Orff Schulwerk
A traning system that based on the belief that music is a natural and fundamental part of human expression
"Orff Schulwerk", also known as "Orff Approach", is an innovative and holistic approach to music education developed by German composer Carl Orff (1895–1982). This pedagogical method aims to nurture creativity and musicality in students through active participation in rhythm, movement, singing, and playing various percussion instruments.
Orff Schulwerk is an influential music education approach that emphasizes the integration of music, movement, and speech to engage students in a dynamic and hands-on learning process. The approach is built upon several key principles:
- Creative Expression: Orff Schulwerk encourages students to express themselves creatively through music and movement. Students are given opportunities to improvise, compose, and collaborate on their own musical creations.
- Elemental Music: The approach introduces musical concepts gradually and organically, starting with basic rhythmic patterns, melodies, and movement. Students learn by experiencing the fundamental elements of music firsthand.
- Body Percussion and Movement: Movement and dance play a significant role in Orff Schulwerk. Students use their bodies as percussive instruments, creating rhythms and sounds through clapping, stomping, and body movements. This embodiment of rhythm helps develop a strong sense of timing and coordination.
- Percussion Instruments: Orff Schulwerk extensively uses pitched and unpitched percussion instruments, such as xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels, and various unpitched drums and percussion items. Students learn to play these instruments individually and in ensembles, enhancing their ensemble skills and musical collaboration.
- Speech and Singing: Language and singing are integrated into the curriculum. Students learn songs, chants, and rhymes that are closely connected to rhythmic patterns and melodies. This approach helps develop vocal skills and encourages students to connect language with musical expression.
- Group Collaboration: Orff Schulwerk often involves group activities and collaborations. Students learn to work together in ensembles, creating music collectively and enhancing their listening and communication skills.
Orff Schulwerk is suitable for students of all ages and levels, from early childhood to adulthood. It is frequently used in schools, music education centers, and community settings as a comprehensive and engaging method to teach music concepts, foster creativity, and promote a strong sense of rhythm and musicality.
Example of Orff Schulwerk
Terminology Information
Vocabulary Category
Related Terms
Dictionary
Other Terms
Tutor's Video (Madeline Tsui)
Tutors
Articles
The Greatest Violinist: Jascha Heifetz
Common Practice Guide
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer, the predominant musical figure during the transition between the Classical to Romantic eras. He occupies an unprecedented dominance in the history of Western music history, and has been widely regarded as the greatest, most influential and most popular musician who ever lived.
Beethoven's music inherited the artistic atmosphere of Haydn and Mozart, penetrated the desire for dignity, vented the anger tortured by fate, and demonstrated his determination to fight with fate.
Compared to other musicians, Beethoven is effectively to interact the philosophy of life with audience through music. Although he was not a romantic, he had become the object followed by other romantics.
As a musician, Beethoven suffered from ear diseases. However, he was unwilling to succumb to fate, vowing to take fate by the throat, and continue to complete his career. In the last ten years of his life, without hearing any sound, his compositions influenced the development of music for nearly two hundred years.