Benefits

From 1997-2006, we collected evaluations from more than 9,000 Crescendo parents and classroom teachers.   The evaluations were developed to provide data to the Pew Fund for Health and Human Services.

Crescendo Parents

Parents were asked “how much do you think our music program has helped you to… enjoy the times you spend with your child, find new ways to help your child, and find new ways to understand your child?”

 Their responses showed that our music program helped 98% of the parents enjoy the times they spend with their children, 97% find new ways to help and understand their children.

 When asked “how much do you think our music program has helped your child in…  overall development, attention span, communication and self-esteem?”

Over 98% of parent respondents said that Crescendo helped their child in all areas of overall development, attention span, communication and self-esteem.

Classroom Teachers

Teachers were asked how much they thought the Crescendo Music Program helped each child improve in overall development, communication skills, socialization skills, and self-esteem.

They responded that our music program helped more than 96% of children improve in the areas of  socialization skills and self-esteem. Crescendo helped 95% of the children improve in their overall development and communication skills.

Teachers were also asked how much they thought the Crescendo Music Program helped them to learn more about each child’s abilities and find more ways to help each child grow in his/her abilities.

Teachers indicated that Crescendo helped them learn more about 95% of the children's abilities and find more ways to help 96% of the children grow in their abilities.