ABSTRACT
Kodály’s approach to aural and musicianship training was accredited by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016 because of its contribution to the preservation of folk music (www.unesco.org/archives/multimedia/document-4368). Aspects to his approach go far beyond this, with multifaceted benefits for all students. His pedagogical perspectives have inspired many to reflect on their own practices and led to an educational movement that has further evolved teaching philosophies. This chapter will explore a number of important elements that include the progress from sound to symbol rather than visa-versa, the use of tonic-solfa hand-signs (as developed by John Curwen), the ability to hear pitch in your head (the ‘inner ear’), the use of vocal harmony, musical multitasking, and the possibility of applying methods to contemporary popular music (the contemporary ‘folk’ music). Most importantly, those inspired by Kodály’s approach focus on creating musical learners who process, rather than simply reproduce, and therefore they become independent thinkers.
