Singing, chanting, dancing, drumming, clapping--experience the magic of Orff classes and ensembles at Hunterdon Academy of the Arts!
Developed in the 1920s by the German composer Carl Orff and his colleague Gunild Keetman, the so-called "Orff Method" has acquired great popularity around the globe as one of the most enjoyable ways of teaching and learning music in a friendly, gentle, and supportive environment. Not limited to musical expression, the Orff Approach--or "Orff Schulwerk," as it is termed in German--combines music, drama, dance, and speech in ways that are particularly attractive to children's imagination. Though child-oriented, Orff instruction, by virtue of its universal appeal, also draws many adults under its spell. Carl Orff was, after all, one of the most well-known composers of the twentieth century. Composed in 1937, his large-scale work Carmina Burana for choir, soloists, and orchestra remains a box office hit on the classical concert stage to this day.
Rather than formulating a systematic learning sequence, Orff's
"method" revolves around four key concepts: exploration, imitation, improvisation, and composition. Aside from recorders and the human voice, Orff places particularly strong emphasis on the use of various kinds of percussion instruments--such as glockenspiels, metallophones, drums, marimbas, wood blocks, etc.--to let students experience rhythm as an expression central to human existence. For more in formation, visit the American Orff-Schulwerk Association
Hunterdon Academy of the Arts is fortunate to own a fairly large collection of Orff instruments, some of which can be seen in the above picture. This enables us to offer Orff instruction in two different, very exciting classes:
1. Orff Class "Music, Movement, and Expression" (starting in September 2010)
- Ages: 6 to 8
- Time: Saturday, 11 AM to 11:45 AM
- Tuition: $100 deposit plus 10 monthly payments of $35
Instructor: Francesca Panfilo-Milza
2. Orff Ensemble
Ages: Grades 4 through 6