Orff Schulwerk to be Held at Illinois State July 23 to Aug. 3

Date: 7/18/07
Contact: Marc Lebovitz

Three specially trained instructors – from Connecticut, Missouri and Wisconsin – will be on the Illinois State University campus for two weeks beginning July 23 to conduct the ISU School of Music’s Orff Schulwerk Level I and Level II Teaching Training course.

Orff Schulwerk (German for schooling or school work) is the largest professional organization for general music teachers and is based on an approach developed by German composer and music educator Carl Orff and fellow composer-educator Gunild Keetman. Their approach to music instructor includes integrating mallet instruments invented by Orff.

The instructors for the course are Sarah Guterman, a music teacher at King’s Highway Elementary School in Westport, Conn.; Judy Bond, associate professor of Music and coordinator of Music Education at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point; and Nancy Miller, a teacher of music, dance and theatre for more than 45 years, most recently at the College School in St. Louis.

This is the third year Illinois State has offered Orff Schulwerk but the first year to offer both Level I and Level II. Instructors go through extensive training to be certified to teach.

Central Illinois music teachers, classroom teachers and music therapists who take the course to earn Level I or II certification in the Orff Schulwek approach will experience a comprehensive and intensive survey of basic music concepts, skills and pedagogical techniques for teaching music. The course focuses on the unique aspects of the Orff Schulwerk approach which includes speech, echoing, body percussion, playing pitched/unpitched instruments, singing, movement, reading notation and improvisation.

Special topics this year include children’s literature, puppetry, jazz and folk dancing. The two-week course will conclude with an “informance” (a performance which informs) at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3, in Hayden Auditorium in Thomas Metcalf School. Admission is free and open to the public, and elementary-age students are particularly welcome.

Kimberly McCord, coordinator for Undergraduate Music Education in the School of Music, is coordinating the two-week course.