The Kodály Approach
In this section:
Kodály Approach |
Kodály Archive
(more about the Kodály Approach)
Kodály’s approach to music education is based on teaching, learning and
understanding music through the experience of singing, giving direct access
to the world of music without the technical problems involved with the use
of an instrument. The musical material, which has proved to be the most
potent and effective is a country’s own folksong material and the finest art
music. Music is heard first of all and then learned using relative solfa,
derived from John Curwen’s Tonic Solfa and rhythm solfa, inspired by and
simplified from the French rhythm solfa system of Cheve, Gallin and Paris.
The
Kodály approach to music education is child centred and taught in a logical,
sequential manner. There is no "method" – more a series of guidelines. Tools
used according to Kodály guidelines are relative solfa, rhythm names and
handsigns.
Click here to download a simple PDF
summary
© L. Geoghegan 2006
Why is singing so important?
The singing voice is nature’s in-built
musical instrument. We all have one, and Kodály educators believe it is the
birthright of every child to learn how to express him/herself musically
through the singing voice. Musical development can in this way begin from
babyhood, with no one excluded on grounds of cost. Singing is a joyful and
sociable activity feeding the spirit as well as the mind.
Singing gives
direct access to music without the technical difficulties of an instrument.
Singing and active participation is therefore the fastest way to learn and
internalise music and to develop musicianship skills. It is also the proof
of accurate internalisation of the rhythm and melody.
Through unaccompanied singing and active participation a student can begin to acquire skills essential to all musicians: musical memory, inner hearing, true intonation and harmonic hearing.
Kodály-trained instrumental teachers regard these skills as pre-requisites for instrumental study at every level. Teachers who spend time preparing musical material through singing and other musical activity find that pupils play successfully and musically when they reach the final stage of performing the music on their instrument.
Engaging in singing and Kodály oriented musical activities leads to a marked increase in the powers of concentration, a rise in levels of achievement and an increase in social harmony in and out of the classroom. Projects conducted by the Voices Foundation, who rely on teachers and trainers who are successful graduates of BKA educational programmes, have borne this out.
How does the teaching progress?
The approach is very effective with young
children who will learn, unconsciously at first, all the musical elements,
which musicians need, through playing and singing of musical games and songs
of their mother tongue. As with language learning, it can happen very
spontaneously and naturally when parents and carers sing to young children
as a part of everyday life, especially if this singing approach is continued
through Primary School.
At an appropriate stage these musical elements and
skills are further developed by being made conscious and then, later,
reinforced. In the process of reinforcing, new elements are introduced –
again unconsciously by the teacher, thus continuing and developing the cycle
further. Central to this work is the development of the Inner Hearing (the
ability to imagine sound) though a potent combination of singing, rhythm
work, Solfa and hand-sign work, stick-notation, memory development, part
work, improvisation and so on.
But I am an adult!
Kodály’s approach to
learning can be used to develop musical skills at any age. Anyone, whatever
their age or ability may aspire to the highest levels of musicianship. The
training starts with the simple and progresses to the more complex by
logical steps and is one of the finest approaches to music education yet
devised and therefore suited to all ages and stages of musical development.
There are always adult beginners at the annual
BKA Summer School and many
come back year after year to extend their musical skills. As well as helping
beginners to develop musicianship skills, the training also extends to those
working at an advanced level.
But I am an instrumentalist!
When music is taught or learned using
Kodály’s approach skills vital to advanced music making such as “inner
hearing”, rhythmic co-ordination and harmonic hearing are strongly developed
at an early stage. The approach is therefore relevant for instrumental
teachers as well as class teachers and amateur and professional singers and
musicians.
Through Kodály training teachers come to realise that all pupils need a core of musicianship training which is relevant to all instruments. Instrumental teachers therefore need to develop skills and material for musicianship work with their pupils, and to acquire repertoire and insights for applying this to their own instrument. Training is available in courses run by the BKA.
But I am not a Singer!
You do not
have to be a trained singer to enjoy or benefit from this form of music
making. If you can draw breath, you can sing in such a way that the musical
world will become accessible to you. The teaching and learning of music
through the use of the singing voice enables the most direct of musical
responses and provides the opportunity for musical understanding at the
deepest level.
All students are taught to work with rhythm, structure and style in music – and to understand pitch by using a relative pitch system, which uses pitch syllables (e.g do, re, mi, fa etc) to develop keen aural discrimination. This is central to Kodály training and provides a stimulating and challenging means of improving personal musicianship and musical awareness.
But I am a non-specialist teacher!
It is possible to
learn basic musical skills as an adult, which can then be transmitted in the
classroom in singing games and other musical activities requiring only the
use of your voice. The BKA runs courses and workshops throughout the year,
in addition to its annual Summer School to provide this training.
Read 'The Kodály Experience' by Cyrilla Rowsell - an illuminating discussion by a gifted teacher.
'Read 'The Importance of Inner Hearing' by Becky Welsh - an essay written by Becky Welsh as part of her double bass studies at Trinity College of Music.
See also:
Kodály Archive
"It is our firm conviction that mankind will live the happier when it has learned to live with music more worthily. Whoever works to promote this end, in one way are another, has not lived in vain." Zoltán Kodály