Development of Musically Gifted Children in Chilean Youth Orchestras: Ecosystems of Care and Unmet Needs

Abstract

In Chile, approximately 10,000 children participate in youth orchestras. Furthermore, a law for gifted children is currently being debated in the National Congress. This study aimed to understand care practices within the ecosystem of children gifted for music. A multiple case study was conducted, including episodic interviews using multimodal tools with five girls between the ages of 8 and 17, nominated by their teachers for their high musical aptitude and participating in the Foundation of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Chile (FOJI), as well as with their parents, educators, and institutional representatives (11 adults). Four categories of care practices were identified: basic needs and rights, learning and education, emotional support, and musical development. Deficiencies in care reflect structural power dynamics and insufficient societal commitment to children’s development. This study contributes to the identification of critical areas and provides information for the design and evaluation of programs for gifted children.

Keywords

care ethics youth orchestras specialist music education social emotional development children’s rights

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