There are almost as many approaches to learning music as there are musicians. Every teaching style has a philosophy behind it, and this philosophy influences what is taught and how it is taught. The interactive, collaborative, and highly kinesthetic Kodály method of learning music was developed by Hungarian composer and educator Zoltán Kodály in the early 20th century. It combines several powerful techniques for developing the core skills of musicianship.

1. An Introduction to the
Kodály Method

2. Zoltan Kodály: the Man Behind the Method
● Kodaly (1882-1967) was a Hungarian composer and music
educator
● His extensive travels exposed him to folk music of different
backgrounds
● Disillusioned with music education in Hungary, he set out to
overhaul the whole system
● He created a new curriculum and new teaching methods for
young students
● It was on the principles of these methods that his colleagues,
students, and friends created the Kodály Method
Learn more: http://musl.ink/a33

3. Principles of the Kodály Method
1. Music should be taught from a young age. Kodály
believed that music was among, if not the most important
subject to teach in schools.
2. Music should be taught in a logical and sequential
manner.
3. There should be a pleasure in learning music; learning
should not be torturous.
4. The voice is the most accessible, universal instrument.
5. The musical material is taught in the context of the
mother-tongue folk song.
Learn more: http://musl.ink/a33

4. Kodály for Children vs. Adults
● Kodály’s original method was created with children’s
development in mind
● It was meant to complement their naturally-developing
aural skills
● However, the method is also useful in adult music
education
● The concepts of rhythm, relative pitch, and
improvisation taught in Kodály are valuable to
musicians of all levels.
Learn more: http://musl.ink/a33

5. Comparing the Kodály Method and the Orff Approach
● The two schools of thought behind the methods have a
similar philosophy, but different approaches
● Both Kodály and Orff believed that music education
should be hands-on, interactive, and rooted in students’
culture
● Kodály is vocally-oriented, grounded in theory, and
geared towards ear training
● The Orff approach places greater emphasis on
improvisation, body instrumentation, and simple
percussive instruments.
Learn more: http://musl.ink/a33

6. Comparing Kodály to Traditional Music Education
● The Kodály method involves group activities, while
traditional music lessons offer a one-on-one
teacher-student relationship
● Traditional music education is often rooted in classical
music, while the Kodály method is based on folk music
● Generally, traditional lessons are more structured and
have systems of evaluation and levels
● The group learning of the Kodály method allows for
more creativity and collaboration than typical music
lessons
Learn more: http://musl.ink/a33

7. What is Taught in Kodály?
● Movable “Do” Solfa
Solfa (or solfège) is a system for relative pitch ear training;
it assigns an easy-to-remember syllable to each pitch
● Hand Signs for Movable “Do” Solfa
Each pitch (and its associated syllable) is accompanied by
a different hand sign, reinforcing this memory device
● Rhythm
Kodály assigns different syllables to different note lengths
that make it easy and intuitive to count them out loud.
Learn more: http://musl.ink/a33

8. What is Taught in Kodály?
● Creativity
The easy-to-follow associations that Kodály develops
empower musicians to be creative and confident in their
musical practice.
● Collaboration
The Kodály method is meant to be communal and
group-oriented, giving ample opportunities for the
exchange of ideas between students.
Learn more: http://musl.ink/a33

9. Summary
● This interactive way of learning music is for children and adults
alike, and can benefit musicians of any level
● It relies on associations between musical concepts and body
movements/words to make the learning process intuitive and
hands-on
● Many organizations including The Organization of American
Kodály Educators, The British Kodály Academy, and The
International Kodály Society can be consulted to find a class
near you
● Integrate some principles from the Kodály method into your
practice; for example, try the solfa method of learning relative
pitch!
Learn more: http://musl.ink/a33

10. Learn more: http://musl.ink/a33
Learn More