Orff Levels & Lessons

The Orff approach has revolutionised my teaching. I have fun, find so many ways to teach musical concepts and my students get to show their creativity. Read on for materials, reviews and lessons from other music educators who have learnt alongside me.

Orff Levels

Run by the NSW Orff Association I was fortunate enough to come across them in 2009 while undertaking Australian teacher certification. As I paid my money I thought, “excellent, a week of PD that will count to something. Here we go.” I was not prepared for the future impact it would have on my teaching philosophy & practice.

Why do the Orff Teacher Training?

I can confidently say from undertaking three levels since 2009, that every time my thinking, classroom practice & style of teaching has been challenged. This has helped me isolate ways I detracted from the overall flow in my lessons. I can look back at times when I have prevented authentic learning in my classroom and despite the overwhelming shock and justification, ‘well that’s how I was taught,’
I welcome it.

Where else do grown up teachers (those who have been teaching for 2 or 20 years) get marked on student instrumental arrangements or instructing their peers in learning a song? Where else do a group of eclectic musicians play bar-instruments (xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels) day after day singing pentatonic and modal tunes designed to help students internalise music? Wouldn’t you like professional development where you engage in music making, composing and collaborative resource development that relates directly to your own classroom?

I can understand that some music teachers would find it daunting teaching your peers and being marked but isn’t that what we expect of our students? I attended a course today with George Couros and Alec Couros where they repeatedly demonstrated how they model what they want their students and other educators to accomplish. This is what the teaching profession should be like. Especially in Music.

I personally feel my teaching would not be the same without these courses and the wonderful work of the presenters.

The Presenters of Level 3

This year I was fortunate enough to have Anne Power, Carol Richards & Robyn Staverly instructing level 3 for six whole days. We enjoyed their lessons so much that we had to present them with a gift upon completing the course.

The following recording is a composition of mine, aided by the creative work of all other level 3 attendees. It encapsulates the idiomatic expressions of all three presenters into a 5/4 groove with xylophones added for that extra bit of ‘Orff-iness.’

Orff Level 3 2011 Remix by wrightstuffmusic


Robyn Staverly had us captivated with a series of 5/4 and 7/4 pieces during the movement and recorder sessions. These pieces were amazing to move to, analyse and contemplate for composition lessons. I then thought of some other pieces to add to the list so here they are already organised for you on iTunes. Feel free to suggest others.

5/4 iTunes Playlist

7/4 iTunes Playlist

Peer Lessons

Each attendee of level 3 was asked to teach the ‘class’ a song that included a 1 – 5 or 1 – 4 – 5 bass line. We also arranged folk-songs, developed new pieces and improvised over existing Orff patterns. We had so much fun in teaching them that we had to collate some of them to share here.

Follow the instructions on the materials and if you would like to get in contact with the teachers send me an email. Lastly, if you use them in your classroom we would love to know how you do it!

Their work is offered here with permission under a creative commons attribution license.
To download them right-click and choose ‘save-as’

Holy Hla Hla (African Spiritual)

Freedom is Coming (African Spiritual)

She’ll be Coming Round the Mountain (Traditional)

Sibelius 6 Orff Arrangements (Finale users email me for XML versions)

• Calypso

• I want to rise

• Come to the Land

• Laughing Singing

If you would like more information about the Orff Approach visit here and look out for upcoming courses. I could even blog about the James Humberstone Orff- Australian-Composition-Day that followed my level 3 certification. But that is another story.

Cover image by Kilips
Post image by Saebaryo