Orff Schulwerk

“Since the beginning of time, children have not liked to study. They would much rather play, and if you have their interests at heart, you will let them learn while they play.”

” Elemental music is never just music. It’s bound up with movement, dance and speech, and so it is a form of music in which one must participate, in which one is involved not as a listener but as a co-performer.”

-Carl Orff

The Schulwerk

is an active, participating, constantly changing music program. It is not a page by page presentation of musical skills to be overcome, but rather a program designed by teacher to fit the needs and development of the class members.

Children begin as musicians and the best musicians are those who never lose the natural sensitivity to sound and the love of beat, rhythm and melody found in early childhood.

The Schulwerk is a philosophy of musical education developed by the Bavarian composer Carl Orff and his colleague, Gunild Keetman in 1920. The program is based on the songs, body percussion, and the rhythmic and melodic ensembles found in the five volumes called "Das Schulwerk". These volumes are the guidelines for class experiences in beat, rhythm, scales and chord progression of the pentatonic, hexatonic, major, and minor scales.

Learning about music

through movement, speech, percussion ensemble and voice. Improvisation is emphasized along with the development of composition and dictation skills.

Pieces and exercises

are used to cultivate fundamental musicianship.

Lessons are designed

to give students the opportunity to experience through exploration, imitation and creation.

The Instruments

include various sizes of hand drums, rhythm and melodic percussion instruments. These instruments are used to develop musical expression and experience ensemble playing. The playing of these instruments give students further experience in refining their right-left coodination, arm-wrist and finger dexterity.

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