Orff Schulwerk to be Held at Illinois State July 13-24

The popular Orff Schulwek training for Central Illinois music teachers, classroom teachers and music therapists will return to Illinois State University starting July 13 and concluding on July 24, with an "informance" (a performance which informs) at 2 p.m. in Hayden Auditorium in Thomas Metcalf School. Admission is free and open to the public, and elementary-age students are particularly welcome.

One of the earliest American Orff trained teachers, Nancy Miller, will not only be conducting a Orff Schulwerk Level 1 teaching training course on the Illinois State University campus this summer, but also will be donating her collection of general music materials to Illinois State.

"Nancy Miller is one of the early American Orff teachers," said Kimberly McCord, coordinator for Undergraduate Music Education in the School of Music.  "She is an important part of the history of Orff music education in the U.S.  She taught for many years in St. Louis and is an author of the most popular textbook series in music.  Even though she retired from teaching at Orff courses years ago, she continues to teach at Illinois State."

McCord, coordinator of the two-week Orff course, said Miller's collection is a virtual history of general music in the U.S. spanning the past 50 years. 

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.

Central Illinois music teachers, classroom teachers and music therapists who take the course to earn Level I 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.