Review
"Kindling the Spark gathers together subjects, and treatments of subjects, not found elsewhere in one place. . . . The book provides solid research material in a field that is seldom dealt with in depth, with precision, and in a language that musicians will understand." -- Marienne Uszler, Editor, Piano & Keyboard
"She clearly and understandably distills major research findings and philosophies, which help clarify what musical talent is, how it can be recognized and, once recognized, what can be done to develop the talent."--American Music Teacher
"Kindling the Spark is a must for teachers, parents, students, nonmusicians, and performers who want a readable and well documented guide for the complex task of recognizing and nurturing musical talent. Joanne Haroutounian helps us to understand and harness that powerful, yet illusive element, and shows how more than an elite few can enjoy the benefits of quality musical experiences. She has truly succeeded in kindling the 'spark.'"--Dr. Sally Reis, National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented
"The most significant thing about this book is the author's ability to present a really insightful picture of what being a musician feels like from the inside, and how that is different from other talents, artistic and otherwise. The importance of this is crucial to the understanding of the value of music by school principals, school teachers, and parents. The book also gives a nice overview, carefully presented and well researched, of the of the educational tools available to teachers and school systems." -- Sue Kahn, Director, Preparatory Divison, Mannes College of Music
"Ms. Haroutounian demonstrates her thorough knowledge and experience in the area without being 'preachy'. . . . The pace and presentation of the material is really well done. I can tell Ms. Haroutounian must be an excellent teacher, too." -- Joanne Erwin, Professor of Music, Oberlin College
Product Description
Gathering perspectives of musical talent from the psychological, musical, and educational fields, Kindling the Spark is the only single sourcebook that defines musical talent and provides practical strategies for identifying and nurturing it. Joanne Haroutounian uses her experience as teacher, researcher, and parent to clarify central issues concerning talent recognition and development in a way that will easily appeal to a wide audience. The book describes the different stages of development in musical training, including guidelines for finding a suitable teacher at different levels, social and psychological aspects that impact musical training, and research on talent development by ages and stages from infancy and preschool years through the teen years. An important feature of the book are "sparkler exercises" designed to provoke observable talent behavior in home, school, and studio settings. The book also includes an Appendix of Resources which lists books, media, organizations, and specialized schools that offer additional information on musical talent, identification, and development. For music educators in both public school and private studio settings--as well as for parents and their musically inclined children--Kindling the Spark provides an invaluable summary of the research on talent and a wealth of resources for developing it.
