What can infants hear? Is it useful for them to sing and listen to music? Is their auditory sensitivity developed before their birth? At what age do they start singing, and clapping their hands? This book reconstructs the development of human musical abilities, and puts forward an educational perspective based on the results of the research. 'Johannella Tafuri's life work is to understand more deeply how infants benefit from formal and informal exposure to music. Her longitudinal studies, some of the most interesting and useful on the topic, provide a thoughtful, scholarly and practical account of early musical development with a special emphasis on infants' singing ability. Tafuri has produced an immensely important contribution to the literature. Each chapter encouraged me to think, reflect, and above all, celebrate this remarkable stage of infants' development.' Gary McPherson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA 'This is a very important book I recommend to everybody - not only to music educators and parents - interested in and fascinated by the musical capacities inherent in every child. This impressive project clearly demonstrates the importance of music, in all its forms, in the homes and lives of very small, even still unborn, children and should encourage all parents, whether they regard themselves as musical or not, to sing to their children and interact with them in music.' Göran Folkestad, Lund University, Sweden '... this is no dry research report and it is the vitality of the participants, children, parents and the researchers, which makes this an enjoyable read. ... A strength of this book is the quality of the research and the ages of the children that have been observed from pre-natal days until they were six. ... Such an in-depth, longitudinal study is extremely valuable. To present the research in such a palatable form adds to its value and significance. A good read for music specialists, early childhood practitioners, researchers and parents. Highly recommended.' Australian Journal of Music Education 'The powerful attraction music has is explicated in this work and the case for the benefits of involving families in musical activities is strongly presented. Discussion of skills and how to assist in the development of skills is one that all in early chi