Some of you might recall that I have spent the past nine months at the Kodaly Institute in Hungary.

I am now about to return home and as some posters previously asked me to keep you informed of things, I thought I'd write a final post about this subject.

It has been the most amazing experience and to receive education from the Hungarian teachers has been incredibly inspirational. Many of them are professors at the Liszt Academy and are former students themselves.

I have often read with great interest some of the threads that have been started on the forums especially those to do with aural studies and theory and the difficulties that are often experienced by teachers in this area. I have found that the way of doing things here has made my own understanding of music so much clearer.

I was one of those who found 'O' level music back in the seventies so difficult to understand due to it being all theory-based. Being a person who has a practical brain, the Kodaly concepts have suited me perfectly and to be able to understand cadences, functional music and many other areas of theoretical study through the use of the voice i.e singing, has been the most wonderful experience.

I firmly believe that Kodaly was right when he felt that children should begin their music education with the one instrument that we all have which is the voice.

Having seen the Hungarian children in the local Kodaly school demonstrate their skills and knowledge, it has been a revelation and inspiration.

I know there are some people who disagree with this or who do not feel it is of particular importance and it is absolutely correct to say that it isn't the only way. I do feel it is so effective though and to have seen it in action over a nine month period has been a real treat.

I hope some people who read this might find it a little interesting at least and if not, that's fine too!

I can only endorse what HK says *surprise surprise*!

He has kept me constantly updated with what he has been studying and his ongoing delight at his achievements and the development of his skills and understanding (he was already a very good pianist prior to embarking upon this course of study but found that there were still many gaps left by the music education he received prior to his Kodály training).

I know only too well just how inspirational the Hungarian teachers are - as musicians, teachers and human beings and I am very envious that HK has had 9 uninterrupted months of this inspiration! Also to be able to observe classes in the Kodály School in Kecskemét (three times a week, I believe, and seeing the whole range from 6-18 year-olds) has been such a fantastic opportunity and again, I'm very envious...

I think he'll find it very odd coming home on Saturday (he hasn't been back to the UK since Sept 06)!

Hi Hammerklavier,

I certainly find your post very interesting. Did you study piano as part of the course or spend all the time learning the Kodaly method? Did you have to take exams?

And what are you going to do when you return home - are you going to teach Kodaly? Good luck, whatever you do next!

Hi Bevpiano. Yes, I studied piano as part of the course. the main emphasis of the couse is the study of one's own musicanship (solfege) and then the methodology. We had five hours per week of solfege split between two classes and this comprised of developing polyphonic skills: singing many canons and similar to help us develop inner hearing and being able to sing independantly and at the same time, being aware of at least two other parts. This is not as easy as one might think! We also used much Viennese classical music to focus on functional music. When studying the whole area of musical structure, to be able to use voices to sing triads and their inversions etc was just a wonderful way to experience it. The sounds that are produced by well tuned voices cannot be beaten in my experience. Everything focuses on the music and it seems to me from what I have learnt that when a purely theoretical approach is taken, the music can often be lost. With the use of the voice, it is never lost.

The methodology of how it is taught in schools right from Kindergarten to adulthood is a simply mesmorising experience especially when it is possible to observe the same children over a nine month period. The quality of these children's instrumental playing is a quality I have never witnessed before and is due completely to the fact that the music education is based on the Kodaly concepts.

We also had a Kodaly philosophy class so that we could really understand what Kodaly was all about. It isn't about a few hand signs, rhythm syllables and bit of singing as some people might think. It goes much deeper than that and Kodaly based his own ideas and philosophy on that which had begun in England many years before. He actually marvelled at the ability of the British to sight-sing for eg.

Everybody who comes to study has to study piano even if it isn't their usual instrument and it is crucial to be able to play even at a basic level for the solfege work. We are then able to receive tuition in our own instrument whatever that is.

My piano teacher is a contemporary of Andras Schiff and also a good friend of his: they had the same teacher at the Liszt Academy and I am very proud to be able to boast that I had lessons with her. She is a genius of a teacher and not only did I learn so much about my own playing but as a teacher myself, to be able to get new ideas about piano methodology, was a fantastic opportuinty.

You asked about exams and yes, we were examined in all subjects that we took. I also had conducting, chamber music, piano methodology and singing lessons. There were other classes on offer on Hungarian and general music literature as well as folk song analysis and score reading. These I didn't take as I needed to concentrate on specific things and not spread myself too thinly.

I could go on and on about it but will close now. Do ask if you have any other questions.

Finally, I want to pay huge tribute to the ABRSM. Had I not taken the CT ABRSM course three years ago, I think it unlikely that I would have discovered the Kodaly system and thanks to Cyrilla who introduces it on the CT course, I did.

Thanks for the update, HK. I must say that I am insanely jealous of your experience!!

What are you planning on doing once you return to the UK?

Hi Nic. Up until last summer I was working in four schools and privately as a piano teacher. In one of those schools, I was also running four pre-prep classes teaching them music using the Kodaly system.

This school invited me to run the music for all the children in the pre-prep using the Kodaly system from September. Because it is a private school, they are able to schedule two music lessosn per week for all the children which means that I will work with pre-prep children for three years before they move into the prep-school.

It's a wonderful opportuinty because at this school the children don't normally begin instruments until year 3 which means I have a lot of time to help them develop those important fundamental skills such as pulse and rhythm and the very early stages of polyphony. I am hoping also to be able to offer this as an after school activity for those children who want it which means that it might be possible for some of these children to have three music lessons per week.

The children here at the Kodaly School have three 45 minute lessons per week all the way through until they leave so I could find myself in the enviable position of being able to teach music for one and a half hours per week to some of these children. When one considers that some schools in the UK have no music or very little, I am sure you can see that I am tremendously excited about the prospects.

I will also continue with my piano teaching but the main focus will be on Kodaly-based music lessons.

Wow!!

That is extremely exciting! And such a luxury to have a school willing to support such a fantastic program. If I ever have kids perhaps I will move countries and send them there!

I particularly like the fact that the children will have 3 years training before picking up their instrument - such a solid musical foundation will make a huge difference.

All the best with it, and congratulations for being involved in such a fantastic initiative

Thanks Nic! Although I am absolutely exhausted, I cannot wait to get going in September and next week I will be in my school to begin lesson planning. I only have a month back in the UK and then I return here to Hungary to attend two piano summer schools that my Hungarian piano teacher is running. I couldn't turn down the chance of having a further 25 one hour lessons with her over a six week period!! I am also attending the BKA summer school as well as the piano summer school at Chethams.

No rest for me!!

Thank you HK for keeping us updated on your experiences during your year in Hungary studying what I agree is a magnificent way of learning music, whatever others may think. Your various posts from this leave a rather sore taste of what schools in this country are missing in their never ending cost-cutting, priorities etc. Not necessarily Kodaly training, but that music belongs to everyone, and should be part of everyone's education from a young age, in a fun and productive way. Some so called 'music education' in schools in this country makes you want to cry.

What chances of this country doing even a percentage of what is done in Hungary, and many other countries for that matter? We can only dream.

Thanks again.

I wondered when this would appear. Some "others" don't dispute it being a good way to learn, they merely state that it is not the only way.

Nice to hear from you, HK.
As you know I'm an adult learner doing the Intermediate course with Cyrilla (a mere two hours a week, not much compared to yours !) not to teach anyone, just to improve my own musical skills. I would describe myself as much better at theory than practice (one example being the vague waving of arms which is supposed to amount to conducting ) but for me the requirement in this course that much of the learning is by doing, using the body as well as the brain, especially by singing, is a real challenge and, when I get it right, very satisfying.

Welcome back HK and thank you for keeping us posted about your year in Hungary - it's been fascinating to read your accounts.

Yes, Neil, I'm afraid the state of music in a lot of schools in the UK is enough to make you cry. It is so sad when you think what could be achieved, and what children in so many schools (not all) are really missing out on.

Good luck with the continuation of your plans HK - sounds so exciting.