Perspectives on Kodály Cello Teaching

Wiesje van Eersel

Name: Wiesje van Eersel Main Subject: Music Education According to the Kodály Concept Research Coach: Patrick van Deurzen Title of Research: Perspectives on Kodály Cello Teaching Research Question: In which way can the Kodály concept form an integrated part of a cello teaching curriculum for children? Summary of Results: In search of a suitable method to educate my pupils towards comprehensive cello playing, I came across the Kodály concept. My first encounter was promising and I decided to pursue this further. My research investigates possible ways to integrate the Kodály concept in cello teaching for children. In my research paper, first the Kodály concept is defined, and on that basis, existing methods and practices are analysed and examined. In addition to the study of the written sources I have also observed lessons and experimented with the materials myself. Alongside this investigation I have been integrating the Kodály concept in my own teaching for three years. The reflection on that experience, together with my findings from the existing methods results in the conclusion that there are many possible ways to integrate (elements of) the Kodály concept in cello teaching. In the analysed methods, and in my own teaching, choices on how to integrate the concept depend on several factors. The initial perception of the concept is of influence, but also the practical reality of a particular teaching practice. I came to the conclusion that a structural, full implementation of the concept would have implications for the practical arrangement of my teaching. In my presentation I want to show the different perspectives, give practical examples and share my thoughts on a possible way to realise the concept in my teaching practice. Biography Wiesje van Eersel is cello teacher at the PI, Junior and Young Talent Department of the Royal Conservatoire, where she teaches children between 5 and 12 years old. She also teaches cello methodology at the Royal Conservatoire and the Conservatoire of Amsterdam, and teaches in a public music school.

c. Problems in today’s instrumental education in The Netherlands

Since a radical educational reform in the Dutch school system in the 1970s, the major part of the carefully constructed musical pedagogy in elementary schools has disappeared. The ‘new view’ (34) on music education lacked a structured way to build up musical skills, so a generation was lost to musical illiteracy. This generation was not systematically brought up with music, and could not pass its value. These parents are very likely not singing for or with their children, and active music making might not play any role in daily life. The Dutch primary schools today have short finances too: structural music lessons are rare. Nevertheless, there is a significant improvement (35) in the notion of the importance of music education. In short: if a child starts instrumental lessons, there is a big chance that it has very limited musical experiences, poor skills and little knowledge. Schools do practically nothing to musically prepare the child, everything should happen in the instrumental lessons, in very limited time. This in itself is an undesirable situation, and on top of that, most traditional instrumental teaching methods do not provide in a systematic musicianship training. So if the child starts with the instrument ‘right away’, without any prior developed skills or musical training (36), the teacher has to find a way to include musicianship training as yet. But not even that is happening, unfortunately: in the worst case children are taught to play an instrument purely mechanically, decoding notation into fingerings, keys, etcetera, without a fundamental aural embedding.

Being a teacher in music schools for many years, I met many students being used to this deciphering way of side reading, and I noticed their reluctance to find a song aurally on their instrument. These children often lack the skill of inner hearing, let alone that they are used to sing.

Another problem coming from a musically deprived background is the lack of a physical sense of beat and rhythm. They can be understood from the notation cognitively, but then there is not a (physical) fundament or an intrinsic basis.

For these problems the Kodály concept offers a sound approach, as is also suggested in the literature. I will describe the consequences concerning my practical teaching situation concretely in the third chapter of this paper. Next I will formulate a workable list to measure the existing Kodály-based methods.

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