THE

KODALY
METHOD
Who is
KODALY?
ZOLTAN KODALY
ZOLTAN KODALY
• COMPOSER
• PIONEERING ETHNOMUSICOLOGIST
• GROUNDBREAKING EDUCATIONALIST
• CRITIC
• PHILOSOPHER
ZOLTAN KODALY
•WAS BORN IN KECSKEMET, IN
HUNGARY, ON DECEMBER 16, 1882
• ZOLTAN KODALY HAD COMPOSED
THROUGHOUT THIS TIME, PRODUCING
TWO STRING QUARTETS (OP.2, 1909 AND
OP.10, 1917 RESPECTIVELY)
• SONATA FOR CIELLO AND PIANO
(OP.4,1910) AND SONATA FOR CIELLO SOLO
• ZOLTAN KODALY WAS VERY
INTERESTED IN THE PROBLEMS OF
MUSIC EDUCATION, AND HE WROTE A
LARGE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL ON
MUSIC EDUCATION METHODS AS
WELL AS COMPOSING A LARGE
AMOUNT OF MUSIC FOR CHILDREN.
• THE HUNGARIAN MUSIC EDUCATION
METHOD THAT DEVELOPED IN 1940’S
BECAME THE BASIS FOR WHAT IS CALLED
THE “KODALY METHOD” KODALY HIMSELF
DID NOT WRITE A COMPREHENSIVE METHOD,
BUT HE DID ESTABLISH A SET OF PRINCIPLES
TO FOLLOW IN MUSIC EDUCATION.
• ZOLTAN KODALY CONTINUED TO COMPOSE FOR
PROFESSIONAL ENSEMBLES ALSO, WITH THE
DANCE OF MAROSSZEK (1930, IN VERION OF SOLO
PIANO AND FOR FULL ORCHESTRA), THE DANCES
OF GALANTO (1933, for orchestral) THE PEACOCK
VARIATIONS (1939, COMMISIONED BY THE
CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA AMSTERDAM TO
CELEBRATE ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY) AND MANY
MORE.
• ZOLTAN KODALY REMAINED IN BUDAPEST THROUGH WORLD WAR II,
RETIRING FROM TEACHING IN 1942. IN 1945 HE BECAME THE PRESIDENT OF
THE HUNGARIAN ARTS COUNCIL, AND IN 1962 RECEIVED THE ORDER OF THE
HUNGARIAN PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC. HIS OTHER POSTS INCLUDED A PRESIDENCY
OF THE INTERNATIONAL FOLK MUSIC COUNCIL, AND HONORARY PRESIDENCY
OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR MUSIC EDUCATION. HE DIED IN
BUDAPEST IN 1967, ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED AND WELL KNOWN
FIGURES IN THE HUNGARIAN ARTS. IN 1966, THE YEAR BEFORE KODALY’S
DEATH, THE KODALY QUARTET, A STRING QUARTET NAMED IN KODALY’S
HONOUR, FORMED. HIS NOTABLE STUDENTS INCLUDE ANNE LAUBER AND
JOHN VERALL.
WHAT IS KODALY METHOD?
• A WAY OF TRAINING CHILDREN IN MUSIC, DEVISED BY
SOLTAN KODALY WHICH IS BASED ON GIVING THEM A
THOROUGH GROUNDING IN SOLFEGGIO (USING A
MOVABLE DOH SYSTEM). AIMED AT DEVELOPING AURAL
ABILITY WITH EMPHASIS ON SIGHT SINGING, DICTATION
AND THE READING AND WRITING OF MUSIC, A
PROGRESIVE REPERTORY OF SONGS AND EXERCISES,
BASED ON HUNGARIAN FOLK MUSIC IS USED.
THE KODALY PHILOSOPHY
• A. EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO MUSIC LITERACY AND IT IS
MEANT TO BE ENJOYED!
• B. SINGING CAN AND SHOULD PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR
ALL TYPES OF MUSIC.
• C. MUSIC EDUCATION SHOULD BEGIN AT THE EARLIEST
POSSIBLE AGE.
• D. À CHILD’S OWN CULTURE PROVIDES HIS/HER MUSICAL
“MOTHER TONGUE” FOLK MUSIC IS THE “MUSICAL MOTHER
TONGUE” OF THE CHILD. FOLK SONGS PROVIDE IDEAL
MATERIALS FOR MUSIC EDUCATION.
• E. ONLY MUSIC THAT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES
ARTISTIC MERIT (FOLK OR COMPOSED) SHOULD
BE USED IN TEACHING.
• F. ONLY THE FINEST MUSICIAN SHOULD TEACH
MUSIC. THE LESSON SHOULD BE CHILD-
CENTERED WITH A DISCOVERY APPROACH.
“THE SINGING OF FOLKSONGS MUST FORM A PART OF EVERY
MUSIC LESSON; NOT ONLY TO PROVIDE PRACTICE IN THEM FOR
THEIR OWN SAKE, BUT TO MAINTAIN CONTINUITY AND ALSO TO
AWAKEN, DEVELOP, AND MAINTAIN THE SENSE OF THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC AND THE LANGUAGE . FOR
THERE IS NO DENYING THAT IT IS HERE, IN FOLK SONG, THAT
THE MOST PERFECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC AND
LANGUAGE CAN BE FOUND”

• -ZOLTAN KODALY
THE KODALY PEDAGOGY
PRINCIPLES OF
PLANNING
1. PREPARE (PRE-CONSCIOUS)
A. MUSICAL EXPERIENCES
B. ROTE LEARNING
C. ICONIC REPRESENTATION
2. PRESENT ( IDENTIFICATION OR INTRODUCTION-CONSCIOUS)
A. GUIDED DISCOVERY
B. USE OF SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION (LABELING)
3. PRACTICE (ADDITION OF READING AND WRITING)
C. APPLICATION TO NEW SITUATIONS (TRANSFER)
D. CREATIVITY
E. READING AND WRITING
THE KODALY SCALE
 KODALY METHOD:
LESSON PLAN

1. BEGINNING OR OPENING (ESTABLISH BEAT, IN TUNE SINGING)

A. GREETING (USE PITCHES THAT ARE TO BE PREPARED AND PRACTICED)
B. RHYME (ESTABLISH ATTENTION TO BEAT USING SPEAKING VOICE)
2. PRIMARY FOCUS (MAJOR TASK)
A. A SPECIFIC CONCEPT INTRODUCED OR PRACTICED. THIS IS THE FOCAL
POINT OF THE LESSON AND REQUIRES THE MOST INTENSE CONCENTRATION
FROM THE STUDENTS.
B. ALWAYS USE A KNOWN SONG TO INTRODUCE A NEW CONCEPT.
 3. CHANGE OF PACE (MOVEMENT ACTIVITY
OR SINGING GAME)
A. THIS IS AN IDEAL PLACE TO PREPARE
NEW MUSICAL CONCEPT.
B. AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FUN.
4. `SECONDARY FOCUS
A. THIS PORTION OF THE LESSON IS FLEXIBLE. IT COULD
INVOLVES A NEW SONG, FLASHCARDS, A STORY, IMPROVISATION,
LISTENING, OR ANY NUMBER OF OTHER POSSIBILITIES.
B. OFTEN THIS SECTION FUNCTIONS AS A TIME FOR PRACTICE
OR PREPARATION FOR FUTURE LESSONS.
C. MORE IMPORTANTLY TO THE CLASSROOM TEACHER, THIS IS
A TIME TO CALM THE CLASS DOWN AFTER A ROLLICKING
SINGING GAME, AND RE-FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION ON A SPECIFIC
CONCEPTS
5. CLOSING
A.SIMILAR TO THE GREETING, THIS PART OF THE
LESSON AGAIN USES PITCHES THAT ARE BEING
PREPARED AND PRACTICED.
B.IT COULD ALSO INVOLVE A QUICK REVIEW OF
ANY NEW PITCH AND RHYTHMIC PATTERNS
INTRODUCED IN THE LESSON.
 “A WELL-CONDUCTED LESSON
IS NOT A BURDEN, BUT A
RECREATION: THE SOURCE OF
JOY AND CHEER.”

~ZOLTAN KADLY