Improvisation within the Four Approaches:

Dalcroze, Gordon, Kodály, Orff Schulwerk

National Association for Music Education

National Conference November 13, 2018

Presenters:

Steven Robbins, Comal ISD

steven.robbins@comalisd.org Diane Lange, University of Texas at Arlington

lange@uta.edu Susan Brumfield, Texas Tech University

susan.brumfield@ttu.edu Julie Scott, Southern Methodist University

scottj@smu.edu Judy Bond, Univ. of Wisconsin, Stevens Point

jbond@uwsp.edu

Introduction Judy Bond, Ph.D. St. Olaf College

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point This session supports the mission of the Alliance for Active Music Making, presenting master teachers of four different approaches well-known to most general music teachers. All share the belief that lifelong collaboration between practitioners and master teachers who are committed to different teaching/learning approaches can open a pathway to higher levels of artistry, musicianship, and pedagogical understanding. Through an open and collaborative mind-set, teachers learn from one another and are enabled to meet the wide variety of abilities, talents, and needs they may encounter in students. Goals of the Alliance for Active Music Making:

1. To provide a forum for sharing philosophies and practices of active music making, including, but not limited to, those of Jaques-Dalcroze, Gordon, Kodály, and Orff.

2. To promote collaboration between music teachers and university methods teachers toward implementation of active music making.

3. To provide resources that will promote understanding and practice of active music making.

4. To encourage in depth professional development in active music making approaches. 5. To promote awareness among education leaders and policy makers, arts educators, future

teachers, and the general public about active music making approaches. 6. To encourage, support, and disseminate research regarding active music making.

Our mission is to promote active music making approaches in general music teacher education.” The philosophy of the Alliance for Active Music Making states that “the music educator must have the freedom to move in and out of different approaches, guided by foundational tenets that assist the intuitive teacher in discerning the best solution to meet the learner’s needs” (Janet Moore). --from www.allianceamm.org For more information about the AAMM, and videos of conference sessions demonstrating the approaches of Dalcroze, Gordon, Kodály, and Orff, see the website: www.allianceamm.org or email jbond@uwsp.edu

Dalcroze Eurhythmics: Movement and Improvisation Steven Robbins

Comal, Texas Independent School District

Emile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865-1950) was a Swiss music educator who developed a unique approach to music education that utilizes rhythmic movement, ear training and improvisation. This approach, simply referred to as Eurhythmics, connects movement that we can see and feel with musical concepts that are more abstract. Musical concepts are studied through kinesthetic experiences involving time, space and energy. Length and depth of focus are increased while students analyze, perform, read, write and improvise in a socially interactive environment.

Improvisation within the approach is multi-faceted as both teachers and students

improvise during lessons. Students improvise movement in response to music, stories, poetry, sounds or images. Sound, music, stories, poetry and images are also created in response to movement. This establishes a relationship between music and movement where music inspires movement while movement also inspires the music. Teachers utilize simple improvisations to clearly communicate musical concepts and to enable the music teacher to quickly respond to student needs. The utilization of improvisation creates a spiral relationship between music and movement that increases in sophistication as the skill level of the participants increases.

Participants in the eurhythmics approach experience a spiral curriculum that takes the learner from: Hearing to Moving Moving to Feeling Feeling to Sensing Sensing to Analyzing Analyzing to Reading Reading to Writing Writing to Improvising Improvising to Performing Improvisation in both music and movement is a thread that runs through the entire music education process in a eurhythmics-based classroom. Sample Lessons Stories -Tell a story, such as The Three Little Pigs. Students “act out” the story utilizing improvised locomotor and non-locomotor movements. The teacher carefully observes the improvised movement and improvises music to match the movement. Any instrument the teacher feels comfortable playing can be used. Example: Students are walking as part of the story. The teacher improvises walking music based on the walking speed of the students, matching the tempo of their footsteps. This can be expanded to include various subdivisions in simple and/or compound meter or even specific rhythms.

Example: Students improvise movement to build a house in The Three Little Pigs. As students build walls higher, play ascending pitches on the piano or xylophone. When building the next house, ask students to listen to the pitches you play. Students build lower or higher based on the pitches you play. The teacher can easily assess if students are correctly identifying high/low pitches. To extend, have the students play the music on classroom instruments to accompany the movement. Mirroring -Students face a partner. One student moves while another imitates the movement as if looking in a mirror. Students switch roles at the end of each phrase. This is an excellent opportunity to utilize quality recorded music for students to interact with. As students increase in skill and awareness, movements should begin to reflect musical qualities present in the music being played. Extension: To help students discover new ways of moving, have one student be the leader and the student mirroring do whatever she or he thinks is the opposite movement. Call/Response Example: Pear/Apple. If the teacher says pear, students say apple. If the teacher says apple, students say pear. T: pear, pear, apple, apple S: apple, apple, pear, pear. Extension: Teacher says combination of pear/apple, but students can respond with any combination of apple/pear that does not match the original. Transfer to body percussion. Partners, Tactile Response: Students face a partner. Both students place left hand palm up. Students use his or her right hand to tap into the palm of his or her partner’s left hand. Tapping should be gentle. Partner A taps a 4-beat rhythm, partner B taps a response. Extension: Same as previous activity, but partner not tapping call or response taps a steady pulse into partner’s palm. This causes partner tapping rhythm to feel a pulse in the left hand simultaneously. Teacher supports by providing pulse on drum. Variants: Switch hands, extend phrase, change pulse, transfer to xylophones…

Steven Robbins steven.robbins@comalisd.org

To learn more about incorporating Eurhythmics into your classroom, please visit the American Eurhythmics Society website: www.americaneurhythmics.org

Improvisation in Music Learning Theory Diane Lange, Ph.D.

University of Texas at Arlington Music Learning Theory:

• A theory of how one learns music • Music is learned the same way that language is learned (learn through immersion) • Goal is to teach audiation • Wide variety of tonalities and meters • Movement important to rhythmic development • Based on the research of Edwin Gordon • Teaches to students’ potential to achieve in music (Music Aptitude) • Two parts (learning sequence activities or pattern instruction and classroom activities) • Not called a method because the theory is evolving

Gordon Institute for Music Learning - www.giml.org Jump Right In: The Music Curriculum (grade K-4)

• Curriculum Based on Music Learning Theory • Published by GIA Publications (www.giamusic.com)

Whole-part-whole learning process

Whole (Experience) Part (Skills) Whole (Apply Back) Classroom Activities

• Singing • Moving • Chanting • Playing • No specific sequence of

songs

Learning Sequence Activities (Pattern Instruction)

• First 3-5 minutes of class

Classroom Activities • Come back to song with

greater understanding • Apply new skills when

you go back to the whole

New content is presented • Tonality (Major or

minor) • Meter (Duple or Triple) • Function (Tonic or

Macrobeat)

New Skills taught here • Labeling resting tone • Labeling tonic patterns • Labeling division

patterns • Reading musical notation

Audiation (hearing and comprehending music) is a goal of Music

Learning Theory so students can truly understand music and function as independent musicians.

Dr. Diane M. Lange, University of Texas at Arlington lange@uta.edu

Beat Function Syllable System • Every macrobeat (in all meters) uses the syllable Du. • In Duple meter the syllables used for all microbeats are Du de. • In Triple meter the syllables used for microbeats are Du da di. • This system accommodates unusual meters by using the syllables Du be when microbeats

are grouped in twos and Du ba bi when grouped in threes. • Beat function syllables can be attached to movement – it is based on how rhythm is felt,

not how rhythms are notated. Creativity – Musical responses where there are no restrictions placed on the student.

Improvisation – Musical responses where there are restrictions placed on the student.

Who’s That Tapping At The Window (Major/Duple) Teach song using part-song method.

Ask students what is the meter. Lead discussion and ask why it’s in duple meter — because you’re audiating (Du de Du de)

Have students echo me using rhythm syllables between performances of the song. Have students create patterns using rhythm syllables between performances of the song

as an echo to my patterns (conversation). Insert student’s names instead of “Mammy” and “Pappy.” Have those students create

patterns using rhythm syllables between performances of the song. Have the class echo their patterns.

Objectives: To reinforce duple meter To improvise duple patterns using rhythm syllables

. Dr. Diane M. Lange, University of Texas at Arlington lange@uta.edu

Love Somebody (Major/Duple) Sing song.

Tell students that there are 4 parts or phrases in the song. Have them identify which are the same and not the same. (Could be 2 phrases and the beginning of each phrase is the same.)

Ask students the tonality of the song. Lead the students to discover that it is major tonality because the resting tone is do.

Ask the students what pitches are in a tonic pattern (do mi sol). Have students listen to the song and aurally identify the tonic pattern. Have students count how many times the tonic pattern occurs in the song. Have students create a new arrangement of the tonic pattern using solfege. Have students insert their pattern into the song. Objectives: Identify do as the resting tone in major tonality. Identify tonic pattern in major tonality. Improvise tonic patterns in major tonality.

Dr. Diane M. Lange, University of Texas at Arlington lange@uta.edu

Music Learning Theory Resources

Bluestine, E. (2000). The ways children learn music. Chicago: GIA Publications. Bolton, B. M., Taggart, C. C., Reynolds, A. M., Valerio, W. H. & Gordon, E. E. (2001). Jump right in: The music curriculum (grade 2). Chicago: GIA Publications. Gordon, E., E., (2007). Learning sequences in music. Chicago: GIA Publications. Lange, D. M. (2012). Together again in harmony: Combining Orff Schulwerk and music learning theory. Chicago: GIA Publications. Lange, D. M. (2005). Together in harmony: Combining Orff Schulwerk and music learning theory. Chicago: GIA Publications. Taggart, C. C., Reynolds, A. M., Valerio, W. H., Bailey, J. M., Lange, D. & Gordon, E. E. (2010). Jump right in: The music curriculum (grade K). Chicago: GIA Publications. Taggart, C. C., Bolton, B. M., Reynolds, A. M., Valerio, W. H. & Gordon, E. E. (2006). Jump right in: The music curriculum (grade 4). Chicago: GIA Publications. Taggart, C. C., Bolton, B. M., Reynolds, A. M., Valerio, W. H. & Gordon, E. E. (2004). Jump right in: The music curriculum (grade 3). Chicago: GIA Publications. Taggart, C. C., Bolton, B. M., Reynolds, A. M., Valerio, W. H. & Gordon, E. E. (2000). Jump right in: The music curriculum (grade 1). Chicago: GIA Publications. Valerio, W. H., Reynolds, A. M., Bolton, B. M., Taggart, C. C., & Gordon, E. E. (1998).

Music Play: Jump Right In Preschool Series. Chicago: GIA Publications. Dr. Diane M. Lange, University of Texas at Arlington lange@uta.edu

IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD: From Musical Literacy to Improvisation

Susan Brumfield, Ph.D. Professor of Music Education, Texas Tech University susan.brumfield@ttu.edu

The Kodály Approach

Zoltán Kodály (1882- 1967) was a noted Hungarian composer, philosopher and

nationalist. Under his guidance, his colleagues and students developed what has come to be called the “Kodaly method.” In reality, the teaching inspired by Kodály may be more accurately described as “approach” to music education, based on Kodály’s vision for the musical, intellectual, physical and spiritual development of children. Kodály-inspired music education (a term coined by musicologist Alexander Ringer) is known for its sequential and concurrent development of musical skills, emphasis on music literacy and singing-based curriculum.

Tools of the Method

• Tonic solfa (moveable do and la-based minor) • Curwen hand signs • Solfege and absolute pitch names • Rhythm syllables • Stick/ solfa shorthand notation

The “Three-Step Process”

• Preparation • Presentation • Practice

Where does improvisation fit into a Kodály-inspired approach? From the moment children are able to utter sounds, they begin to create their own musical worlds through babbling, moving, speaking and ultimately singing in their own ways. These natural creative instincts can and should be nurtured in a relaxed and playful way, in a fun and safe classroom environment. There is a frequent misconception that the highly structured nature of this approach can inhibit, rather than encourage creativity. In a true Kodály-inspired practice, however, improvisation is an integral part of the process, embedded in each stage of concept development. As Lois Choksy observed, “In Hungary, young children grow up so comfortable with the language of music that to invent with it is as easy as using words to form sentences.”1

Some teachers struggle with the idea of teaching improvisation because of their own experience

(or lack of experience) in that skill area. Even teachers who feel completely confident and capable with other aspects of planning and teaching may experience some fear or musical insecurity at the thought of finding ways for their students to use and show what they know through improvisation activities. It may help to recognize improvisation as a skill (not a magic trick!) that can be developed over time, through small, incremental steps, and view spontaneous creating as a fun, enjoyable process that they can explore together with their students. Improvisation Activities for Preparation

• Imitation: Teacher claps or sings; students echo, then change the pattern in some way (longer, shorter, faster, slower, louder, softer, etc.)

• Movement improvisation (show how the “new thing” sounds) • Question & Answer (“unknown” rhythm and melody, sung without solfa or rhythm names or

played on prepared classroom instruments) • Fill in the Blank (text) • Musical Dialogue (sung or played) • Create additional verses for known songs • Create original dances and movement activities for singing games (cups, passing and clapping

patterns, etc.) • Create movement to enhance music listening (art music, world music, vernacular musics)

Improvisation Activities for Practice

• Creating within specific parameters of form, rhythm and melody • Creating without including specified rhythmic or melodic elements • Rhythm or melody “chain” • Creating ostinato, descants and accompaniments using known rhythmic and melodic vocabulary • “Finish the Song” using a designated tone-set • “Be the Composer” (sing fragments from art music; predict the composer’s ending; then compare

answers with the actual ending)

1 Lois Choksy, The Kodály Context: Creating an Environment for Musical Learning. 1st ed. (Englewood Cliffs, NY: Prentice Hall, 1981).

Selected Reading Brumfield, Susan. First, We Sing! Kodály-Inspired Pedagogy for the Music Classroom. Milwaukee, WI:

Hal Leonard Music, 2014. ________. First, We Sing! Activity Cards for Preparation and Practice. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard

Music, 2014. Choksy, Lois. The Kodály Context, 1st. ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1981. ________. The Kodály Method (I and II). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999. Eisen, Ann & Lamar Robertson. American Methodology: An Inclusive Approach to Music Literacy. Lake

Charles, LA: Sneaky Snake Publications, 2010. Feierabend, John. First Steps in Music for Preschool and Beyond. Chicago IL: GIA Publications, 2006. Herboly-Kocsár, Ildyko. Music Should Be for Everyone: 120 Quotations from Kodály’s Speeches trans.

Lilli Vandulek. Budapest, HU: International Kodály Society, 2002. Houlahan, Michael. & Philip Tacka. Kodály Today: A Cognitive Approach to Elementary Music

Education. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2008. Johnson, Judith. Practice Makes Perfect. Brisbane, UA: Clayfield School of Music, 2003. Kodály, Zoltan. The Selected Writings of Zoltán Kodály, ed. Ference Bonis, trans. Lili Halápy and Fred

MacNicol. London: Boosey & Hawkes, 1974. Sinor, Jean. “Skill Development in the Music Curriculum.” Round Top, TX: Unpublished Lecture Notes,

Level III Pedagogy, FAME Kodály Certification Course, 1990. Szönyi, Erzsébet. Kodaly’s Principles in Practice: An Approach to Music Education through the Kodaly

Method. London: Boosey & Hawkes, 1979. ________. Musical Reading and Writing, trans. Lili Halapy. London: Boosey & Hawkes, 1974.

Improvisation in Orff Schulwerk Julie Scott, Ph.D.

Southern Methodist University Background: The Role and Importance of Improvisation in Orff Schulwerk The steps of the Orff approach are imitate, explore, label, create. “Create” means that teachers of Orff Schulwerk provide opportunities for students to have input and make decisions during a lesson; to engage in decision-making and problem-solving; and to improvise and compose in groups and as individuals. However, sometimes teachers of all approaches find it difficult to provide time in the lesson for student creativity. Teaching Orff Schulwerk without improvisation, however, isn’t truly Orff Schulwerk. Carl Orff made the point very clearly:

Unfortunately, the “Rhythmische-melodische Übung” [the first publication of Orff Schulwerk], offering sample material as it did, was widely misunderstood, since it is possible to practice and perform each piece as it stands. To do this would mean a total failure to recognize the purpose of this book. It is not the playing from notation but the free making of music in improvisation that is meant and demanded, for which the printed examples give information and stimulus. (1978, p. 131)

There are so many concepts and materials to cover each year in music class that sometimes there just isn’t enough time to improvise. So consider this. Each time you teach a piece by Orff, Keetman, or someone else, spend the next lesson on a quick review of the piece, followed by a lengthy improvisation session. This might mean that the teacher teaches fewer songs, games, and instrumental pieces for the students to reproduce from the score or buy rote—a teacher-centered approach. However, it will allow us more time for essential improvisation—a more student-centered approach. Being an authentic teacher of the Orff approach means that you teach improvisation. I hope that you will improvise and create with your students more this week than you did last! A Model for Teaching Improvisation Why are we hesitant to teach improvisation or put it on the back burner? One of the challenges mentioned previously is time. We spend so much time teaching musical concepts, such as rhythmic durations and notes on the staff, which are requirements of our National Standards and state or district curricula, that it leaves less time for improvisation. In addition, many music educators are not comfortable improvising. Maybe we were not taught to improvise or given opportunities to try it. If we don’t improvise ourselves, it isn’t likely that we’ll provide opportunities for our students to improvise. Therefore, we need: 1) a structure for teaching improvisation; and 2) practice—lots of practice! Because the best way to become better improvisors is to improvise!

Orff and Keetman gave us no mandate, no specific sequence for teaching improvisation. Over the years, I learned many techniques for teaching improvisation from my own instructors in Orff Teacher Education classes and workshops. I began to develop my own model for teaching improvisation to my students. Several years ago, however, I found John Kratus’s sequential approach for teaching improvisation, and the levels Kratus described seemed to fit the stages I had learned in Orff Schulwerk, and which had worked well with my students. I have adopted Kratus’s terms to describe the sequence of activities I use to teach improvisation. These steps are:

Exploration Kratus (1991, 1996) described the exploration stage as a “pre-improvisational step” when students “[try] out different sounds and combinations of sounds in a loosely structured context” (1991, p. 38). At this stage, students are not yet audiating the sounds they play, and therefore, “[have] little control over the performing medium” (1996, p. 30). In addition, “exploration lacks the purposefulness and structural constraints of improvisation” (1996, pp. 30-31). Since there is no aural predictability on the part of the students at this stage, the sounds produced are random. Process-Oriented Improvisation Kratus’s (1996) called the second stage “process-oriented” improvisation.” At this stage, students begin “to make connections between motor movements on a voice or instrument and the resulting sounds” (p. 32). The improvisations become more purposeful and pattern-dominated. Although the students begin to use repeated patterns, the improvisation is still individual, due to the lack of tonal organization. Kratus wrote: “[I]nitially it will be easier for the student to learn to audiate as she plays if the available pitches are limited in some way” (1996, p. 32). Product-Oriented Improvisation Kratus’s third stage is exemplified by two major changes: • “the student becomes more aware of music in the environment and begins to structure her own

improvisations to be more like the music she hears,” and • “the student becomes aware that music can be shared with other people and that others value music as

a product” (Kratus, 1996, p. 33).

Activities for Improvisation in Orff Schulwerk Level I: Exploration For the initial stages of the exploration process, the teacher gives guidance to the students by providing models for them, by letting them share their ideas individually, and by asking questions and giving feedback. Through this process, the children are led to sing, speak, move, and play to express the dichotomous musical concepts we learn in class: high/low; up/down; loud/soft; fast/slow; connected/detached. As they engage in preliminary exploration, students begin to become confortable with all of the Orff “media,” paving the way for more informed singing, speaking, moving, playing, and improvising.

Exploration Using the Voice

1. Call and Response on a theme: “What did you eat at Thanksgiving?” 2. “Recitative time” in music class for questions and answers 3. “Little Birds, Bugs, Animals and Things,” from Music for Children, Vol. 1 (American Edition)

a. Students make up statements about their animal “likes” and “dislikes.” b. In small groups, students decide on an animal. They move and make sounds like the animal

for contrasting sections of “Little Birds, Bugs, Animals, and Things.” Exploration through Movement

1. “All the Leaves are Falling Down” (Arvida Steen) (Move freely to express the melodic motion of the song.)

2. “Little Johnny Brown” (Create motions for “Strut like a peacock” and “Show us a motion.”) 3. “Punchinella” (Create motions for “What can you do, Punchinella?”)

Exploration Using the Orff Instruments 1. Teacher models as student imitate playing high/low; up/down; loud/soft; fast/slow; etc. 2. Students play instruments to interpret given shapes, sketches, or pictures. 3. Students play instruments to interpret a story.

Level II: Process-Oriented Improvisation While any vocal sounds were possible, and all of the bars were left on the Orff instruments for the exploration activities described above, we limit the rhythmic durations and tones for improvisational activities at this stage to the ones they know—their current rhythmic and melodic vocabulary. For example, Orff teachers might provide rhythm cards with the “rhythmic building blocks” (Keetman) for students to use to create beginning rhythmic improvisations. For melodic improvisations, we limit the pitch set to known solfège syllables and remove the fa’s and ti’s from the Orff instruments to create a pentatonic scale.

Process-Oriented Rhythmic Improvisation Students incorporate all known rhythmic durations to create phrases.

1. Students are given eight 4-beat rhythm patterns using durations they know. They choose two of those 4-beat patterns to create their own rhythm eight-beat pattern for the B section of a song such as “Who’s That Tapping at the Window.” Later, they can play their rhythm patterns on an unpitched percussion instrument.

2. Students create rhythmic spoken phrases using known durations as a B section for a song. To go with the song “Bobby Shaftoe,” for example, students might create phrases about types of boats or the names of the seven seas.

Process-Oriented Movement Improvisation

1. Mirroring and shadowing allow students to begin with a model—usually the teacher—then to be the leader with a partner, a small group, or the entire class.

2. Students are given a stimulus for interpretive movement, such as the story behind a piece of music, a photograph, or a work of art.

3. Individual interpretation of music in the moment

Process-Oriented Melodic Improvisation Students incorporate all known pitches into their melodic improvisations. Depending on the level of the students, these improvisations may utilize do-based pentatonic, la-based pentatonic, or other pentatonic modes. These improvisations will be accompanied with a simple drone.

1. Using the rhythm of a poem allows students to focus on their choice of pitches and to begin to

audiate the sounds they are producing. Learn and speak the poem in rhythm:

Two, four, six, eight. Meet me at the garden gate! If I’m late, don’t wait. Two, four, six, eight.

2. Sing the rhythm of the poem on so-mi-la. Once the students are comfortable with those pitches,

add do, and finally, add re. 3. Let some students share their pentatonic improvisations. 4. Pat the rhythm of the days of “Two, Four, Six, Eight” on legs, alternating hands to prepare

students to play the rhythm with two hands on their Orff instruments. 5. Play the rhythm of the words on the instruments, beginning on C and ending on C. The teacher

will play a chord drone to accompany. 6. Following the performances by the whole group, have a few volunteers share their improvisations

individually, as the teacher accompanies with the drone. 7. Following each improvisation, lead the group in a discussion, asking the students to share what

they noticed or liked about the improvisation. At this stage, the students may begin to notice that the improvisation sounds more like a “song” when they don’t play wide leaps on the bars.

Level III: Product-Oriented Improvisation At this stage, there is independent use of steady beat, specific meter, consistent tonality, and phrasing. There may be “references to other musical pieces or stylistic traits” (p. 33). In addition, there is an improvement in performance technique. At this level, the teacher can begin giving students a specific structure over which to improvise, such as a form or a chord progression. Because of the students’ awareness of musical syntactic structure, this is also the level at which collaborative group improvisations can begin. Product-Oriented Rhythmic Improvisation Students incorporate all known rhythmic durations to improvise phrases. 1. Improvise 16-beat question/answer phrases on body percussion or unpitched percussion instruments.

Compare spoken questions and answers with musical questions and answers. These improvisations can be with a partner or alone.

2. Improvise 16-beat phrases with a given elemental form (i.e. abac) on body percussion or unpitched percussion instruments.

Product-Oriented Improvisation with Movement 1. Students work with a partner to interpret a piece of music. 2. Students move to express the form of a piece of music. 3. Students incorporate known dance steps, moves, or formations into their own creations.

Product-Oriented Melodic Improvisation Students incorporate all known pitches into their melodic improvisations. These pitches will make up modes and scales that the students learn as they add pitches to the melodic vocabulary (pentatonic, hexatonic, Ionian, Aeolian, Dorian, etc.), as well as harmonies that are added when all eight pitches are learned (I-ii; i-VII; I-V; I-IV-V). 1. Improvise 16-beat question/answer phrases vocally, on an Orff instrument, or on recorder, with or

without a partner. 2. Improvise 16-beat phrases with a given elemental form (i.e. abac) vocally, on an Orff instrument, or

on recorder. 3. Improvise hexatonic melodies over a drone accompaniment. “Sleep, Baby Sleep” is a hexatonic

melody to which the students might add improvised contrasting sections. 4. Improvise Ionian, Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian, and other modal melodies over a drone accompaniment.

At this stage, the drone may be a single-moving or double-moving drone, but it is still an ostinato. (See Music for Children, Vol. II and Vol. IV for models of these modal pieces.)

5. Improvise diatonic melodies over chord changes (I-ii; i-VII; I-V; I-IV-V). Sources Cited: Kratus, J. (1991). Growing with improvisation. Music Educators Journal, 78(4), 35-40. Kratus, J. (1996). A developmental approach to teaching music improvisation. International Journal of

Music Education, 26, 27-38. Orff, C. (1978). The Schulwerk (M. Murray, Trans). New York: Schott Music Corp. See also: https://nafme.org/seven-steps-to-heaven/ for Nick Webb’s summary of Kratus’s seven developmental steps to improvisation.

Selected Resources for Orff Schulwerk American Orff-Schulwerk Association: www.aosa.org

Kriske, J., & Delelles, R. (2005-2011). Game Plan 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, K: An Active Music Curriculum

for Children. US: KiD Sounds LLC

Frazee, J. (1998). Discovering Keetman. United States: Schott Music Corporation.

Frazee, J. (2006). Orff Schulwerk Today: Nurturing Musical Expression and Understanding.

Germany: Schott Music Corporation.

Goodkin, D. (2002). Play, Sing & Dance: An Introduction to Orff Schulwerk. NY: Schott Music

Keetman, G. (1969). Erstes Spiel am Xylophon. Mainz, Germany: B. Schott’s Söhne.

Keetman, G. (1970). Rhythmische Übung. Mainz, Germany: B. Schott’s Söhne.

Keetman, G. (1974). Elementaria. (M. Murray, Trans.). London, England: Caligraving Limited.

Orff, C., & Keetman, G. (1958/66). Music for Children I Pentatonic. (M. Murray, Trans.).

England, London: Schott & Co. Ltd.

Orff, C., & Keetman, G. (1958/66). Music for Children II Major: Drone Bass-Triads. (M.

Murray, Trans.). London, England: Schott Music Ltd.

Orff, C., & Keetman, G. (1958/66). Music for Children III Major: Dominant and Subdominant

Triads. (M. Murrary, Trans.). London, England: Schott & Co. Ltd.

Orff, C., & Keetman, G. (1958/66). Music for Children IV Minor: Drone Bass Triads. (M.

Murrary, Trans.). London, England: Schott Music Ltd.

Orff, C., & Keetman, G. (1958/66). Music for Children V Minor: Dominant and Subdominant

Triads. (M. Murrary, Trans.). London, England: Schott & Co. Ltd.

Orff, C. (1978). The Schulwerk. [Vol. 3]. NY: Schott Music Corp

Sams, R. & Hepburn, B., (2012). Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music

Classroom Book One. Cleveland, OH: MIE Publications

Sams, R. & Hepburn, B., (2012). Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music

Classroom Book Two. Cleveland, OH: MIE Publications

Sams, R. & Hepburn, B., (2012). Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music

Classroom Book Three. Cleveland, OH: MIE Publications

Steen, A. (1992). Exploring Orff. NY: Schott Music Corporation.

Warner, B. (1991). Orff-Schulwerk: Applications for the Classroom. Englewoods Cliffs, New

Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Questions for Consideration and Reflection Judy Bond

Issues and questions presented below are suggested for further reflection following the session. Participants are invited and encouraged to contact the presenters, members of the AAAMM, or the session facilitator (jbond@uwsp.edu) with questions and comments. Your feedback will be appreciated.

• How did this session support the National Standards for Music Education? Did the four approaches to improvisation support any of your existing ideas about the CREATIVITY strand of the National Standards? Did the presentations inspire any new ideas for this strand?

• Can collaboration and communication experienced in conference sessions like this one help to build connections and understanding of the value in different approaches?

• Can awareness of a variety of pathways have a positive impact on teacher candidates still in the preparation (undergraduate) phase of a career in music education?

• Can sessions such as this one help teachers avoid becoming closed-minded and/or dogmatic about one approach?

• Can use and understanding of different approaches help teachers adapt to evolving cultural/societal expectations?

• What is the relationship between active music making approaches and current issues in the larger world of music education?

• Are you strongly drawn to one particular approach? If so, try to identify the reason. If possible, discuss rationale with a teacher drawn to a different approach.

• Did this session motivate you to become more familiar with a new approach?