Early Years Music Scotland: In Person!

A full day of events for musicians working with children in the early years Join Early Years Music Scotland for a full day of workshops on Saturday 20th February at St Mary's Music School, Edinburgh. This day of events is designed for musicians and creative practitioners who work with children in the early years, with the aim of inspiring your practice, boosting your creativity and bringing you together! This year's theme is 'Approaches to Early Years Music Education' with workshops from Kodály, Dalcroze and Orff specialists. Read on for further information! Early Years Music Scotland is delivering a year-long programme of free, high-quality, creative and inspiring continuous professional learning and development for musicians working with children in the early years across Scotland, supported by Creative Scotland's Youth Music Initiative. A small amount of funding is in place to support attendance and/or travel costs for those travelling from outwith Edinburgh. If you would like to apply, please add details at the time of booking. With thanks to St Mary's Music School for their support of this event. ABOUT EACH APPROACH KODALY The Kodály approach is a philosophy of music education inspired by the work of Hungarian composer and educator Zoltán Kodály. It places singing and active music-making at the heart of musical development, with the belief that music should be accessible to everyone and introduced through a rich repertoire of songs and rhymes of the ‘mother tongue’. Key principles include: • Singing as the foundation – developing the voice as the first and most accessible instrument. • Experiential Learning – children experience and internalise musical concepts before being introduced to formal notation. • Sequenced progression – musical skills develop gradually through appropriately chosen repertoire and activities. • Movement and musical games – using movement, actions and play to develop pulse, rhythm, listening and musical understanding. • Folk and traditional repertoire – drawing on culturally meaningful songs and rhymes as a foundation for musical learning. • Developing ‘inner hearing’ – encouraging children to hear and understand music internally, supporting pitch, memory and musicianship. • Gradual introduction of notation – using accessible systems such as rhythm syllables and relative solfa to connect musical experience with symbols. • Musical literacy for all – developing confident, independent musicians through aural, vocal, physical and visual experiences. At its heart, the Kodály approach is child-centred, sequential, active and rooted in singing, providing children with the musical experiences and skills needed to become confident and independent musicians. DALCROZE Children in the early years use their bodies and movement to explore the world, experiment with sounds and voices and playfully relate to those around them. They naturally and organically learn, experience and develop through movement. In Dalcroze Eurhythmics, music is experienced through movement – the teaching and learning process engages body, mind and emotion. More recent research has shown that whole-body movement is an effective way to enhance musicianship, improve mobility, co-ordination, concentration and develop self-expression. The goals are manifold, but aim the individual to playfully sense the music through the body, while then becoming aware and able to analyse the many aspects. The teacher uses mostly live and improvised music on a variety of instruments, in order to closely lead and relate to the given task in movement. The goal is to develop not only musical and physical awareness, but confidence, communication, expression and creativity. While tasks focus attention on specific musical elements (i.e. pulse, rhythm, tempo, pitch, metre or dynamics), students are using their first musical instrument - their body - to experiment, explore and develop not only their musical awareness, but also movement skills and - vocabulary. They work individually, with partners or in the group. The improvisory nature of the tasks allow expression and communication with others. The name Dalcroze is taken from the founder of the method Emile Jaques Dalcroze; the principles of his work have lasted and been developed over the last hundred years. He was a educational pioneer, composer and performer. ORFF-SCHULWERK Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman created an approach to inspire elemental music making, dance and creative, artistic expression and activity. This pedagogical approach is known as Orff-Schulwerk Music, Dance & Speech Education. ‘Language, music and dance are not experienced as separate areas, but as closely connected means of expression that depend on and complement each other. Their common root is rhythm.’ (Carl Orff Institute)