Note: The Plano ISD/SMU Kodály Certification Course will be held on the SMU campus this year.
The Kodály approach of music education is based on the work of Hungarian composer, educator, philosopher and ethnomusicologist, Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967). It is now used widely throughout the world to train musicianship in children and adults. Kodály-inspired instruction uses a carefully organized sequence of musical elements and concepts taught through developmentally appropriate song materials and musical activities. Using high-quality traditional folk music as the initial core musical material, Kodály-inspired musician educators engage their students in joyful, sequential, developmentally appropriate, child-centered, and interactive sound-based instruction. Through this instruction, students are exposed to systematically graded, properly paced presentation to assimilate ideas organized according to the inner logic of music. Students are guided to discover, articulate, read, write, improvise and create with the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony and form in unison singing, part work, creative activities and instrumental work, while developing skills in movement, listening, memory, inner hearing and conducting. Instruction is directed toward providing students with skills requisite to writing what they hear and sing (dictation), as well as hearing and singing what they read (sight reading).
- Dates: July 5-19, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays
- Noncredit Cost: $1,000
- Graduate Credit Cost: Additional $1,500 for 3 hours of graduate credit (Paid separately to SMU after following instructions in the workshop registration confirmation email.)
- Housing Cost: There is no on-campus housing available for Kodály this summer. For a listing of local Dallas hotels near the SMU campus and out-of-state discounts, go to http://www.campustravel.com/university/smu/visit_smu.html
- Required Materials: A list of materials will be sent to you prior to the workshop through a link to West Music Company.
Level I is a prerequisite for Level II. Level II is a prerequisite for Level III.
This course is presented in conjunction with the Plano ISD Kodály Certification Program, which is endorsed by the Organization of American Kodály Educators. Due to the intensive nature of this certification program, which includes daily homework assignments, participants are strongly encouraged to avoid scheduling additional activities during the course. In addition, 100% attendance is required to earn credit and to move on to the subsequent levels of training. Absences will be considered on an individual basis.
A bachelor’s degree in music or a strong background in music theory is required for this class. Participants must be able to read and write music notation in order to be successful in this course.
Kodály Faculty: Gay deMontel, Bethany Houff, Brenda Keen, Kathy Kuddes, Georgia Newlin, Corey Fisher Smith, Kristin Vogt, and Melissa Young
Course Levels Descriptions:
LEVEL I: Pedagogy includes intensive study of Kodály philosophy, principles, pedagogy, and techniques with a particular emphasis on readiness curriculum, repertoire, skills, and strategies for early childhood. A detailed study of American folk music will focus on selection, collection and performance practice of materials from aural traditions appropriate for young children. Musicianship study will include development of aural skills, solfège proficiency, detailed study of pentatony, and basic classroom conducting. A degree in music, music education, or a strong theoretical music background is required for success.
LEVEL II: Pedagogy includes the continued intensive study of materials, techniques, and pedagogy for sequential skill and curriculum development with emphasis on intermediate level concepts and elements for developing musical literacy. The study of folk music materials will continuation the study of various aural traditions and begin the study of pedagogical song analysis. Musicianship study will continue the development of aural skills, intermediate solfège proficiency, detailed study of diatony and church modes, simple functional harmony and intermediate classroom and choral conducting. Prerequisite: Kodály Level I.
LEVEL III: Pedagogy includes the continued intensive study of materials, techniques, pedagogy, lesson and curriculum development with emphasis on upper level concepts and elements, dictation and sight-reading skills. The study of folk music materials will expand to study of performance practices in world music genres and begin the development of song retrieval and indexing system. Musicianship study will included advanced aural skill development, advanced solfège proficiency, functional harmony and advanced classroom and choral conducting. Prerequisite: Kodály Level II.
CHORAL TRACK– LEVEL I: Pedagogy includes intensive study of Kodály philosophy, principles, pedagogy, and techniques with particular emphasis on repertoire, skills and strategies for the teaching of musical literacy skills in a choral context. The study of choral materials will focus on selection of quality repertoire for beginning choirs. Musicianship study will include development of aural skills, solfège proficiency, detailed study of pentatony, and basic classroom conducting. A degree in music, music education, or a strong theoretical music background is required for success.
CHORAL TRACK – LEVEL II: Pedagogy includes the continued intensive study of Kodály philosophy, principles, pedagogy, and techniques with particular emphasis on repertoire, skills and strategies for the teaching of musical literacy skills in the choral context. The study of choral materials will focus on selection of quality repertoire for intermediate level choirs. Musicianship study will continue the development of aural skills, intermediate solfège proficiency, detailed study of diatony and church modes, functional harmony and intermediate conducting skills. A degree in music, music education, or a strong theoretical music background is required for success. Prerequisite: Kodály Choral Track Level I.
KODÁLY FACULTY
Gay deMontel is a retired music educator living in Corpus Christi. Gay has been passionate about Kodály inspired teaching all the way back to her college days at Southwest Texas State University (now known as Texas State.) She feels fortunate that in her early career, she had mentors and colleagues trained in the Kodály philosophy, adding fuel to her desire to know more. Gay attended the UT/FAME Kodály training program at Round Top, where she received her OAKE endorsed certification. Gay taught in Kerrville and Plano, as well as Port Aransas, and Corpus Christi, where she developed and implemented a Kodály inspired curriculum. Gay is a member of TMEA and OAKE. Her workshop presentations have included "Intro to Kodály," pedagogical possibilities from repertoire, beginning dulcimer, and folk dancing. Gay has been an instructor in the Plano certification program for over twenty years.
Bethany Houff has been the choral director at Harrisonburg High School, located in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, since 2003. In addition to conducting four choral ensembles, she teaches an introductory musical theatre course and beginning piano classes. She served on the design team of the innovative Harrisonburg High School Fine Arts Academy where colleagues in dance, drama, music, visual art, and creative writing teach collaboratively in a sequential and integrated arts curriculum. Beth received a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting as well as a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from James Madison University. She teaches in the Summer Kodály Programs at Indiana University, James Madison University, and SMU/Plano ISD.
Brenda Keen taught 21 of her 26 years in elementary music in Plano ISD. Prior to her employment in Plano, she taught 4 years in Richardson ISD, and 1 year in Dallas ISD. She holds a bachelor's degree from UT Austin and a Kodály certificate from the UNT /Plano ISD Certification Program. Brenda has taught in the Plano ISD Kodály certification program for 13 years and has presented sessions at TCDA, Plano Senior High School, TCU, and workshops for the Kodály Educators of Texas.
Brenda has directed many school and church choirs, including the Plano Children's Chorale. Brenda has sponsored over 250 singers in the North Texas Children's Choir, and over 75 of her students have been selected for the O.A.K.E. National Honor Choirs.
Brenda was named the Metroplex Children's Choir Teacher of the Year in 2003 and Teacher of the Year for Hightower Elementary in 2006. She was awarded the North Texas Children’s Choir (NTCC)Teacher/Leader Award in 2014 and was named NTCC Teacher of the Year in 2019.
Brenda has served on the National Children's Choir Committee for the Organization of American Kodály Educators, on the Advisory Council for O.A.K.E., and is Past-President of the Southern Division of O.A.K.E. She is also Past-President of the Kodály Educators of Texas. Brenda retired from teaching at Hightower Elementary School in Plano.
Since retirement, she has continued to teach Conducting and Pedagogy in the SMU/Plano ISD Kodály Training Program. She has supervised student teachers for the University of North Texas and Colorado State University. She has taught a teacher preparation course for UNT and is currently a mentor for elementary music teachers in Frisco ISD.
Brenda has been married to her husband, Tom, for 40 years. They have 3 grown children, all of whom are teachers and/or conductors, and 5 grandchildren.
Kathy Kuddes holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Education from Millikin University and the University of North Texas respectively, a Kodály training certificate from the FAME/University of Texas program at Festival Hill in Round Top, Texas. She retired in the summer of 2022 after serving 38 years in public music education in various Texas school districts. Prior to her final position as the Director of Fine Arts in the Plano Independent School District for 20 years, she taught elementary music in Plano, College Station and Killeen and secondary music in Stafford. She is the Founder and Coordinator and Folk Music Materials Instructor of the Plano Kodály Teacher Training Program at Southern Methodist University. In her retirement, Kathy is currently doing folk song research for McGraw Hill Education. She remains an active presenter doing presentations at state MEA conferences, AOSA and OAKE national conferences and the International Kodály Society Symposia in Australia, Hungary and Scotland. Kathy is a former member of the boards of the Kodály Educators of Texas, the Organization of American Kodály Educators, and the Texas Music Administrators Conference. She was the recipient of the 2010 OAKE Outstanding Administrator Award, the 2016 Outstanding Administrator by TMAC, the 2020 KET Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2020 Arts Leadership Award from the ArtCentre of Plano.
Georgia A Newlin, DMA is an independent Music Education Consultant. She has taught in early childhood/public school music positions for sixteen years and at the collegiate level for sixteen. Currently, Georgia is called upon as a conductor for choral festivals and as a clinician for choral workshops, reading sessions, and intermediate grade methodology, as well as a consultant for curriculum planning. She teaches musicianship, conducting, and ensemble in Kodály programs at Indiana University, University of Hawai’i, James Madison University, and Plano at Southern Methodist University.
Georgia is Past President of the Organization of American Kodály Educators and is a member of The VoiceCare Network. She has had articles published in the Choral Journal, Orff Echo, Kodály Envoy, and Southwestern Musician, among others. She served for three years on the Music Educators Journal Advisory Committee of NAfME. Dr. Newlin has presented at conferences of the Organization of American Kodály Educators, International Kodály Society, American Orff-Schulwerk Association, Kodály Music Educators in Australia, Kodály Society of Ontario, and Association for Music in International Schools, as well as Choral/Music Education associations in 18 states.
In 2022, Georgia established the Valley Treble Voices, an adult treble choir in Harrisonburg, VA. She has been the Artistic Director of the Waldorf Choral Society in Garden City, NY; Founder/Artistic Director of the Adelphi University Vocal Ensemble; and Artistic Director of The Susquehanna Valley Chorale Children’s Choir in Lewisburg, PA. In addition, she has been a faculty member of the James Madison University VocalArts camp as well as the Children’s Chorus of Maryland. Music Is Elementary has published her book, One Accord: Developing Part-Singing Skills in School-Age Musicians, and is currently editor of their The Crooked River Choral Project. Georgia is also published with the Ruth Dwyer Choral Series from Colla Voce.
Corey Fisher Smith is the Elementary Music Specialist at Windsong Ranch Elementary in Prosper ISD and has taught music for 9 years in both Plano and Prosper. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2012 with a Bachelor's in Music Education and a Minor in Italian. She completed her first level of Kodály Certification with Joy Nelson at the University of Oklahoma before completing her levels at the Plano/SMU Kodály Program. In addition to teaching she is a freelance pianist for churches, choirs, schools, improv groups, and soloists. She has presented sessions with Kodály Educators of Texas and TMEA. Corey has previously served as a TMEA Elementary Region Chair and currently serves on the OAKE Scholarship Committee. She is currently Co-Elementary Music Team Lead in Prosper.
Sarah Riordan is the music specialist at Andrews Elementary School in Plano ISD, where she teaches Kindergarten through 5th grade. She received her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of North Texas and has been teaching for 16 years. She received her Kodály certification from the Plano ISD/SMU program. Sarah has been named Teacher of the Year at her school in 2012 and 2022. During her time with North Texas Children’s Choir, she has also been given a teacher-leader award in 2013 and Teacher of the Year in 2022. She presently serves as team leader on her campus as well as being one of the lead elementary music specialists for Plano. Sarah served on the Kodály Educators of Texas board as a North Region Representative from 2019-2022. She is very passionate about mentoring others to use the Kodály philosophy, since it has been so impactful in her own teaching journey!
Kristin Vogt has been teaching Kindergarten through 5th grade students for the past 21 years. She received her Bachelor of Music in Music Theory in 2000, and master’s degrees in music theory and music education from Southern Methodist University in 2003. She earned her Kodály certification from the Plano ISD/UNT program and her Orff Schulwerk certification from SMU. She presents professional development sessions for school districts in Texas, Tennessee, Utah, the OAKE National Conference in 2010 and 2018 and AOSA in 2016. For the past 13 summers Kristin has taught Pedagogy I and Folk Music Materials II at the SMU Kodály Certification Program as well as Pedagogy II, Pedagogy III and Folk Music Materials II at the Fort Bend ISD Kodály Program outside of Houston. Kristin is currently serving as President of the Southern Division for the Organization of American Kodály Educators. She has 2 sons, a freshman in college and a sophomore in high school who are both brass players. In her spare time, she is an avid runner, gardener and jazz and blues connoisseur.
Melissa Roth Young is a graduate of Baylor University (BME ’93) and UNT (MME ’02), and she is in her 29th year of teaching. She is currently the choir director at Haggard Middle School in Plano ISD. Choirs under her direction have consistently received Sweepstakes at UIL Concert & Sight-Reading Contest, as well as Best in Class/Grand Champion distinctions at local choral festivals. Additionally, her students are well represented in the All-Region Choir and TCDA Honor Choirs each year. The Richardson North Junior High Varsity Treble Choir was selected to sing at the OAKE National Convention in Dallas. Mrs. Young was selected as the Teacher of the Year nominee for the Richardson North Junior High campus 2011-12. She has served as the TMEA Region III Secretary, Coordinator Elect and Coordinator, as well as on the TCDA Hospitality and Ways and Means Committees.
Before teaching middle school choirs, Melissa taught at the elementary level and community children’s choirs in Texas and Oregon. She served as the Children’s Choir R&S Chair for Oregon ACDA from 2002-2006 and as Western 2 Regional Representative for the OAKE National Board from 2004-2006. She is a sought-after clinician and adjudicator. She is a National Certified Kodaly teacher (Portland State, Level IV 2002). She is a published composer with Alliance Music Publications and lives in Richardson, TX with her family and sings with the First United Methodist Richardson Chancel Choir.
For further information about SMU Music Educators Workshops, or to register for one of these classes, visit admission.smu.edu/portal/musicworkshops; or contact Julie Scott, Lisa Beyer, or Courtney Wilson at muedworkshops@smu.edu.