Session Overview:- Music is for everybody – Introduction of presenters and Pavel Jurkovič
- Czech Orff Society for Long life education of Czech teachers - Jarka Kotůlková
– The way of Orff Schulwerk to Czechoslovakia (Budapest ISME conference in 60th)
– Tradition of democratic pedagogy tendencies in the work of Comenius
– The foundation of the Czech Orff Society 1995 after political changes
– From Treffen der Nachbarn to Orff Forum and ISME
– Cooperate, Communicate, Create - Czech Orff Society through the lenses of a holistic pedagogical approach in the multicultural world, today and yesterday - Hana Havelková
- Tradition of Czech Choir mastership and the role of the National Information and Consulting Centre for Culture - Jan Pirner
Overview of the Czech Music Education System“Every Czech Is a Musician.” This saying comes from the 18th century when Czech musicians played an important role in the musical life of Europe. Many began their music education under the tutelage of village schoolmasters - cantors who believed that music was an important aspect of human literacy. Czech musicians often emigrated from their homeland Bohemia. (Josef Mysliveček, 1737–1781, Czech composer known in Italy as ‘Il Divino Boemo’, today he is considered by musicologists to be comparable to Mozart and Haydn. Indeed, he was influential in the life of Mozart to the extent that Mozart recommended his sister ‘Nannerl’ perform Mysliveček’s masterpieces. Tiny Czech population has many famous composers Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček, Bohuslav Martinů. (Contemporary Karel Husa, Petr Eben, Jiří Srnka)
Music education begins in kindergartens with teachers trained in pedagogical schools and faculties. However, academic institutions do not provide a great deal of assistance in regard to practical activity involving young children. This is despite the work of Jan Ámos Komenský (Comenius) (1592–1650) who is regarded by many as the father of modern education. Komenský believed not only in the importance of early childhood music education but also introduced pictorial textbooks, supported lifelong learning and believed in education for women as well as impoverished children.
At the elementary and middle school levels music is compulsory from Grade 1 to Grade 8. Specialist music teachers are educated in pedagogical faculties that are a part of the Czech university system with an emphasis on academic qualifications and research. There are also special high schools for future music professionals, known as Conservatories of Music that provide a six years curriculum for students from the age of 15. In addition there are universities, known as Academies of Performing Arts, that provide education for professional musicians as well as for teachers of special music schools (Základní umělecká škola), known as ZUŠ. These schools offer instrumental music lessons, singing, drama and general music to students aged 5–18 as after-school activities.
There is a number of non-profit organizations that offer life-long learning including the Czech Orff Society, the Society for Music Education, Pedagogical Centres, Concert Pedagogy departments of orchestras. (Czech Philharmonic presentation at MISTEC)
It might appear that this a fine system, supported by the state, particularly in light of today's economic situation. However, teachers are often overwhelmed by academic information and there is a serious lack of practical opportunity for ‘hands-on’ teaching. There is little help in assisting teachers to explore creativity with their students or how to motivate them for life-long learning, all of which provide a great challenge for Czech music pedagogy today. Further, as is common in countries round the world, the consumption of commercial music is very great and it means for us a real challenge.
The great question for me is how to change the mentality that has followed our post-communist society. I believe that it is important to find our own way, create open-minded programs, accept new trends and be free to take risks, establishing a democratic partnership full of respect and tolerance. Teachers should not be slaves to the system but be highly respected people who take responsibility for their own actions. For myself, my aim in life is to ensure that music provides a complete social and emotional education for all children.
Since the 1989 November Velvet Revolution the world has been opened to us. We can travel and we can invite our colleagues from abroad. Practical workshops, conferences, courses and seminars are efficient when integrated with international experiences. Orff Schulwerk International Meetings and ISME Conferences have shown me ways that could be helpful to Czech teachers. The hope of Czech Orff Society is: if only Czech music teachers do not enclose themselves in their small Czech world but demonstrate again that ‘Every Czech is a Musician’ using the authentic sources but also international experiences!
Jarmila Kotůlková
email:
jkotulkova@isp.czDr. Jan Pirner (
jan.pirner@seznam.cz)
After studies at the Faculty of Education of Charles University and Musicology at the Faculty of Arts works
1/as the choirmaster of childrenʼs choir Radost Praha
2/as the as the guarantor of choirmaster workshops and administrator of the music library and editor of the Polyhymnia Bohemica choral series at the National Information and Consulting Centre for Culture
3/ as an editor of the academic journal Hudební věda (Musicology) at the Department of Music History of the Institute of Ethnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Was a member of the boys’ choir Pueri gaudentes, from the past till now a member of Kühn Choir of Prague, the Prague Chamber Choir, the Czech National Choir, and extern member of the Prague Philharmonic Choir
Awards from Kaunas Cantat in Lithuania, from Prague 7 for Cultural Achievements and from the Czech Choirs Association as a Choirmaster junior.
MgA. Mgr. Hana Havelková (
HanaHawel@seznam.cz)
Doctoral student at Department of Music Education, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University in Brno, after masters degrees in Music and Dance Education.
Works at Primary Art School in Kroměříž with the experience as a dancer, choreographer, and musician, who has taught in the past music and dance for different age groups using a variety of styles and techniques
Is the leaver of the Carl Orff Institute - Advanced Studies in Salzburg and Music Teaching Internship at the San Francisco School.
Jarmila Kotůlková, PhDr. (
kotulkovaj@centrum.cz)
Past lecturer in music pedagogy and music theory at the Prague Conservatory of Music, for 35 years general music educator in the system of Czech schools of many kinds and levels, focus on early childhood music education
Now active in the field of Elemental music education at the International School of Prague. Member of CEESA and AMIS.
As the past president of Czech Orff Society participates at national and international conferences of long life learning in Orff Schulwerk with a cross to other didactic ways.
Participation of ISME activities in CEPROM and Active Music Making (today called Applied Pedagogies)
