The course serves as a foundation for the teaching philosophy and approaches of Hungarian music educator, Zoltán Kodály. Components of the course include: pedagogy, folksong literature, folksong analysis and retrieval, Solfège, conducting, and choir. The Level 1 course focuses on work with beginning level students yet participants may adapt this information to any music teaching situation. Students in this course:
- observe, practice, and refine teaching techniques in a laboratory setting of peers and children
- build a collection of authentic folksong literature appropriate and of strong quality for use in music instruction
- analyze music literature appropriate for a beginning music curriculum, including American folk music, traditional children's songs and games, folk music from other countries and cultures, and art music
- organize a categorization system, known as a retrieval system whereby students can quickly and accurately select appropriate song literature for lesson planning
- explore the role of the conductor as communicator by learning conducting techniques and essential ensemble directing skills
- develop individual and ensemble musicianship skills through in-tune singing, excellent tone quality, internal hearing, partwork, and understanding of complex melodies and pieces of music
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
- Sharpened pencil
- Manuscript paper
- Notepad or paper for taking notes
- Tuning fork [A=440]
- Conducting scores (minimum of three scores to be chosen per level) please contact course instructor at the earliest opportunity if you encounter any difficulty obtaining scores
Prerequisite
instructor approval
Instructors
Bonnie Jacobi
bonnie.jacobi@colostate.edu
Dr. Jacobi is associate professor of Music Education at Colorado State University. Prior to her arrival at CSU, she taught on the faculties of Southern Methodist University and the University of Houston. For more than twenty years, Dr. Jacobi has taught music to children throughout Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Texas. She has directed thirteen children’s choirs and in 2008 founded the Meadows Community Youth Chorus in Dallas for elementary-aged children without school music programs. Dr. Jacobi holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Music Education from the University of Houston, a Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Mount Holyoke College. She is a Master Teaching Artist for the American Eurhythmics Society, where she earned her Eurhythmics Certificate, and directs the Colorado Kodály Institute at Colorado State University. Dr. Jacobi is an active clinician and has published articles in Music Educators Journal, General Music Today, the Kodály Envoy, and the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. Additionally, she has served on the Advisory Board and Editorial Board of Music Educators Journal, and currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. She enjoys working with Master’s of Music Education students at CSU, and MU 510 is one of her favorite courses to teach.
