High and Low: The widespread metaphor for pitch
I previously discussed what we can do to prepare children to sing and how to help children sing confidently, but we also need to understand
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with Helen Russell
For music and piano teachers who are inspired by the Kodály Approach
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If you’re a music or piano teacher wanting to use the Kodály approach in your teaching, then my Kodály Treasure Chest is just what you need.
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You know you want to teach in a Kodály-inspired way but...
- You feel despondent! You've invested in books & training, yet still don’t have any actual lesson plans
- You know WHAT you want but you don’t have the time or brain capacity to figure out how, when and why
- You’re emotionally exhausted by students struggling to learn notation
- You value aural skills but feel bad when you can’t integrate them successfully
- You feel like an imposter, so lack the confidence to defend your approach
Introducing Doremi Membership with Helen Russell
- Teach engaging, effective and stress-free piano and music lessons using the Kodály Approach, without becoming overwhelmed by planning
- Painlessly grow your students’ skills, understanding and confidence in a way that feels good to you
- Develop your own musicianship to improve your skills and confidence
- Regain your energy and enthusiasm for teaching
- Advocate for yourself, and your approach, to parents and school leaders
Hi, I'm Helen!
I founded Doremi Connect to help teachers like you feel supported and confident integrating the Kodály approach into their teaching.
Many teachers are totally convinced by the benefits of the Kodály Approach. However, despite completing training and buying books, they still aren’t using it fully in their teaching.
I’m not surprised. It took me over a decade to fully integrate it into my piano and music teaching so that I was satisfied my students were getting all the benefits. A decade of studying with the best Kodály practitioners, innovating, trialling and refining my lesson plans with hundreds of students just like yours.
I created Doremi Connect so I can pass on all of that expertise to you. It’s time to start feeling supported and empowered. Find out more about me here.
DOREMI PIANO BOOKS
Explore the Doremi Piano books series taking you from the very first lesson all the way to Western Art Music and exam work. Including books that are suitable for teachers and students without a Kodály background.
ARTICLES & PODCASTS
Empowering children to sing: achieving success with the cornerstone of the Kodály approach
In the last blog post (catch-up here), we talked about the qualities of speaking and singing and what the differences are. To help our students learn the difference between their speaking and singing voices they need to feel free and able to experiment with their voices. So how do we give them confidence and encouragement to experience their voice types?
Whether you’re a classroom teacher, visiting music teacher or 1:1 instrumental teacher, this blog will give you tips and ideas for experiencing voice types in a Kodály inspired way.
Preparing to Sing: The Beginnings of Pitch
I wanted the blog after beat and rhythm I wanted to discuss pitch, but the beginnings of pitch aren’t anything to do with so and mi or high and low; it’s about experiencing the voice and children determining whether something is singing or speaking. They need opportunity to play games and do activities to prepare voice types and to make them feel comfortable with using their voice in different ways.
Preparing Rhythm
To prepare rhythm, we need to go through the same steps we went through with beat but with rhythm!
Steady Beat: Preparing the Foundations for the Building Blocks of Music
Developing Steady Beat is so important. It helps build strong foundations upon which to build the other important elements of music. If our students can’t keep a steady beat, it can be like trying building on sand when teaching other musical elements such as rhythm!
Musical Pictures: inspiring creativity from the first Kodály piano lesson
Musical Pictures is a great improvisation activity in the first Kodály piano lessons to allow the student the opportunity to explore the whole piano in an expressive and playful way.
Don’t Wait! Participate! – Effective Learning in Shared Piano Lessons
One of the wonderful things about music is that it connects people. However learning piano can be a solitary endeavour with fewer opportunities for ensemble work than other instruments. Maybe shared lessons are the key?
Teaching Beat and Rhythm Easily
Get physical with this fun, simple song Helen uses in both her Kodály Musicianship and Piano lessons. Your students will FEEL the difference and you won’t get tangled up with ineffective, wordy explanations.
Sleeping in a Stable – Nativity Song
Here is a Christmas nativity song I wrote called Sleeping In A Stable. It uses the limited solfa toneset of do-mi-so-la. This is ideal for