Orff Schulwerk

Orff Schulwerk is an approach to music education developed by composer Carl Orff and his associate Gunild Keetman. It is an aesthetic approach to music education that invites children to express their feelings and imagination through saying, singing, moving, and playing. It is based on a philosophy of music for ALL regardless of ability and children are scaffolded to gain success quickly. For more information about Orff Schulwerk in New Zealand and abroad click on the links below

Key Principles of Orff Schulwerk

* Inclusive and collaborative experiences for ALL abilities; opportunities for everyone to feel successful in collective music making efforts.

* Rooted in elemental rhythmic experiences.

* A unity between language, movement, and music.

* Elemental experiences with music and movement: Nurturing expressive and creative musical behaviour.

* Teacher and children work as artists; opportunities to create and improvise are central.

* Development of an aesthetic vision is an educational goal through:
1. The use of quality materials and resources,
2. A range of artistic activities where children discover form, content, and order in natural and creative ways.

*A creative process with sequence: children are carefully scaffolded through a variety of exploration and imitation activities in movement, speech, and playing, so they have success with creating and improvising.

Tuesday 2 June 2015

Level 1 ONZA Certification: Wellington 2015

September 28th - October 3rd
(school holidays between terms 3 and 4)

This year ONZA (Orff New Zealand Association), in association with the University of Waikato, are offering Level 1 training in Wellington for the first time.  This course is held annually in Hamilton but this year ONZA are offering an additional course for us here in Wellington!

The six day course is a full week of study broken down into different teaching segments including: Orff pedagogy and arranging, singing, dance, recorder, and improvisation work.  The days are about involving participants in learning through doing: singing, saying, moving, and playing.  Over the week you will learn how to build music and dance work starting with the rhythm base of language.  You will learn how to use body percussion, un-tuned percussion, and tuned percussion (barred instruments) in simple but artistic arrangements that awaken children to different timbres/textures in music making.  You will learn how to effectively open up spaces in music and movement work for children to explore and improvise successfully.

The six day course will be led by highly qualified teachers:
  • Millie Locke: Orff practitioner and researcher, University of Waikato
  • Celia Stewart: Orff practitioner, Christchurch School of Music.
There will also be additional presentations from inspiring music and movement specialists, from Wellington and around New Zealand.

Earlybird price: ONZA member: $600 or $640 for non-members.


Register on the ONZA website: www.orffnz.org
For enquiries or questions about the course contact Priya (Wellington ONZA rep) by email: orffwellington@gmail.com


Why do this course?
  • The Orff approach has a wide range of applications in both music education and music therapy; it can be applied in private music teaching, school music, or community music.
  • It is a wonderful addition to other music teaching qualifications; Orff integrates well with Kodaly, Suzuki, Dalcroze, and many other teaching practices.
  • With limited time currently given to the arts in teacher education this is an excellent opportunity to increase your skill set and teaching toolbox if you are a general classroom teacher or teacher trainee.
  • The level one course can be completed as a stand alone teaching qualification or be counted as a substantial module in a masters level paper through Waikato University:  (contact Professor Terry Locke: locketj@waikato.ac.nz)  Paper details: https://education.waikato.ac.nz/about/departments/arts-and-language-department/orff-schulwerk/
  • It will be an inspiring and rewarding week for yourself working alongside excellent artistic teachers and actively making music and movement with other local like minded people.