Esther was born in Hungary and emigrated to Israel at the age of 16. She has been immersed in music since the tender age of six, going through primary and secondary schools specializing in music and in 1995 graduating in Choir Conducting and Music Education at the prestigious Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. Since graduating she has taught music and conducted choirs through all age groups: children through to adults. Esther set up one of the best known and most successful children’s choirs in Israel, the Efroni Choir, which she managed and conducted from1996 to 2005. The Efroni Choir had numerous performances in a variety of settings, from state ceremonies to children’s TV programmes and special concerts, as well as representing Israel abroad in the USA and France. Esther was also a major partner in conceiving and writing a Kodály Method teaching manual for music teachers in Israel, which was published by the Jerusalem Music Centre. Esther moved to the UK with her husband and family in 2006. Since then she has been engaged as a tutor on many BKA courses. She runs conducting and musicianship courses for choir trainers and class teachers from her home in Kent and has given successful conducting workshops elsewhere in the UK.
Tag Archives: musicianship
Kodály Summer School – Core Activities
All attendees on the Summer School course attend the following core activities at the start of each full day.
Choir
08:45 – 09:45
Choral singing is central to the Kodály approach, and all students including the Certificate Course candidates are expected to take part. The choral sessions will take place daily under the direction of Árpád Toth who will conduct an SATB Choir and David Vinden who will conduct an SSAA Choir. Every choral session will include warm-up techniques and will provide a memorable choral experience.
Musicianship with Relative Solfa
10:00 – 11:00 and 11:30 – 12:15
There will be one and three-quarter hours of tuition daily for all Summer School participants. The aim of this core subject is to develop musical literacy, encompassing essential attributes of musicianship such as fluent reading/singing with good intonation, inner hearing, aural perception, polyphonic and harmonic hearing, leading to an understanding of Form and an appreciation of Style. This is achieved through the application of Relative Solfa, which is one of the main ‘tools’ of the Kodály Concept, while making music. All levels will be catered for from complete beginners to the musically advanced.
Those with no musical training will be taught in a Foundation Group by a British tutor. There will be a minimum of four additional levels. A Musical Information Form will be sent out on receipt of application to all students and every effort will be made to ensure that students are placed in the level which is most suitable for their stage of development. Movement from one level to the next will be on evidence of mastery of the skills in the preceding level. The course will be tutored by experienced British and Hungarian tutors.
Kodály Summer School Overview
Sunday 9th – Saturday 15th August 2015
The 33rd International Kodály Summer School
The BKA’s flagship residential course is running for its 33rd year! This year it will be hosted by the University of Leicester, Digby Hall, Stoughton Drive South, Leicester, LE2 2NB
The course will include
- Instrumental and Classroom Methodology
- Choir and Musicianship Training
- Conducting
- Individual lessons available for pianists and singers
- CPD Certificate Courses in Kodály Music Education
- Guest tutors to include Dr. James Cuskelly (Australia) and Dr. Susan Brumfield (USA)
- Experienced and inspirational tutors from Hungary and the UK
More details soon! Be the first to hear about our courses by joining our mailing list here.
Teaching musicianship through singing, movement and dance – 23rd – 25th July 2015
Englefield Green, Egham.
A three-day course for teachers of children aged 2 to 8
Course tutors:
Nikhil Dally MACantab, CertAdvStudiesGSMD
Maureen Murphy ARAD, LISTD
Dates: Thurs. 23rd July – Sat. 25th July, 2015
Location: The Jurgens Centre, Harvest Road, Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey TW20 0QR
“A fabulous, well-structured and inspiring weekend… Imagination / story-telling / creativity from both tutors – both inspirational in their respective fields.
– Elaine McCartney, Kodály Cert. music teacher, Durham
Stepping Notes is a holistic, integrated, multi-sensory approach to music education, based upon the philosophies of Kodály, Jaques-Dalcroze and Géza Szilvay. The hallmarks of the Stepping Notes approach are:
(1) Movement and singing as the prime conduits for musical learning.
(2) Developing the inner ear.
(3) Feeling and understanding the inner life of music.
(4) Maintaining natural body flexibility and sensitivity.
(5) The judicious and sensitive use of high-quality musical instruments.
(6) The world of the imagination; this is where young children live.
“Prepared meticulously and delivered with expertise and joy. All material was very relevant and sequenced imaginatively… Inspirational, exceedingly useful & most enjoyable.”
– Sue Hamilton, pre-school music teacher, Surrey
This course is designed to help those who teach children aged 2 to 8 to develop their students’ musicianship through the voice and the body. We will concentrate on the following areas:
(1) using singing, movement and dance to help children to feel and understand:
pulse and rhythm, metre and phrasing, melody and harmony;
(2) teaching musical literacy using singing and movement;
(3) choosing and using children’s instruments in such a way as to preserve and enhance
their co-ordination and sense of rhythm.
Please come willing to remove your shoes and socks and work barefoot, on the floor, to sing, to play, to move and to dance (no previous dance experience required!)
Course fee: £180.00 if application received by 9th May, 2015;
£ 195.00 if application received by 13th June, 2015;
£ 210.00 thereafter;
(N.B. £90.00 non-refundable deposit required upon booking)
“Outstanding… Everything was covered in more depth than the one-day course, so I left feeling far more knowledgeable.”
– Charlotte Bettle, early-years music teacher, Southampton
The course tutors:
Nikhil Dally received first-class honours in music from Cambridge University, and studied composition at the Guildhall School of Music. Nikhil founded the Stepping Notes Music School in 2000. He designed the Stepping Notes curriculum himself and teaches all classes, for children aged 2 to 8. The school now has about 100 students on its roll, and recently won the award for Best Local Activity with What’s On 4 Little Ones. Nikhil is increasingly in demand to lead workshops for teachers on the Stepping Notes approach. Recent engagements include a series of workshops at the Colourstrings International Summer School and the British Kodály Academy Summer School, a workshop for the Dalcroze Society Professional Development Day, a training session for teachers at the Len Tyler Music School, four INSET courses for Bracknell Forest primary school teachers, and a course for the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Singapore. Stepping Notes teachers’ courses are regularly over-subscribed.
Maureen Murphy is a holder of the Advanced Teachers Certificate of the Royal Academy of Dancing. She is also a Licentiate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in Ballet, and an Associate in the National Dance branch. Maureen founded the Lester School of Dance in 1969 and has been its Principal ever since. She has taught dance at Broomfield House School since 1990. She has also taught at the London College of Dance and Drama, Kew Montessori School, and Ashton House School. She has studied Pilates body conditioning, Playford dance, Dalcroze eurhythmics, Alexander technique and Topf technique, and integrated these into her ballet teaching to produce a Holistic Approach to the Teaching of Dance. Maureen developed a Body Awareness programme for children which has been demonstrated several times at the Royal Academy of Dance, and her Music and Movement programme for children was demonstrated at the Dalcroze summer school in 1993.
Nikhil and Maureen have worked together since 1991. He has been one of her main musical collaborators. She, in turn, has inspired him to develop his methods of teaching music through movement. This is their sixth course together.
“Totally inspiring… Enjoyed having the stimulus of two course leaders – both excellent in their field… I can’t wait to incorporate some of these ideas into my practice.”
– Anne Porter, early-years music teacher, Gateshead
For further information, please contact:
Nikhil Dally
Winches Cottage, Church Road, Shepperton, Middx. TW17 9JT
E-mail: nikhil@dally.org.uk
Tel. 01932 241196
Website: www.dally.org.uk/steppingnotes
Kodály In The Klassroom – 13th and 14th June 2015
CANCELLED
Wakefield, Yorkshire
A practical weekend workshop on the application of the Kodály principles to classroom music teaching (Early Childhood and KS1 – easily adapted for KS2)
Tutor: Len Tyler
Location: Manygates Music Centre, Manygates Lane, Wakefield, WF2 7DQ
Who is this workshop for?
Anyone interested in classroom music teaching (preschool and primary). There is no need to be a music reader. This workshop is also suitable for instrumental teachers who want learn the Kodaly principles. Very useful for “whole class” teaching.
What will the day feature?
• Use of the basic Kodaly principles.
• Lots of songs, routines, and handouts.
• Examples of easy to produce resources.
• Loads of practical ideas (all tried and tested)
Comments from previous delegates
• Everything was marvellous and extremely useful
• All very exciting as my first experience of music teacher training. Loved the practical exercises
• Having done pre-school music for the last 10 years, and being a professional musician there were surprisingly quite a few things that I hadn’t thought about
• So many great ideas. It was all useful to me
• Len was excellent in how he explained the course. Good to listen to and very precise. I enjoyed it immensely.
• I found Len very inspiring and helpful.
Cost
£100 (including £25 per day per person discount under the “bring a friend” scheme – otherwise £150)
Single day attendance by arrangement (£80/£55)
For more details
Phone: 01276 504666
Email: enquiries@lentylermusicschool.co.uk
Website: www.lentylermusicschool.co.uk
Improve Your Own Musical Skills – 6th June 2015
Orpington, Kent
Tutor: Esther Hargittai
Information and bookings at estichoir@googlemail.com
Saturday 6th June 2015
Why Kodály? – 17th May 2015
Hatfield, Hertfordshire
For generalist and specialist class music teachers (EY, Primary) including instrumental. Non-music readers welcome.
Tutor: Len Tyler
£80 (£55 with Bring a Friend discount). For more information and a Registration Form go to www.lentylermusicschool.co.uk and click on “Teacher Training”.
Sunday 17th May 2015
Kodály Certification
The BKA is currently running a three-tier qualification – a Certificate of Professional Practice in The Kodály Concept of Music Education. CPD accreditation is currently being sought at three levels and has been approved for Level One.
There will be three levels: a Foundation Certificate (for Early Years teachers with little or no musical background); Certificate Level 1 for those with some prior musical training; and Certificate Level 2 for those who have completed Level 1.
For 2015/16 applicants, the Level One course will commence at the Summer School 2015 (9th – 15th August, 2015). There will be an Induction for Certificate students at 3.00 pm on the 9th of August and an additional session for Certificate students only from 10.30 am – 12.00 pm on Saturday the 15th of August.
Level 1 Certification Fees and Deadlines
The Level One is commensurate with our current HE1 Springboard course (ie roughly first year undergraduate level) and the Level Two will be comparable to our current HE3 Springboard course (third year undergraduate level). There are plans to add a Diploma at some stage which will be the highest level, for those people who wish to teach solfège musicianship to adults.
Level One will comprise:
Musicianship – approx. 20 hours
Methodology – approx. 10 hours
Teaching Techniques – approx. 6 hours
Repertoire/Song Analysis – approx. 6 hours
Conducting – approx. 6 hours plus 11 hours choir attendance
Kodály Philosophy (Level 1 only) – mostly self-study
At Level One students may opt for one of the following strands:
Early Childhood
Primary
Secondary
Instrumental
The course will be divided into two halves. Students may undertake just Part 1 in one academic year, and complete Part 2 in a subsequent academic year.
Part 1: Summer School (9th – 15th August 2015) and Study Day (November 2015)
Part 2: Spring Course (29th March – 1st April 2016) and Study Day (June 2016)
It is essential that students attend all these designated study periods.
Each half of the course will contain assessment tasks. Upon successful completion of these tasks the student will gain credits towards the final qualification. Some tasks are written and some are practical. Successful completion of the Level One Certificate will be dependent on the attainment of a Level 4 musicianship assessment (Level 8 if opting for the Secondary strand). The musicianship assessments will be available at two points during the year. NB The certificate course does not include additional training that some students may require to attain the appropriate level of musicianship.
The Level Two Certificate course will be offered to those with several years of experience of Kodály training and teaching who have attained Level 4 Musicianship skills or higher (Level 8 for Secondary). The successful completion of Level Two will include the attainment of a Level 8 Musicianship Assessment (Level 10 for Secondary) or providing evidence of corresponding achievement.
Upon enrolment, students will receive the student handbook which details all aspects of the course.
For further queries please contact secretary@britishkodalyacademy.org
“It is essential that the material used should be musically attractive. If children do not look forward with thrilled expectation to the music lesson, no result is to be hoped for; if they do not feel refreshed and full of joy, all labour is lost.” Zoltán Kodály
Summer School Review by Michèle Bennett
I am now three weeks into using the Jolly Music Beginners’ book with Nursery, Reception, Years 1, 2 and 3, and they love it. Each year group does – it still surprises me how long it takes even Year 3 to take things on board. The singing stool, teddy and soft kitten have all become part of school life. So the books are just fab. I knew they would be and I am so pleased that at last I have found a structure for my teaching that I am really comfortable with. And I am also heartened by the fact that I have been doing lots of things that are recommended in the book, just in a more unstructured way. I am eternally grateful.
“I am so pleased that at last I have found a structure for my teaching”
A change of perspective
The Summer School was such a profound experience for me. It’s really changed my perspective. I am no longer looking at myself from the outside in feeling inadequate, but looking from the inside out – proud to share what musicianship I have but always ready and eager to learn more. And it’s positively affected other parts of my life too. Suddenly I’m considering doing things that I didn’t think were possible. So all in all, it’s probably the best £600 I’ve spent in a long time! I have to admit, I’ve been a bit rubbish at continuing with my 333 drills though – I’ll have to come to the Spring Course to keep up the good work… or start looking at working towards some Kodály exams!
“Probably the best £600 I’ve spent in a long time!”
The Summer School has also helped me to shed some light on my own musicianship issues. For example, I had always considered my sight-singing to be secure. I sing in some fairly ambitious choirs and have done so for many years. I had always felt comfortable with my ability to sight-read a wide range of new choral material and on the advice of my singing teacher thought I would look into doing ABRSM Grade VIII singing for my own personal satisfaction.
I tackled some of the set pieces with no difficulties, but fell at the first hurdle when my teacher asked me to run through some of the sight-reading pieces. I just couldn’t do it. I was so disappointed and perplexed that I withdrew from my lessons, wondering why on earth the sight-singing was so unfathomable, when my sight-singing was fine at choir. That was over a year ago and, since that first lesson, I have not given any more thought to working towards the exam.
“I had never actually learned how to sight-read music properly”
Educated guessing versus accurate knowledge
But that was before Kodály Summer School! My week there helped me to understand why I struggled so much with the ABRSM sight-singing. It became evident to me that my ability to sight-sing at choir rehearsals was generally based on my intuition, a good ear and extensive choral experience; but that added up to educated guessing rather than accurate knowledge. Not in itself a bad thing, but not enough. When I stepped back and thought about it, I had never actually learned how to sight-read music properly.
So, since the Summer School I have persevered. Progress is slow, but there is progress. I am having to slow my brain down and take a few steps backwards, but I am now starting to analyse what I am reading and I am making some conscious decisions rather than taking educated guesses. It is all a bit painful, as I am making myself do it the hard way but it is beginning to pay off – I am at least getting some of it right. And that makes me smile.
Thank you Kodály!
After a career in government communication that spanned over 20 years, Michèle Bennett took the opportunity to give up her Head of Marketing role and turn her hand to her true passion – inspiring children to develop a lifelong love of music.
Summer School Review by Kathleen Watson
My journey home from the University of Wolverhampton’s Walsall Campus at the end of the British Kodály Academy Summer School was filled with frequent moments of overwhelming emotion. Over the next few days I tried to analyse exactly why this happened. I wasn’t sad as such, although I had come to the end of one of the most amazing weeks away of my life. Clearly, I was shattered from the magical quiz and party the night before, but aside from this the six-day course was jam-packed full with activities to stimulate the minds, bodies and voices of musicians of all abilities.
“I knew the week was going to be special. I hadn’t
bargained for it to be completely life-changing!”
After attending the BKA Spring Course I knew the week was going to be special. I hadn’t bargained for it to be completely life-changing! The week was largely geared towards those who taught music, or had the ambition to, but also stretched the most experienced musicians in ways they didn’t even know possible. During daily choir sessions László Nemes would challenge my musical memory and physical co-ordination (and the art of combining the two). It was the perfect early-morning start to each day – and highlighted the fact I am terrible at singing one thing, clapping another, whilst also walking a rhythm with my feet!
Singing the chords
Each morning also brought for me solfège musicianship classes with the brilliant Lenke Igó. We were thrown right in at the deep end singing 7th chords in various inversions, analysing beautiful music from Bartók’s Mikrokosmos, preparing materials from Kodály’s two – and three-part exercises, as well as enjoying the harmonic progressions from a Bach chorale. I see now how the Kodály approach gives a much deeper understanding of the foundations of harmony. How can students truly understand how the chords are created without singing them? And what better way to understand the relationships between single notes and chords, and chords within harmonic functions than to use solfa? Lenke’s teaching inspired me to really push forward with a Kodály-based curriculum with my KS3 students and to persuade my colleagues who teach KS4 and 5 that it really is effective!
“Lucinda demonstrated perfectly how much musical learning can be
extracted from such simple repertoire in a fun and engaging way.”
Simple repertoire, deep skills
The afternoons were filled with the sheer delight of listening to Cyrilla Rowsell and Lucinda Geoghegan exude enthusiasm for the progressive steps and brilliant repertoire that an Early Years and Primary Kodály curriculum can provide for children. Cyrilla was right; you never leave a workshop without learning something new that you can use in your own teaching. My own children of 5 and 7 years old have delighted in practising ‘Omochio Tsukimasho’ whilst on our family holiday this week. Lucinda’s clapping pattern for ‘Hill an Gully Rider’ almost brought me to tears, it was so beautiful to watch (and even better to clap)! As in so many areas of the course, Cyrilla and Lucinda demonstrated perfectly how much musical learning can be extracted from such simple repertoire in a fun and engaging way. During afternoon conducting sessions Esther Hargittai gave me the confidence I needed to become more stylish and accurate in my own technique. It was lovely to watch how she, and all the other tutors taught with such sensitivity. Even when we were not quite right, she continually looked for the positives in our movements and suggested ways to move forward.
The Bootleg Beatles
In his evening workshop the wonderful André Barreau, formerly of The Bootleg Beatles, took me back to a golden time in my youth where the music of the Beatles meant so much to me. At the time my friends were listening to Take That or Oasis and for me there was really no competition! I was like a giddy schoolgirl listening to him talk about their harmonies, and confirming for me the genius of Lennon and McCartney through a lot of singing, and simple analysis (in solfa, of course).
“Árpád’s delivery had the singers in fits of laughter, but in addition to his comedic
preamble to a game or exercise he talked so passionately about how singing
makes him feel, and how singing with others is really like nothing else on earth.”
A singing community
I couldn’t imagine the week getting any better by this point, but WOW, what an evening Árpád Tóth had to offer in his workshop on choral improvisation! How he coaxed a seemingly endless amount of beautiful music from just a few simple phrases or pentatonic songs was sheer genius. Árpád’s delivery had the singers in fits of laughter, but in addition to his comedic preamble to a game or exercise he talked so passionately about how singing makes him feel, and how singing with others is really like nothing else on earth. As a passionate choral singer and leader this really rang true. What better way is there to feel like a community than making beautiful music with others using little other than our voices? I think it was this thought more than any which left me emotional on the way home. How music, and in particular singing, can affect the whole person is incredibly powerful. Music is not just dots on a page which we have to translate into button-pressing on an instrument – it’s within us, and singing is the purest and most satisfying way I know of releasing it. And more than this, the potential that singing provides as a tool for developing musical literacy is inestimable. I kept thinking about how deeply sorry I felt for the countless music students who struggle with basic concepts because material is presented first with symbols and then with sounds, without first experiencing these sounds through singing. As much as I love my summer holidays as a teacher, I really cannot wait to get back to school to start using the ideas, songs and exercises with all the children I teach.
Kathleen Watson teaches with the North Lincolnshire Music Support Service and at Caistor Grammar School. She also runs a toddler music group, teaches piano, recorder and singing privately and directs the Training Choir of the Scunthorpe Cooperative Junior Choir.
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