Orff

= ﻿Orff-Schulwerk =





Objectives:
By the end of this Wiki page, you should be able to:
 * Understand and explain background features of both Carl Orff and his new approach to music education
 * Identify the major components of the Orff Schulwerk, or Orff Approach
 * Identify the students and classrooms that can benefit from the Orff Approach
 * Understand the importance of the Orff Approach in music education

After reading this Wiki page on the Orff Schulwerk, **create a short lesson plan** that can be implemented in a music classroom and follows Orff's approach to music education. Make sure to post your creative lesson plan in the Discussions tab!

= Introduction = Carl Orff, a German composer and music educator, was born on July 10, 1895 in Munich, Germany, and died on March 29, 1982. His interest in music began at a very early age, when he starting learning the piano and cello at the age of five. As he continued to grow, Orff eventually switched from performing music to composing for it, a talent that was set in compositions for voice, orchestra, and, most notably, stage works. Perhaps his most famous work is //Carmina Burana//, part of his //Trionfi//, or //Triumphs//, which also include //Catulli Carmina// and //Trionfo di Afrodite// (all "scenic cantatas"). Listen to an excerpt from Carl Orff's scenic cantata: [|"O Fortuna," from Carmina Burana] In the 1920s, Carl Orff became extremely interested in music education; he and his colleague, Dorothee Gunther, opened the Guntherschule in Munich to provide a setting for musicians and dancers to integrate their arts. In this setting, students ages twelve to twenty-two worked around the clock to hone their craft and technique. Dancers were expected to learn how to sing and play instruments, and musicians were expected to learn how to move and dance in accordance with their music. The students attending the Guntherscule became very well known and eventually went on to tour, even opening for the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. Unfortunately, the school was destroyed in 1945 during World War II, when bombs devastated the city. All was not lost, however, as only a few years later, Orff and his colleagues were invited to perform broadcasts on the Bavarian Radio System. Gunild Keetman organized the event, which became so popular that teachers from around Germany began requesting copies to use in thier classrooms as examples of teaching and music. Shortly after these broradcasts, Orff published a set of five volumes on his teaching ideas and methods, //Orff-Schulwerk: Musik fur Kinder//. The pieces in these publications are intended for teaching purposes, with teachers expected to simplify, change, and create new pieces of their own with their students.

= ﻿Purpose and Goals = = ﻿  =

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Carl Orff had several objectives in mind when creating his Orff-Schulwerk. Overall, he wished to use his process to guide children through several phases of musical development: Through **exploration**, Orff wished for his students to discover all of the endless possibilities available through both sound and movement**. Imitation** is used as a means to develop basic skills in both speech, rhythm, and percussion, by singing and playing instruments. **Improvisation**, Orff believed, aids individuals in furthering their knowledge, by having them combine rhythms and patterns in a group setting based on previous skills and learnings. Finally, **creation** is necessary for allowing students to take previous material and combine it into something completely new; small forms can be generated, and literary material can be transformed into theater pieces for performances. These four phases can be taught in any order, with whatever works best being the key element to teaching.
 * **Exploration**
 * **Imitation**
 * **Improvisation**
 * **Creation**

Overall, Orff's approach is seen as more of a **process** than a teaching **method**. In his famed process, students discover knowledge and learning for themselves, and teachers should merely function as **facilitators**. The process should reflect a child's natural ability to **have fun** and **explore**. Teachers are challenged in the sense that there is no set "method," and new means of communicating ideas must always be found and updated for the classroom. In addition, teachers must also be comfortable and educated in **both** music and movement, as both are essential to Orff's learning process.

Carl Orff's Schulwerk has numerous purposes and ideas, only a few of which we will explore. Some of his greatest and firm beliefs include:

Cultural backgrounds in this area may include such things as rhymes, children's chants, games, and songs. A successful adaptation of Orff's method will incorporate a culture's ideas into teaching, with sensitivity musical and cultural backgrounds. In other words, the goal is not to be completely literate in music; the goal is to have children learn music and have fun with it **through** musical literacy (which is often hidden underneath fun learning activities). Only when students feel comfortable and in a natural environment are they willing to learn and able to blossom. This is perhaps one of the main tenets of Orff's process; students should be comfortable and have fun in any and all aspects of music and movement. Orff found that when learning takes place in a group context, invidiuals learn to work with others, gain confidence in themselves, and earn an appreciation for the work of others.
 * **Each culture must begin with its own speech and song heritage**
 * **Musical literacy is a __means__, not a __goal__**
 * **Must be taught in a natural setting**
 * **Process develops individuals who are comfortable with active music making - singing, playing instruments, using speech, improvising, and combining any and all of the above**
 * **Group learning is more efficient and beneficial**

= ﻿Orff Classroom Training = = =

Carl Orff's Schulwerk focuses on several areas for basic music training. This includes:

Overall, Carl Orff uses things such as **singing, saying, dancing, playing, improvising, and creating** because they are a part of children's natural behavior - **PLAY**. These actions are also simple and basic and easy for children to understand and grasp. Movements are often put into effect with rhythms to cement ideas, and instruments are also used for all of the above. Orff used percussion instruments to aid in rhythm learning, and some of these instruments include miniature xylophones, marimbas, and clockenspiels.
 * **Rhythmic pronouncement and control**
 * **Muscular control of the voice**
 * **Ability to listen hear:**
 * **One part against another**
 * **Pitch intervals**
 * **Rhythmic intervals (pulses and rests)**
 * **Extended melodic and rhythmic lines**
 * **Musical forms**
 * **Rhythmic independence**
 * **Making ensemble music**

Carl Orff's process can be used and for anyone, of any age. Generally, it is seen as an **elementary** method because of its natural setting, basic elements, and comfortable atmosphere. It can, however, also be used to teach individuals with special needs; since the process is so simple, those with mental handicaps are often able to grasp the concepts and perform with little fear of being evaluated or judged (especially since this is usually taught in a group setting).

Watch this video on a sample Orff classroom! [|University of Louisville Orff Classroom]

Now, **CREATE** your own lesson plan based on the ideas and beliefs stated above, as well as the sample video you watched. Have fun and be imaginative!

Finally, make sure to visit the American Orff-Schulwerk Association at []

= Bibliography =
 * 1) Banks, S. (1982). Orff-Schulwerk Teaches Musical Responsiveness. //Music Educators Journal, 68 (7)//, 42-43.
 * 2) Fassone, A. Orff, Carl. In //Grove Music// Online. Retrieved from [].
 * 3) Goodkin, D. (2001). Orff-Schulwerk in the New Millennium. //Music Educators Journal, 88 (3),// 17-23.
 * 4) McRae, S. (1982). The Orff Connection... Reaching the Special Child. //Music Educators Journal, 68 (8)//, 32-34.
 * 5) Nash, G. (1964). The Orff Schulwerk in the Classroom. //Music Educators Journal, 50 (5)//, 92-93.
 * 6) ﻿Shamrock, M. (1986). Orff Schulwerk: An Integrated Foundation. //Music Educators Journal, 55 (6),// 51-55.
 * 7) Thresher, J. (1964). The Contributions of Carl Orff to Elementary Music Education. //Music Educators Journal, 50 (2)//, 43-48.