Training Day To Promote Musical Skills

12th January 2009

The Highland Council, in association with the National Youth Choir of Scotland, will be holding a training day to provide primary and secondary school staff the expertise to teach musical skills to young pupils. There are also places available to anyone interested in learning more about the Kodàly approach to music education.

The Council's innovative provision of Kodàly musical skills in all 184 Primary schools under the auspices of the Youth Music Initiative is now well established. Six tutors employed by the Council use materials supplied by the National Youth Choir of Scotland, which are based on the tried and tested musical techniques of Kodály, to pass on skills to primary and secondary teachers. The materials used allow all pupils and staff to build vocal confidence and gather other musical skills in an active and enjoyable way.

The Highland Council's Music Development Officer, Norman Bolton said: "Kodály's approach to music education is centred on the child. It is based on teaching, learning and understanding music through the experience of singing, giving direct access to the world of music without the technical problems involved with the use of an instrument.

"Pupils enjoy participation in singing games and rhymes which are devised in such a way that they also teach important aspects of rhythm, pitch and other musical concepts."

Teaching staff involved in delivering the Kodàly sessions in Highland schools have commented:

"Just a note to say how wonderful our Kodály sessions with have been! The children really look forward to and enjoy the programme which successfully includes children of varied ages and abilities. We like the songs and games so much that we continue to practise them throughout the term, and have performed them for parents. The methods of teaching rhythm, beat, pitch and notation are a fantastic means of enabling the children to visualise the music, and get them actively involved."

"I'd like to express my appreciation for the work with the pupils. They are always keen to go to the sessions and greatly enjoy the activities and the end product is very pleasing to the ear! I've noticed that pupils who have poor listening skills, and who are easily distracted, are kept engaged throughout each session."

Chairman of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee, Councillor Bill Fernie said: "We are delighted that our partnership with the National Youth Choir of Scotland is proving to be very productive and beneficial for young people of all abilities and our teaching staff. The training day next month will help develop the programme in the Highlands so anyone interested in coming along should register for a place as soon as possible."

The Training Day, which is free to Highland Council staff and £40 for all other attendees will be held on 12 February at the Merkinch Centre in Inverness. Highland Council staff wishing to attend should register online and all other attendees should register by sending an email to: norman.bolton[AT]highland.gov.uk

Kodály
The Kodály approach to music education is child centred and taught in a logical, sequential manner. There is no "method" - more a series of guidelines. Tools used according to Kodály guidelines are relative solfa, rhythm names and handsigns.

Why is singing so important?
The singing voice is nature's in-built musical instrument. We all have one, and Kodály educators believe it is the birthright of every child to learn how to express him/herself musically through the singing voice. Musical development can in this way begin from babyhood, with no one excluded on grounds of cost. Singing is a joyful and sociable activity feeding the spirit as well as the mind.

Singing gives direct access to music without the technical difficulties of an instrument. Singing and active participation is therefore the fastest way to learn and internalise music and to develop musicianship skills. It is also the proof of accurate internalisation of the rhythm and melody.

Through unaccompanied singing and active participation a student can begin to acquire skills essential to all musicians: musical memory, inner hearing, true intonation and harmonic hearing.

Kodály-trained instrumental teachers regard these skills as pre-requisites for instrumental study at every level. Teachers who spend time preparing musical material through singing and other musical activity find that pupils play successfully and musically when they reach the final stage of performing the music on their instrument.
Engaging in singing and Kodály oriented musical activities leads to a marked increase in the powers of concentration, a rise in levels of achievement and an increase in social harmony in and out of the classroom. Projects conducted by the Voices Foundation, who rely on teachers and trainers who are successful graduates of BKA educational programmes, have borne this out.

How does the teaching progress?
The approach is very effective with young children who will learn, unconsciously at first, all the musical elements, which musicians need, through playing and singing of musical games and songs of their mother tongue. As with language learning, it can happen very spontaneously and naturally when parents and carers sing to young children as a part of everyday life, especially if this singing approach is continued through Primary School.
At an appropriate stage these musical elements and skills are further developed by being made conscious and then, later, reinforced. In the process of reinforcing, new elements are introduced - again unconsciously by the teacher, thus continuing and developing the cycle further. Central to this work is the development of the Inner Hearing (the ability to imagine sound) though a potent combination of singing, rhythm work, Solfa and hand-sign work, stick-notation, memory development, part work, improvisation and so on.