This paper describes how a teacher explored her teaching of an introduction to recorder playing to children, and how she tested her belief that music notation was an essential component of that teaching.

Two roughly parallel classes of 7 to 8 year-olds were introduced to recorder playing. One group was given tuition accompanied by music notation, the other group learned to play by ear. An interaction was found between the ability of the child and the relative success of a method of teaching. More able pupils became demotivated without access to written music, whilst less able pupils retained their interest when playing by ear. An intermediate strategy, using notation with the names of the notes written below, proved effective for those of average ability.

An holistic assessment of the quality of performance created by the two groups was independently assessed. Contrary to expectations the playing by ear group produced better quality sound than that of the group exposed to music notation.

The implication for the introduction of music performance to young children is discussed.