What I Learned in Level III

Posted by The Orffsite Webmaster on Monday, July 12, 2010

Well, I'm officially certified in Orff-Schulwerk. That means I know enough about the approach it to be dangerous! My Level III instructors did a great job in dealing with process and sequence, which is really what attracted me to Orff-Schulwerk in the first place..no it wasn't identifying Lydian modes and playing the recorder, although I improved at both. I was pleased to find out that no matter how badly I performed on the final sharing presentation, they didn't impound or deny me my certificate. Thankfully, the class contained other brilliant teachers who had no problem remembering what they played on section A.
My basic teacher was Steve Calantropio. Here is a summary of his teaching as I recall it.:(please maintain a sense of humor)

1. Begin the lesson with movement and/or speech.
2. All Orff pieces boil down to "Hot Cross Buns".
3. Orff-Shulwerk is about unabashed self promotion and selling books.
4. Your mallets are floating in space.
5. Steve: "Ok, class. Let's go back and play the A section". Class: "What A section?"
6. Don't sing songs about canoeing.
7. If the book has a funny picture on the cover or in some way uses the word "Orff" in a cutesy way..A little Orff and Ant Dance...avoid it!
8. Some of the teachers at the Orff Institute have no idea what Orff-Schulwerk is about.
9. Don't use modern silly texts with children. Read the texts in the Volumes to see what is appropriate. Please don't use: "My father owns a butcher shop 
My mother cuts the meat 
And I'm the little Hot Dog who runs around the street"