Music Lessons: The Kodaly Method in the American Classroom poster

Music Lessons: The Kodaly Method in the American Classroom

1981 · 41 min

Documentary

not streaming

Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály believed that music could be taught to children as readily as reading. The method he developed uses a child's own natural instrument, the voice. Beginning with simple musical intervals, the child progresses from folk tunes and children's songs to the complex notes and rhythms of composed music--from Bye baby bunting to Bach. [The film] is a look at the Kodály method of music training in public elementary schools in San Jose, California, and West Hartford, Connecticut. Ordinary children are shown in the film, but they exhibit extraordinary self-confidence, discipline, concentration, and an eagerness to learn. There is no such thing as failure in a Kodály classroom; in fact, the children are able to correct their mistakes themselves. Moreover, the children will bring much of 'how' they learn in their music lessons--counting and problem-solving, left-to-right progression, following directions--to their study of reading, writing and arithmetic.

Crew

  • Director Joyce Chopra
  • Writer Tom Cole
  • Director of Photography Joan Weidman
  • Director of Photography Peter Aaron
  • Director of Photography Fred Murphy

Cast

Crew

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🔥 Hot takes

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Intermission

GO DEEPER

Turn the obscurity dial up. There's a lot further down to go.

Deal me more

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