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The Orff Music Experience
11.5.2018The Orff Music Experience
Metcalf music teacher, Aundrea Wells, is passionate about the Orff approach to general music instruction. The Orff process, developed by German composer and music educator, Carl Orff, focuses on experience and exploration before concept revelation in the general music classroom. Orff combined music and movement into a playful learning experience for students.
While the Orff process can be implemented at any grade level, Wells starts a heavy Orff curriculum in first grade. “Metcalf has structured their music curriculum with a melodic focus in PreK and Kindergarten and a rhythmic curriculum in first through eighth grades,” Wells reflects.
A typical general music class follows a structure similar to that outlined below:
1. Warm Up
- Students move with the music to warm up with length of phrase.
- Rhythm War-Teacher versus the students has the class repeat the teacher’s rhythm.
2. Main Lesson
Squared Dancing, for example, through the Orff Process
- Students start in a circle
- Learn movements with their hands instead of their feet
- Student discovery- What if we put it in our feet?
- Student discovery- What if we add music to it?
- Student connection- Connect the movement to the promenade learned in a previous lesson
- Student discovery- What if we break this into two circles?
3. Content Reveal
Metcalf offers their students the opportunity to extend their learning through participation in OrffCats, after school Orff ensemble groups that meet once a week. This program started as a collaboration between Metcalf Laboratory School and Illinois State University with a group of students that played instruments, danced and sang as an extension of what was done in the classroom. The after school group is broken into two smaller groups, Wildcats and Mildcats.
The Mildcats are a traditional third through fifth grade ensemble that explores, discovers and creates music beyond the regular classroom. Last year they selected a book from the library and built a song around the story.
The Wildcats are a more sophisticated group that plays jazz music and includes rhymth instruments in addition to the typical Orff instruments. Every other year the Wildcats Orff Ensemble travels to perform at other schools and at events. In the last few years the group has traveled to Memphis and Nashville, recording songs in studios during both visits.
“Seeing the kids learn and discover music for themselves makes me happy,” Wells explains, “Metcalf students, through the Orff process, have freedoms in music class that I did not have as a music student.”
“Seeing the kids learn and discover music for themselves makes me happy,” Wells explains, “Metcalf students, through the Orff process, have freedoms in music class that I did not have as a music student.”
Wells credits her Illinois State University professors with developing her passion for Orff. She encourages general music teachers to continue learning and complete the Orff levels for teachers. “We are all developing Orff teachers.”
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