Interactive instrument uses music for therapy and development of skills in children

Record ID: 877812

  • Title: Interactive instrument uses music for therapy and development of skills in children
  • Date: 2nd June 2017
  • Summary: WARSAW, POLAND (‪JUNE 1, 2017‬) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST FOR SYNAPSIS FOUNDATION, JOANNA BURGIELL, SAYING: "Children have almost unlimited possibilities of experimenting with sounds, translating their imaginations to the instrument or acting with the instrument. It is very important that there is no possibility of failure that they can freely experiment in their own way and the one and only important thing is what I want to do with the Musicon and not what rules or norms impose on me." WARSAW, POLAND ‪(‪RECENT‬) (REUTERS) VARIOUS CHILDREN PLAYING MUSICON (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) MUSICON CO-FOUNDER, JAKUB KOZIK, SAYING: "Musicon is a kind of (counter) balance for electronic entertainment, it is a (counter) balance for overloaded education programs, it is a space where the child can simultaneously relax, play and learn." VARIOUS CHILDREN PLAYING MUSICON AT CHILDREN FAIR (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) MUSICON CO-FOUNDER, JAKUB KOZIK, SAYING: "There is one language which connects all people in the world, it is a music. We built our Musicon around music, around this potential. So that regardless of where you are from, you immediately understand what we are talking about. You get a Musicon and if you are from Africa or America you have a great time with it because it is the language which connects people around the world." MORE VARIOUS CHILDREN PLAYING MUSICON
  • Embargoed: 16th June 2017 11:27
  • Keywords: children therapy music Musicon
  • Location: WARSAW, POLAND
  • City: WARSAW, POLAND
  • Country: Poland
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA0046JL5QUX
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Polish musicians developed an interactive instrument designed to promote development of a range of skills in children, including therapy.
    Their invention, the Musicon, is an analog wooden musical instrument based around a rotating drum, resembling a giant music box.
    The difference is that it can be programmed by children to play any melody they like, while at the same time inspiring them to develop a number of skills other than their musical sense.
    "The key issue of Musicon is its simplicity. We have the buttons which launch mechanisms after pressing. The mechanisms are completely mobile, we can shift them and a child can control everything that is happening here. We can design different other add-ons and include them in the kit," said Kamil Laszuk, inventor of the instrument.
    The construction was optimize for kids to easily discover and use all of the functions.
    Every button pressed creates a note played on one of the few different add-ons installed, which currently include xylophones, drums or a rotating rainstick. Because all mechanisms are visible and touchable, children can easily understand how the instrument works. The tempo of a composition is controlled by the lever and ranges from 36 to 144 bpm.
    "Musicon is not only music, it is only a tool for learning, for development. There is also programming here, learning physics, cooperation in a team and also the development of manual skills. Music is the reward. Children seek to compose their melody and are not aware that they are learning mathematics, counting, that they have to cooperate with the partner they are playing with," Laszuk said.
    Warsaw's Synapsis Foundation, which helps children with autism and Asperger syndrome, tested the instrument's therapeutic capability. Psychologist Joanna Burgiell said that the biggest value of the instrument was in its lack of limitations or rules which can limit a child's imagination. It allows children to feel safe, because their every action is awarded with music.
    The Musicon was developed by contrabassist Kamil Laszuk as part of a graduation project in industrial design at the Academy of Fine Arts. It turned out a hit and continued in cooperation with an interdisciplinary team of closest friends. Laszuk's parents sold their house to fund the project and a crowdfunding campaign started last year provided the rest of the funds needed to start production, which is due to start by the end of 2017.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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