What follows is an outline of a suggested Waldorf music curriculum, grades 1-8.* It comes out of my own extensive study of anthroposophy, Rudolf Steiner’s indications, both in child development and music, and many years of teaching experience. It is a curriculum developed in my own school, with its own special needs and parameters and… More →
(What follows is a chapter in the new book, The Mood of the Fifth: A Musical Approach to Early Childhood – published by WECAN). Editor’s note: As an experienced music educator, Andrea addresses the nature of the young child’s experience of the world and of music as described by Rudolf Steiner, and helps us to… More →
Music is an important element of the Waldorf curriculum. According to Rudolf Steiner, the human being is a musical being, and the making of music is essential in experiencing what it is to be fully human. Music in the Waldorf curriculum awakens and nurtures the deep inner life of the child. As the main lesson… More →
This is a great, easy-to-read article about A432 tuning. While there are many books and articles out there that describe or explain what it is, they are often very academic in their presentation and some of the music theory behind it can be inaccessible to many readers. This has several references to other authors and… More →
“Can you tell me again what we are supposed to do, Mrs. Johns?” I looked at the pale second grader with a mixture of exasperation and curiosity. How could she possibly have failed to hear the simple instructions I had just given to the class? She was actually looking directly at me the whole time… More →
Children’s Vocal Development Whilst we have progressions for children’s musical and instrumental development, it is hard to find such developmental progressions regarding what we should expect in terms of children’s vocal development—namely what is NATURAL for their voices to do—or how to listen for the sounds of this development. Surely we should have concerns about… More →
The Inner Nature of Music and the Experience of Tone is an important book in that it is a collection of seven lectures about music, given by Rudolf Steiner from 1906-1924. In it, significant light is shed on the esoteric realities of music and tone, as well as, indications given in the instruction of music… More →
This is a lovely interview with Cari Burdett, who with her husband Massimo Pintus, have studied extensively with master teacher and musician, Pär Ahlbom at his Solvik school in Sweden. They create beautiful hand-made instruments that they use at their music center near Vancouver, B.C. and work with children and adults, giving workshops, concerts and… More →
Each child in the lower school at a Waldorf School makes beautiful music every day. With their class teacher, in chorus, in strings or in music class, they are gaining not only musical skills and knowledge but also a strong sense of musicality. Naturally, we want the children to be musical, but in Waldorf music… More →
Not long ago, the third graders of Emerson Waldorf School (EWS) in Chapel Hill, NC made a gift to our first grade. They entered the first grade room early one Friday morning and, after a short visit, left behind not only a lovely song, but the very flutes that they had played. Those flutes waited… More →
Read an excerpt from Elisabeth Lebret’s Shepherd’s Songbook. The book includes descriptions of music in grades 1-3 and many songs. It is available from the Waldorf School Association of Ontario. Note: This book was originally published several decades ago in 1972. Since that time, there has been continuing study and work in regards to music… More →
At this time in world evolution one can safely say that music has a significant impact on us as human beings. Research in the growing field of Music Therapy is demonstrating that we have the ability to utilize music in affecting our cognitive, emotional, physical, and psycho/spiritual health. All of us experience an innate connection… More →
Have you ever been asked to justify the music program in the curriculum? Do you find that the arts in our schools are often justified by proclaiming their support of science and math? Here is a great article from the Washington Post that enumerates the skills and benefits learned from experiencing the arts. They may… More →
This is a thoughtful and informative article about listening from a mainstream scientific point of view. It contains some food for thought about what listening really is (not the same as hearing) and how we are relating to it in these modern times. It brings a relevant perspective on listening, attention, brain pathways and more!… More →
Researchers have recently found that teaching stroke victims to sing rewires their brains and allows them to regain their speech. This process, called “melodic intonation therapy,” works with centers in the brain and helps reconnect nerve pathways traumatized by the stroke. Click here to read the full article on the BBC’s website. More →
Something that any choir member already knows — singing has a harmonizing effect — in many more ways than one! This is a great article on how singing together strengthens the social and human bond in a way like no other. Click here to read the full article on the BBC’s website. More →