In the context of a rapidly changing, uncertain, and AI-driven world, the cultivation of Social-Emotional Skills (SES) has gained critical importance in education. Although music is often marginalized as a non-core subject, it possesses unique potential to foster SES due to its inherently expressive, collaborative, and embodied nature. Despite the increasing number of studies on how SES can be nurtured through educational practices and its relationship with academic outcomes (for review see, OECD, 2024), there has been limited theoretical model on how these skills are related and develop internally in children.This paper proposes a four-stage spiral model of SES development, grounded in cognitive and developmental psychology and in educational initiatives we have implemented in public school classrooms in emerging countries, where music education is not commonly provided and teacher-centered approaches still prevail. Drawing from Vygotsky’s theory of internalization and language development (Vygotskiĭ, 2001), the model conceptualizes SES as evolving from interpersonal to intrapersonal dimensions, and ultimately cultivating returning to interpersonal engagement at a deeper level, forming a continuous, spiral-like development. In the first stage interpersonal skills―such as empathy and co-operation― develop through direct social experiences in classrooms. In the second stage, these skills become internalized as children engage with peers and reflect on social interactions leading to enhanced self-awareness and emotional control. The third stage involves the development of intrapersonal skills through managing their emotions and behavior, maintaining motivation, and persisting toward goals, which gradually fosters a sense of self-efficacy. The fourth stage involves the externalization of these intrapersonal skills, where learners begin to lead, support, and express themselves in socially impactful ways, thereby feeding into a new cycle of interpersonal growth.This model reflects our music education initiatives, which prioritize not only musical knowledge and technique but also emphasize collaborative learning through group work and peer learning. These practices provide opportunities for children to experience diversity, co-create, and express personal feelings in ways that are rarely afforded in other subjects.While SES is increasingly acknowledged as one of the central goals of present education, music education has not yet to be widely recognized as a primary vehicle for its development. The proposed model contributes a theoretical framework for understanding SES development as a recursive, socially situated, and emotionally embodied. It may serve as a foundation for future empirical research and inform curriculum design and policy aimed at fostering SES development.