Zoltan Zoltan KodályKodály

In Paris, nearly three years ago, I was taking part in an international conference on art education. When asked at what age I thought a child's musical education should begin, I replied "nine months before birth!" Today, I would go further, a child's musical education begins nine months before...not his own--but his mother's birth... What a child has heard in the first six years of life can not be eradicated later. Thus it is too late to begin teaching at school, because a child stores a mass of musical impressions before school age, and if what is bad predominant, then his fate, as far as music is concerned, has been sealed for a lifetime. (KodályKodály, "Speech", 1951)

Bela BartokBela Bartok

Kodály PhilosophyKodály Philosophy music belongs to every child.music belongs to every child. ““. . . music is a spiritual food for everybody. . . . music is a spiritual food for everybody.

So, I studied how to make more people So, I studied how to make more people accessible to good music.”accessible to good music.”

““The most important thing is to actualize The most important thing is to actualize the instinctive love of the child for singing the instinctive love of the child for singing and playing . . in other words, to bring and playing . . in other words, to bring about the miracle of music.”about the miracle of music.”

musical learning must begin with the musical learning must begin with the child’s own voice, the most ancient, and child’s own voice, the most ancient, and natural instrument for making music;natural instrument for making music;

Kodály believed that the future of a Kodály believed that the future of a nation’s music is determined in their nation’s music is determined in their schools.schools.

Kodály pointed out that teachers Kodály pointed out that teachers should consider carefully their own should consider carefully their own musicianship and love of music before musicianship and love of music before teaching children.teaching children.

I would advise my young colleagues, the I would advise my young colleagues, the composers of symphonies, to drop in composers of symphonies, to drop in sometimes at the kindergarten, too. It is sometimes at the kindergarten, too. It is there that it is decided whether there will there that it is decided whether there will be anybody to understand their works in be anybody to understand their works in twenty years' time.twenty years' time.

There is a well-known saying of There is a well-known saying of Bulow’s: “He who cannot sing, be his Bulow’s: “He who cannot sing, be his voice good or bad, should not play the voice good or bad, should not play the piano either.” piano either.”

Developing the ear is the most Developing the ear is the most important thing of all. Concentrate important thing of all. Concentrate first of all on recognizing note and key first of all on recognizing note and key (p. 186)(p. 186)

At the sol-fa competition we looked into a At the sol-fa competition we looked into a shocking void. Brilliant pianists are shocking void. Brilliant pianists are unable to write down or sing faultlessly a unable to write down or sing faultlessly a simple one part tune after hearing it simple one part tune after hearing it fifteen or twenty times. How do they fifteen or twenty times. How do they expect to imagine an intricate piece of expect to imagine an intricate piece of several parts if their internal ear is so several parts if their internal ear is so undeveloped? They only play with their undeveloped? They only play with their fingers and not with their head and fingers and not with their head and hearts. They are not musicians but hearts. They are not musicians but machine operators. machine operators.

Good musiciansGood musicians So, who is the good musician? You are not So, who is the good musician? You are not

one if you worry about the piece and play it one if you worry about the piece and play it to the end with your eyes glued to the to the end with your eyes glued to the music; you are not one if you stop because music; you are not one if you stop because someone accidentally turns two pages at someone accidentally turns two pages at once (and even worse if you stop without once (and even worse if you stop without any turning at all!). But you are one if you any turning at all!). But you are one if you guess in a new piece and know in a familiar guess in a new piece and know in a familiar piece what is coming – in other words, if piece what is coming – in other words, if the the music lives not only in your fingers, but in music lives not only in your fingers, but in your head and your heart, too your head and your heart, too (p. 190).(p. 190).

Teacher’s trainingTeacher’s training

Kindergarten teachers must be Kindergarten teachers must be enlightened as to their enormous enlightened as to their enormous responsibility, and the extent to which responsibility, and the extent to which they harm the child in his human and they harm the child in his human and Hungarian character if they nurture Hungarian character if they nurture him on poor songs. And though they him on poor songs. And though they can be forgiven if they are not aware can be forgiven if they are not aware of what they are doing, they must be of what they are doing, they must be urgently taught how to distinguish urgently taught how to distinguish between good and bad (p. 147).between good and bad (p. 147).

The characteristics of a good musician The characteristics of a good musician can be summarized as follows:can be summarized as follows:

1.  A well-trained ear1.  A well-trained ear 2.  A well-trained intelligence2.  A well-trained intelligence 3.  A well-trained heart3.  A well-trained heart 4.  A well-trained hand.4.  A well-trained hand. All four must develop together, in All four must develop together, in

constant equilibrium.  As soon as one constant equilibrium.  As soon as one lags behind or rushes ahead, there is lags behind or rushes ahead, there is something wrong.  (p. 197, 1954)something wrong.  (p. 197, 1954)

Main GoalsMain Goals music experience and instruction must music experience and instruction must

begin in a child’s life as early as possiblebegin in a child’s life as early as possible instill within each child a love of music instill within each child a love of music

based on knowledge and understanding, based on knowledge and understanding, stemming from first-hand, active music-stemming from first-hand, active music-making experiences, beginning with making experiences, beginning with lullabies, childhood chants, folk songs, lullabies, childhood chants, folk songs, and singing games.and singing games.

musical materials to be used must be of musical materials to be used must be of the highest artistic caliber.the highest artistic caliber.

Principles of Kodaly Principles of Kodaly ApproachApproach

Human voiceHuman voice Folk MusicFolk Music Music LiteracyMusic Literacy

If one were to attempt to express the If one were to attempt to express the essence of this education in one word, it essence of this education in one word, it could only be -could only be - singing singing.  ....Our age of .  ....Our age of mechanization leads along a road ending mechanization leads along a road ending with man himself as a machine; only the with man himself as a machine; only the spirit of singing can save us from this spirit of singing can save us from this fate.  .... It is our firm conviction that fate.  .... It is our firm conviction that mankind will live the happier when it has mankind will live the happier when it has learnt to live with music more worthily.  learnt to live with music more worthily.  Whoever works to promote this end, in one Whoever works to promote this end, in one way or another, has not lived in vain.  (p. way or another, has not lived in vain.  (p. 206, 1966)206, 1966)

Singing VoiceSinging Voice

Listen to all folksongs attentively for they Listen to all folksongs attentively for they are the treasure trove of the most beautiful are the treasure trove of the most beautiful melodies and through them you can get to melodies and through them you can get to know the character of peoples (p. 190). know the character of peoples (p. 190).

Folk traditions, first of all with their singing Folk traditions, first of all with their singing games and children’s songs, are the best games and children’s songs, are the best foundations for subconscious national foundations for subconscious national features (p. 131). features (p. 131).

Children should learn their musical mother Children should learn their musical mother tongue, the folk music of their own country, tongue, the folk music of their own country, before the music of other culturesbefore the music of other cultures

FolksongsFolksongs

Music ElementsMusic Elements

……the elements of music are precious the elements of music are precious instruments in education. Rhythm instruments in education. Rhythm develops attention, concentration, develops attention, concentration, determination and the ability to condition determination and the ability to condition oneself. Melody opens up the world of oneself. Melody opens up the world of emotions. Dynamics variation and tone emotions. Dynamics variation and tone color sharpen our hearing. Singing, color sharpen our hearing. Singing, finally, is such a many-sided physical finally, is such a many-sided physical activity that its effect in physical activity that its effect in physical education is immeasurable… (p. 130)education is immeasurable… (p. 130)

Materials of the Kodály Materials of the Kodály Approach:Approach:

Authentic children’s musical literature: Authentic children’s musical literature: nursery rhymes and songs, singing nursery rhymes and songs, singing gamesgames

Authentic music of the child’s culture: Authentic music of the child’s culture: folk songs, chants, play parties and folk folk songs, chants, play parties and folk dance. dance.

Authentic folk music of other cultures Authentic folk music of other cultures Music of the Masters, the music from Music of the Masters, the music from country to country.country to country.

AuthenticityAuthenticity

In our opinion those who get immature In our opinion those who get immature children to sing our vigorous, beautiful children to sing our vigorous, beautiful folksongs with texts changed with good folksongs with texts changed with good intentions – but usually bad results – intentions – but usually bad results – commit not only reprehensible commit not only reprehensible tastelessness and an offence against tastelessness and an offence against literature but, at the same time, literature but, at the same time, pedagogical tactlessness (p. 137).pedagogical tactlessness (p. 137).

Reading examples and exercises Reading examples and exercises based on music of oral/aural traditionsbased on music of oral/aural traditions

Masterpieces of Western Art Music & Masterpieces of Western Art Music & World MusicWorld Music

Methodological ToolsMethodological Tools

Moveable-do tonic solfaMoveable-do tonic solfa Curwen/Glover hand signsCurwen/Glover hand signs Rhythmic duration syllablesRhythmic duration syllables Stick or solfa notationStick or solfa notation

Hand signsHand signs

Kodály PedagogyKodály Pedagogy from from sound to sightsound to sight, from the , from the known known

to the unknownto the unknown, from the , from the simple to simple to the more complexthe more complex, and from the , and from the concrete to the abstractconcrete to the abstract. .

Learning occurs through Learning occurs through problem-problem-solvingsolving, , comparisoncomparison, and , and guided guided question-and-answerquestion-and-answer. .

Musical elements and concepts are Musical elements and concepts are taught in a sequence based on the taught in a sequence based on the most prominent musical idioms of a most prominent musical idioms of a culture’s song repertoireculture’s song repertoire. .

Kodály PedagogyKodály Pedagogy Prepare phase: the activities are Prepare phase: the activities are

arranged to provide the children with arranged to provide the children with opportunities to experience new opportunities to experience new concepts through listening, singing, concepts through listening, singing, doing body movement, and playing doing body movement, and playing instruments prior to any conscious instruments prior to any conscious learning. The songs and rhymes used in learning. The songs and rhymes used in this phase of teaching can be ones the this phase of teaching can be ones the children already know or new ones they children already know or new ones they are taught. All new songs and rhymes are taught. All new songs and rhymes are taught by rote.are taught by rote.

Presentation (“make conscious” or Presentation (“make conscious” or labeling) phase should be carefully labeling) phase should be carefully prepared before being presented to the prepared before being presented to the students. The teacher’s task is to be a students. The teacher’s task is to be a facilitator who provides the atmosphere, facilitator who provides the atmosphere, materials, and questions, which will lead materials, and questions, which will lead the students to find the answers. the students to find the answers. New New concepts must be shown and named, so concepts must be shown and named, so that they are presented (labeled or made that they are presented (labeled or made conscious). Staff notation is introduced in conscious). Staff notation is introduced in this phase.this phase.

Practice/reinforcement phase: is usually Practice/reinforcement phase: is usually the most enjoyable part of the teaching the most enjoyable part of the teaching sequence. Repetition, through practice, sequence. Repetition, through practice, is an effective way to help students is an effective way to help students retain information in their long-term retain information in their long-term memory. The teacher should be memory. The teacher should be creative in making up practice creative in making up practice exercises that help reinforce the newly-exercises that help reinforce the newly-learned concepts both aurally using old learned concepts both aurally using old and new musical material and visually and new musical material and visually using staff or written notation.using staff or written notation.

Create phase: students apply their Create phase: students apply their knowledge by engaging in higher level knowledge by engaging in higher level improvisation, composition, and improvisation, composition, and performance on instruments, thereby performance on instruments, thereby demonstrating mastery of the musical demonstrating mastery of the musical element or concept. element or concept.

The Organization of American Kodaly The Organization of American Kodaly Educators OAKE was founded in 1975 Educators OAKE was founded in 1975 to serve as a meeting place for music to serve as a meeting place for music educators who embrace the Kodaly educators who embrace the Kodaly Concept of Music Education. It draws Concept of Music Education. It draws its membership from educators of all its membership from educators of all levels, public and private, students, levels, public and private, students, administrators, and others who share administrators, and others who share in its support and promotion.in its support and promotion.

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