In Woippy, a music room adapted for children with disabilities offers an interactive way to explore sounds and melodies. A groundbreaking approach that blends education with musical awakening.
Inside "the igloo," a transparent net equipped with sensors, Simon and Émile throw fabric balls. When they hit the violin-shaped target, a classical melody plays. Welcome to the music and disability workshop.
This one-of-a-kind music room was created in Woippy, near Metz, in northeastern France, for children with all types of disabilities, whether physical or mental. Through interactive sessions, they explore music theory, instrument sounds, and the works of Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Bach.
The project's founders claim there is no equivalent in France, or even in Europe, to these workshops, which allow children to learn while having fun for two hours.
Émile, 10, has been attending these workshops for three years. During this session, he preferred "the swing." Colorful, caterpillar-shaped, and customized, it appears to be just a playful ride. However, when the seat touches the ground, a sensor triggers a melody played by various instruments: brass, clarinet, violin...
He can perfectly recognize the notes played by his teacher on a digital keyboard and sing them, even in high registers. At the same time, he is learning percussion at the conservatory.
Not all children with disabilities will necessarily be able to play an instrument in the long run, but the sessions with Philippe Forte-Rytter, a music therapist for nearly 30 years, allow them to discover and connect with music.
A Concrete Learning Experience
The white-bearded teacher has replaced traditional sheets and pens with large metal stands where children attach cardboard notes to form colorful musical staves. "This demystifies music theory, which can seem out of reach," he explains.
For this music room, he drew inspiration from psychomotor therapists. "The classic chair-and-table setup isn’t suitable for this audience. Here, everything is immediately tangible for the children," he says.
He has had to "amplify small gestures and vocal expressions," adapting toys with sounds and using lighting effects to create musical and colorful bubbles.
"When I started in 1996, music was mainly seen as a leisure activity," he recalls. Today, thanks to technological advancements and his electroacoustic expertise, he has developed these innovative tools.
A Musical Journey
Philippe Forte-Rytter wants children to "travel through the musical universe effortlessly," with only one requirement: adopting a "musician's attitude" and respecting certain rules.
Simon, 8, has been attending since September. At home, he enjoys plugging in cables and instruments after each session, says his father, Nicolas Aubertin, 49. "The workshop allows him to do things he wouldn't be able to otherwise," he says. "I think it benefits him."
"Studies show that children who engage in music education, like at a conservatory, tend to perform well academically," adds Patrick Thil, Metz’s cultural affairs representative.
Music "enhances not only musical abilities but also skills in French, math, memory, and languages," notes Philippe Forte-Rytter, emphasizing the "neurological benefits" that help reinforce learning and retention.
With AFP
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