Orffing

Still trying to write a melody from two motifs, I am listening to Druid Fluid from Appalachia Waltz. I like the low part at the beginning which gives me ideas for how to use my motifs in an extended melody.

Today I went to an In-house Orff workshop of my own devising. I rented some videos from the American Orff Schulwerk Association. 5 music teachers gathered to watch and share teaching ideas.

The first video we watched was a workshop by Avon Gillespie. By taking very simple pulse and beat rhythms, he worked the crowd first with clapping and other body percussion, then through found sounds (keys, shoes, pencils, etc), then with unpitched percussion.

The second part of the video showed an inspired rendition of Are You Sleeping? using a variety of meters as well as switching into minor (ala Mahler). I would love to write a piece for elementary string orchestra using some of those meters, and incorporating other instruments. Think of the open string borduns / drones. Think of the major/minor possibilities.

The second video was a presentation by Carol Roberts, an Australian teacher. She took a piece from the Orff Volumes and manipulated it in a variety of ways. The Hungarian Folk song is so enchanting that Pat and I want our beginning strings to learn it for the spring concert, using F and C naturals.