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"What is Orff?" THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE HAS BEEN REPRINTED with permission By Colette Bischoff, Founding President of the Saskatchewan Orff Chapter, Established in October, 1987 Have you ever wondered "What is Orff?".... Or if you already teach music using Orff techniques, have you ever tried to explain your program to fellow teachers, parents and administrators? The purpose of this article is two-fold: it aims to give insight into what Orff-Schülwerk involves and it explains the specific benefits offered to the students of the program. This article may be of particular help to those who have often wanted something in black and white to hand to your school administrators. Orff involves an interaction of performing arts-speech, chant, song, movement, drama, improvisation and instrumental ensemble - in short all aspects of musical art which play an important role in nurturing each child's creativity. The trained Schülwerk instructor guides the students through a sequential process of learning in order to prepare the groundwork for eventual success. Before advancing to a new level of artistic complexity the student is encouraged by Orff teachers to feel secure about each element previously learned; this is accomplished by the use of pentatonic song material, speech, movement and ostinati, as well as introducing instrumental parts through speech and/or body percussion. At each stage the concepts which were used initially in simple segments are elaborated further and explored within a pattern of new complexity. All students are taught every element of a piece in such a manner that they become aware of all components which make up the final form. Another central aspect of an Orff program is improvisation. On the one hand, students are encouraged to be both free and creative in their musical activities. On the other hand, however, an Orff teacher is careful to give students basic guidelines as an aid within which each pupil can experiment and develop his specific gifts and inclinations. As a result, inhibition on the part of the student is minimized and the children develop a sense of confidence in their own creative abilities. Although Orff-Schülwerk is based upon a vision of education which is characteristically its own, the program is careful not to be identified merely with a method or a package deal. As Carl Orff stated in his speech to the Toronto Orff Assembly, "those who look for a method of a ready-made system are rather uncomfortable with the Schulwerk: people with artistic temperament and a flair for improvisation are fascinated by it. They are stimulated by the possibilities inherent in a work... constantly developing ...." Anyone who wishes to advance on his own, needs a thorough professional training and, in addition, an intimate knowledge of the style of the Schulwerk, a grasp of its aim and potential. Orff-Schülwerk, therefore, is deeply rooted in the artistic vision and it never separates itself from its foundation in the artistic interpretation. Its goal is a careful understanding of the possibilities inherent in each individual musical work. The Schülwerk was first brought to North America in 1956-57 by Doreen Hall of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. In 1962 it was Toronto which held the first teacher training course in North America. Since then Orff has become extremely popular as an approach to music education in our continent. Teachers in nearly every state and province have embraced its techniques as valuable and irreplaceable teaching tools; the quality of their students provides a clear proof of the value of this innovative musical school. Many Saskatchewan teachers have been seeking Orff training. Workshops are held throughout the province, and Introductory and Level l summer courses have been offered at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina. Reference: Orff, Carl. "Orff-Schülwerk: Its Origin and Aims". Music for Children Cad Of Canada. 21: 8-13, 1982. The Saskatchewan Orff Chapter was founded in 1987 and is instrumental in promoting Orff awareness throughout the province. |
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