Kodály Envoy Quarterly of the Organization of American Kodály Educators Vol. 47 No. 1 • Fall 2020 We Gather Here Together (Harmonia Mundi) — Jonathan Rappaport Current and Past Directors of Holy Names University Part 1 of 3 — Kathryn Bach and Megan Ankuda Book Review: Solfege and Sonority: Teaching Music Reading in the Choral Classroom — Mary Neeley Stevens Every Student HAS A VOICE! Help them find it. Spotlight on Music Discover a fully immersive and spiraled preK–8 music curriculum, including more than 1,300 interactive songs from a variety of cultures and artists, in addition to videos, virtual instruments, printed song anthologies, and much more—because music belongs to everyone. Inspire a lifelong love of music making. Learn more at mheonline.com/spotlight-envoy KODÁLY ENVOY Fall 2020 Contents Volume 47 Number 1 The Kodály Envoy (ISSN# 1084-1776) is published quarterly by the Organization of American Kodály Educators. Copyright © 2020 Organization of American Kodály Features and Columns Educators. All rights reserved. 2 Message from the President: 2020, Moving Forward in a Send notification of change of address New Curricular Reality — Donna Menhart to OAKE National Office, 3415 S. 4 Inaugural Message from the Executive Director — Lauren Hirsh Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 1126, Los Angeles, 5 Editor’s Column — CA 90034 ; Reneé Higgins Fax: 310-441-3577; Phone: 310-441-3555; 6 OAKE’s Signature Song, “We Gather Here Together” — Ann Leffard [email protected]. 8 “We Gather Here Together” (Harmonia Mundi) — Jonathan Rappaport Send requests for reprint permission to 20 Current and Past Directors of Holy Names University the editor. Part 1 of 3 — Kathryn Bach and Megan Ankuda 23 Choral Connections: Evaluating Cultural Validity in Choral Repertoire: Three Final decisions regarding content, revisions, scheduling, style, presentation, grammar, Exemplars Illustrating Guiding Principles — Julia Shaw and artwork remain with the editor. The 26 Book Review: Solfege and Sonority: Teaching Music Reading in the Choral Classroom by Kodály Envoy Editorial Policy, Advertising David J. Xiques — Mary Neeley Stevens Policy, Guidelines for Contributors, and Style Guide may be obtained from the editor or at www.oake.org. News and Information from OAKE Statements and opinions expressed or implied 28 News from OAKE-Endorsed Certification Programs in the Kodály Envoy are those of the authors and 31 News from OAKE Divisions and Chapters do not necessarily represent the views of the 35 New Members: First Quarter 2020 editor or publisher. 36 2020–2021 OAKE Board of Directors and publication information Editor Reneé Higgins 12323 Almendra Dr. San Anronio, TX 78247 Cover: Southern Washington and Oregon Kodály Educators 210-710-1572 [email protected] Copy Editor Susan Garrett OAKE MISSION STATEMENT [email protected] Inspired by the vision of Zoltán Kodály, the mission of the Organization of American Kodály Advertising Editor Educators is to support music education of the highest quality, promote universal music Colleen Graves literacy and lifelong music making, and preserve the musical heritage of the people of the OAKE National Office 3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Suite 1126 United States of America through education, artistic performance, advocacy, and research. Los Angeles, CA 90034 Fax: 310-441-3577; Phone: 310-441-3555 [email protected] OAKE is an affiliated member of the International Kodály Society. Associate Editor Emeritus Ruth Boshkoff Editorial Board Elaine Bernstorf OAKE is an associated organization of Wichita, KS NAfME: The National Association for Music Education. Brian Myers Oxford, OH Andy Paney Oxford, MS Christopher Roberts Seattle, WA Christina Svec Ames, IA MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT: DONNA MENHART 2020—Moving Forward in a New Curricular Reality The fall 2020 semester is on the lawn, the tuba ensemble students confined to their desks underway. Instructional technologies practicing in Millard Circle, and and remembered that I had adapted and safety measures have been instructors bringing their students many movement pieces to an prioritized, with strategies and outside to sit on benches for environment that does not support procedures implemented at all levels academic classes. Everyone wears a movement. Their challenge — as and in all disciplines. Educators mask; we even have masks for the with many music educators — is have learned to improvise when instruments. keeping young students engaged and the technology malfunctions I am an optimist; my glass is interested without using traditional unexpectedly, but improvisation not half empty or half full, my glass pedagogical techniques. How do we never enters the picture regarding is overflowing. I see actions and add movement when our students safety, as we continually sanitize hear conversations that reaffirm are not allowed to move? and social distance. Veteran teachers my hope and joy in humanity. Following our meeting I have modified traditional lesson Teachers have always put their immediately thought “I wish I had plan sequences, newer teachers students’ safety and education first, more time!” Providing educators have applied the pedagogies learned and now is the perfect example with examples of how I have through recent collegiate study, of the dedication to our students. adapted songs with movement and all populations share ideas Although I have a minimal social is helpful to fill in the gaps of a for success with others. Although media presence, the abundance of robust and established curriculum. some current elements of education examples I have seen shared online What I really needed to share was are familiar, this is certainly not a by colleagues describing their ideas of how to adapt their existing typical start to the academic year. action plans “in the classroom” are curricula, with techniques that could I am greatly inspired by a perfect example of the persistence, be applied every day for every the flexibility, resilience, and determination, and eagerness to student. As a college-level Kodály willingness of teachers and students maintain the high standard of music teacher, I regularly modify the to try something new. We are education to which we all aspire, methods and materials I collect at learning how to communicate in and which our students have grown workshops and conferences. OAKE presentation formats that may to expect. has made substantial progress at the have been the exception in the A group of former students Secondary level, but 25 years ago past but are now the rule: remote- from the Summer Kodály Institute when I became a Kodály educator, synchronous, online-asynchronous, at Capital University contacted me the Kodály methodology was hybrid, which combines both in August. They had been holding focused on pre-K through 5, so I remote-synchronous and in-person, weekly meetings via Zoom to adapted. and in-person outside instruction. discuss addressing social justice For example, I learned “On At the Hartt School I have observed and classroom instruction with My Toe” at an Early Childhood/ a great deal of outside instruction: COVID-19 and invited me to attend. Elementary workshop sponsored private lessons occurring under They hoped I could help with how by KESNE and was excited to use tents, choral rehearsals occurring to teach remote and/or in-person the movement song in my classes. I 2 Kodály Envoy introduced the song and movement, present to them now, which allow remember: you are the expert in your for which the melodic content is for social distancing, continue to classroom, you know the abilities and the major scale. Once my students meet my objectives and bring joy. interests of your students, you have were comfortable with the original All of our students, regardless of dedicated yourself to be their guide form, I had them sing the song the level, will take our cue and on this musical journey, and you have with movement using the access to a community of natural minor scale, which like-minded individuals was a musical concept we My suggestion for those being who will support you every were currently studying. step of the way. It will take I continue to use “On faced with this challege is to ask some serious thought, time, My Toe” for all forms of energy, inspiration and minor scales and modes, themselves, “How can this song experimentation, but I am successfully adapting a optimistic that you will find Pre-K movement song activity be adapted to bring joy strength in the process and appropriately for college satisfaction in overcoming students. “On My Toe” to my students in the current the extraordinary works perfectly in my circumstances in which we classroom filled with desks educational environment?” currently exist. because students only need to stand in front of their desk to participate. respond to our presentation of the I have numerous examples song or game. I realize this is much of adapting songs and games in more involved for younger students, my classroom, but not all focus because movement is a larger part of on moving from elementary to their musical adventure than it may advanced skills. As a Kodály master be for older students. I am happy teacher, I discuss pedagogical to brainstorm possibilities and am sequences with my students to positive that questions posed to accommodate multiple levels of our Kodály community will result Create and generate populations, and generally the in multiple suggestions that will music exercises for free discussion begins with several provide the meaningful experiences questions: (1) What is the our students eagerly anticipate and objective of the activity? (2) What enjoy. background do the students have My suggestion for those being that supports this activity? (3) How faced with this challenge is to ask 12+ exercise types inspired does this activity support the overall themselves, “How can this song by the Kodály method to outcomes of the course? (4) Is the or activity be adapted to bring activity fun? ☺ Seriously, if the joy to my students in the current develop different skills activity does not bring joy to the educational environment?” This students, then it might be time to try question is something I have been a different activity.