'Springboard' – a recommendation from candidate Eleanor Meynell
This coming year the BKA Residential Spring Course in Leicester (15th – 18th April 2009) will see a continuation of the brand new Springboard course offered in two modules. It was set up by the BKA and is accredited by Roehampton University; it is designed as a preparation for their other certificate courses Sound Beginnings and Sound Progressions, but can also stand alone. Having completed Module 1, I am looking forward to doing Module 2 in April and completing the course.
As a performer and teacher, I was trained by a Kodály practitioner 20 years ago, but have already learned invaluable new skills under the excellent guidance of Cyrilla Rowsell and David Vinden, both hugely experienced and inspirational teachers. Last year, Klára Nemes gave a thorough, stimulating and authoritative introduction to the Kodály concept, explaining the clear and logical progression of material as it is presented in Hungarian schools. This in itself gave me a significant and helpful template for my own teaching. Following on this year in August 2008, Cyrilla and David presented us with practical, simple and sensible instructions for selecting and analysing material for use in the classroom. These were truly invaluable resources, and were delivered with the generosity and eagerness of someone wanting to share a great heritage. It is a myth that the Kodály approach is a complex and intriguing one and somehow out of reach for ordinary people – this view could not be more mistaken. Here is course that will offer a newcomer, with no previous experience of Kodály whatsoever, a series of foolproof, friendly, fun and structured tools with which to work, given by troopers who have served on the frontline. I could not recommend it more highly.