The Magic of the Orff Approach: the Best Examples on YouTube for Music Teachers Part 2

The Orff Schulwerk, also known as the Orff Approach, is a unique and holistic method of music education that integrates music, movement, drama, and speech. Developed in the 1920s by the German composer Carl Orff and his colleague Gunild Keetman, the Orff Approach has gained worldwide recognition as an effective approach to teaching music.

Educators utilize the Orff Approach to foster a sense of joy and engagement in their students as they explore music both individually and in groups. Through various musical lessons and activities, students learn not only the fundamental concepts of music such as rhythm, but also develop an appreciation for the aesthetic qualities of music. The Orff Approach stimulates a child's overall awareness, sensitizing their perception of space, time, form, line, color, design, and mood - concepts that musicians understand but can be challenging to explain to beginners. It is worth mentioning that the Orff Approach can be effectively used not only for children but also for adult beginners with no prior musical experience.

In this article, we will delve into some of the best activities and games that exemplify the principles of the Orff Approach.

1. Most Orff group activities include rhythmic games, where students perform certain movements, play instruments, or interact with each other to the beat. In this game, for example, students pass ball to each other, throw and catch them, following the music.

2. Orff approach may be used to teach adult beginners as well as children. This Orff music school use group rhythm activities to introduce adult students to the world of music.

3. Orff approach effectively teaches children basic musical concepts like low and high sounds using simple and fun games like this one.

4. Body percussion is a widely used technique in music education due to its accessibility. The human body is the original musical instrument and every student possesses it. This technique offers a direct and interactive experience to students to understand and internalize the fundamental musical elements like beat, rhythm, and metre. It helps students to develop their rhythmic skills, which is an essential foundation for mastering any musical instrument.

5. Different Orff approach elements can be combined in one activity, like in this game, which includes elements of body percussion and group rhythmic movements with simple objects.

6. Boomwhackers are a colorful and fun instrument that has gained popularity in recent years, especially in children's music education. These tubes, made of lightweight plastic, produce different musical notes when struck against a surface or tapped together. They are a great way to introduce young children to the world of music and rhythm. Boomwhackers may be used in countless ways, as this video demonstrates.

7. There are plenty of play-along videos with simple popular melodies, adapted for the boomwhackers and other ChromaNote instruments.

We call this series “I don’t read music” since we are targeting beginners of all ages: children, teens, parents, grandparents. Folk music traditionally is not learned from sheet music or notes. Instead, it is learned by repetition and from being passed from generation to generation. We believe in this method of teaching, which is easier and more enjoyable. This book includes 58 familiar and easy-to-play folk songs and melodies.