Kodály Music Institute's
2013 Programs for
Young Performers

What is Vocal Vacation?

Vocal Vacation is a cross-cultural summer music choral festival for urban and suburban youth to gather together in friendship and song. An innovative component of the Kodaly Music Institute, this program for Young Performers entering grades 3 - 7 provides in-depth artistic experiences. The schedule includes daily group music class taught via the Kodály approach, choral rehearsals, and other arts-related activities including folk dance, recorder, and visual arts sessions at local museums. Music classes and chorus are taught by master Kodály educators and are observed by teacher participants attending the Kodály Music Institute as part of their training.

For whom?

This exciting program is for singers having strong interest and a solid proficiency in singing skills. The goal is complete immersion in the joy of music making.

What is the philosophical basis of the Kodály concept?

The Kodály concept is an approach to music education that "strives to achieve a synthesis of all the skills necessary to develop complete musicianship" (Bacon, 1993, p.75) and to cultivate a love and appreciation for music that is supported by understanding and direct musical experience (Choksy, 1999a). The approach was inspired by the philosophies of the Hungarian composer and educator, Zoltan Kodály (1882 - 1967).

It is the belief that music is the birthright of every child. All children are able to learn to sing in tune through the use of high-quality folk, jazz, and classical music.

Throughout Kodály's writings are the notions that a person cannot be complete without music and that music serves to develop a person on all levels - emotionally, spiritually and intellectually (Kodály, 1994). Kodály believed that musical aptitude is a characteristic of every person and that, ideally, a music education should begin as early as possible in a person's life - first at home and then later within the school curriculum. He believed that children should first learn their own musical mother tongue - the folk songs of their own cultural heritage. It is through this musical mother tongue that the skills and concepts necessary to achieve musical literacy can be taught (Choksy, 1999a). As these skills develop, children are given the opportunity to study and perform Art Music of all periods and styles. "The process of children arriving at a conscious knowledge and understanding of masterworks of all cultures through the music of their own culture is a unique idea that comes directly from Kodály himself" (Bacon, 1993, p.77).

Kodály believed that singing should be the foundation of all music education.