Provost's Speaker Series continues March 18 with "Building Bridges Through Music"

On Tuesday, March 18, the third installment of the Provost’s Speaker Series takes place when Dr. Jennifer McDonel presents “Building bridges through music: The transformative power of music in early childhood education” in the Artis Center at 7 p.m.

The event will explore the connection between music and childhood development in a 30 minute discussion before opening up a question-and-answer session. The public is encouraged to attend the talk which should be of particular interest to educators and parents with young children.

McDonel, an associate professor of music at Radford University and the Director of Music Education, has spent many years studying the connection between music and mathematics, especially in early childhood. Her work demonstrates how music can foster cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development, laying the foundation for stronger kindergarten readiness.

McDonel says her collaboration with Primrose Schools, a national network of early learning centers, has played a major role in her work.

“I won a contract to co-develop the ‘Harmony & Heart’ music and movement program,” she said, “which integrates foundational music skills with social-emotional learning through character development.”

This 12-month, research-based curriculum serves children from six weeks to five years old, offering 150 minutes of instruction per week in two, 15-minute daily lesson segments, significantly more than most early childhood education programs.

McDonel has also partnered with “ZERO-TO-THREE,” a nonprofit dedicated to improving early childhood education across the country.

“Through this collaboration, I’ve worked to make high-quality music accessible to all children, regardless of their background,” McDonel explained.

In this project, she created music-based tools integrating music with STEM education.

“I composed 44 original songs for the ‘Problem Solvers’ curriculum, which helps children grasp foundational concepts in math, science, and engineering while developing musical skills through active listening and movement.”

The result of that has been a multi-album project called “Little Beats: Counting, Shapes, and Sets,” which was under consideration for a Grammy in 2023, and listed as one of the top 100 children’s albums released that year.

Through this project, she’s reached thousands of children, parents, and educators across the U.S. and beyond.

“This project has been a labor of love, merging academic content with music in a way that is both engaging and educational,” McDonel said, “providing families and educators with valuable resources to support children’s development.”

This is the background and research McDonel will bring to bear when she appears in the Provost Speaker’s Series.

McDonel is excited to share what she has found.

“My goal is to present aspects of this work in a fun, interactive way that builds awareness of the impact of music on early childhood development and the connections music has across learning in early childhood.”

“I am looking forward to meeting people from around our community,” she added. “I hope I can offer some new inspiration for both educators and parents alike.

No registration or tickets are required for the Provost’s Speaker Series and the event is without charge. All campus parking is free after 6 p.m. as well.