ORFF for the MUSIC CLASSROOM

Dr. Pattye Casarow

Clearwater Christian College

Part I

Games and Movement for Readiness: I Let Her Go (Down in the Valley, New England Dancing
Masters Productions, 2000. www.dancingmasters.com)

The Orff Approach: An Overview

Orff-Schulwerk = Schooling through working = learning by doing

Elemental = speaks to the child in a language he/she understands and is able to respond to;
teaching a sequence of musical concepts that evolve from simple to complex.

RHYTHM

SPEECH MOVEMENT

METERED MELODY RHYTHMIC FREE

Poetry Pentatonic Dance forms Interpretive

Rhymes Diatonic Unpitched instruments

Pitched instruments (barred/recorder)

MAJOR TOOLS:

Rhythmic Speech
Simple to complex
Unison to layered

Singing
Rote
Solfege
Folk tunes
 Playing
Body percussion
Unpitched percussion
Pitched percussion
Recorder

Improvisation
Rhythmic
Melodic
Textual

Reading and Writing

Progressively taught; students first learn by doing (rote) and then read and write more
and more

LEARN BY DOING!

RHYTHMIC ROTE (Speech and Pitch)

FEEL IT THROUGH MOVEMENT BODY PERCUSSION
TRANSFER TO INSTRUMENTS AND VOICE
ROTE DIMINISHES AS READING INCREASES

I. Rhythmic Speech
Working with the pulse
o MY HIPPO HAS THE HICCUPS
Simple ostinato
o MY ELEPHANT THINKS IM WONDERFUL
Double ostinato/counter-rhythm
o COCKROACH SANDWICH

II. Singing
So, mi, la ta, ti-ti, ta rest
o BELL HORSES
So, mi, la, do
o MIX A PANCAKE
3/4 meter
o SHEEP SHEARING

III. Playing
Unpitched instruments
o Begin with rhythmic speech
o Apply to body percussion
o Transfer to instruments

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 Pitched instruments
o Barred instruments
Begin with rote rhythmic speech/melody
Apply to body percussion (teacher models in mirror image)
Transfer to instruments
Bordun accompaniments

IV. Improvising
Start with echo clapping 2-measure rhythmic phrases
Add steady beat
End with rest so students have clue when they are to begin
Being with one level of body percussion

V. Reading and Writing

Music reading can be a complex activity. But most children can learn to read music IF instruction is put
at their level and in their terms.
Begin with so-mi and ta, ti-ti (no staff)
Practice begin with manipulatives (stick packet)

VI. Orffestrations
BELL HORSES
MIX A PANCAKE
SHEEP SHEARING

RESOURCES:
Bonner, Bradley, L. Masterwrk Themes for Orff Ensembles. BLB Studios, 1998.

Boyer-Alexander, Ren. Expressions of Freedom: Anthology of African-American Spirituals for Voice and Orff
Instruments. Hal Leonard Corporation, Milwaukee, WI, 2001.

Forrest, Linda. The Heritaqge Orffestrations Series (Christmas, Some Folks for Young Folks, Orffestrations
of the Masters, Orffestrations for America, Around the World, Spirituals, Earth. Heritage Music Press,
Dayton, OH, 1998.

Fuoco-Lawson, Gloria. Mallet Madness. Childsong Publications, Boulder, CO, 1995.

Orff, Carl and Gunild Keetman. Music for Children, American Edition, Vols.1-3. Schott Music Corporation,
New York, 1977.

Solomon, Jim. The Body Rondo Book: 12 Body Percussion Rondos, Elementary to Advanced. Memphis
Musicraft Publications, Lakeland, TN, 1997.

Steen, Arvida. Exploring Orff: A Teachers Guide. Schott Music Corporation, New York, 1992.

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 SMALL PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS

Rattles
Vibra Slap Shakere
Maracas Tube Shaker (rain stick, e.g.)
Cabasa Shakers

Scrape Sounds
Ratchets Sandpaper blocks
Guiro Fluted rhythm sticks

Ring Sounds
Cymbals Jingle bells
Finger cymbals Wind chimes
Triangle Agogo bells
Cow bells Tambourine
Gong

Aerophones
Train whistles Siren
Kazoo Slide whistle

Struck Sounds
Hand drums Wooden slap
Castanets Log drum
Claves Buffalo drum
Rhythm sticks Conga drums
Temple blocks Bongo drums
Wood blocks
Tone blocks (two-tone)
Stir xylophone

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Process:
1. Learn poem by rote over pulse.
2. Clap rhythm of poem over pulse.
3. Learn ostinato by rote over pulse. Add ostinato to poem. Speak in two parts.
4. Transfer ostinato to patsch; perform both parts with body percussion.
5. Transfer to unpitched instruments and perform.

Form:
Intro Ostinato played 2 times
A Poem said over ostinato played
A1 Poem played over spoken ostinato
A2 Poem and ostinato spoken together
A3 Poem and ostinato performed on body percussion
Coda All say ostinato 1 time

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 Process for BELL HORSES

Discovery of La

1. Echo-sing so and mi.

2. Teacher sings song. Any note besides so and mi?
3. Show sign for la.
4. Song by rote.
5. Teacher shows hand signs. Can you sing the song in solfege?
Sing song, patsch BX. Sing song in solfege, show hand signs.
6. Teacher plays on temple blocks. Put in feet (be bell horses), think song, be back in
place by end of song. (audiation)
7. Add verse 2. Be the proud show horses with in feet. Think song, be back by end of song.

8. Add verse 3. Be the strong work horses with in feet. Think song, be back by end of song.

9. Add verse 4. Choose which horse you want to be.

10. Create coda.
11. Teach orchestration with body percussion.
12. Echo-play so, mi, and la, leading to melody.
13. Add jingle bells playing for verse 1 and when horses move.
14. Add sticks or temple blocks for verse 2 and when horses move. ()

15. Add hand drums for verse 3 and when horses move. ()

16. Perform:
Intro: 2-4 measure accompaniment
A - Verse 1 song + accomp. + bells
A1 Glocks play melody + accomp. + bells, bell horses move as above.
A2 Verse 2 song + accomp. + temple blocks
A3 Glocks play melody + accomp. + temple blocks, show horses move.
A4 Verse 3 song + accomp. + hand drums
A5 Glocks play melody + accomp. + hand drums, work horses move.
A6 Verse 4 song + accomp.
A7 Glocks play melody + accomp. + all unpitched, all horses move.
Coda

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 Process for MIX A PANCAKE

Discovery of Do

1. Prepare instruments. Remove burgers and fries.

2. Echo-sing using so, mi, la
3. Teacher sings song. Any new notes? New note is do. Teacher demonstrates hand sign.
4. How many times do you hear it? Show hand sign each time you hear it.
5. Sing song by rote over rhythm of BX. Transfer.
6. Add snaps after pan and can as in SG. Transfer.
7. Patsch on pancake. Transfer to any two notes, C pentatonic scale, SX and AX.
8. Perform:
a. A sing and play
b. A1 think and play
9. Add claps on mix, stir, pop, fry, toss, catch. Choose unpitched for each.
10. Add spoken introduction or interlude, based on kinds of pancakes.
a. Example: Blueberry pancake, raspberry pancake, ranch house, Bisquick too. Pass
the syrup down the table, drown them and then chew!
11. Decide on form and perform.

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 IMPROVISING A RHYTHM ON ONE LEVEL OF BODY PERCUSSION

1. Create an ostinato for 8 measures of 6/8 using 2 to 4 levels of body percussion.

2. Practice the ostinato.
3. All practice improvising with one level of body percussion over the ostinato.
4. Divide class into 3 groups. Decide who is Group 1, 2, and 3
5. Play Rondo.

FORM = A B A C A D A

A = created ostinato example below

B = Group 1 improvises, Groups 2 and 3 do ostinato

C = Group 2 improvises, Groups 1 and 3 do ostinato
D = Group 3 improvises, Groups 1 and 2 do ostinato

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Stick Dance for Sheep Shearing
Developed by Vivian Murray

Formation: Circle of partners facing each other; everyone has a pair of sticks in their hands.

A SECTION
Measure 1: Partners step toward each other with right foot and raise right arms as they
click each others sticks on beat 1; each step back and in place while they click their own
sticks together on beats 2 and 3 (two clicks).
Measure 2: Partners step toward each other with left foot and raise left arms as they
click each others sticks on beat 1; each step back and in place while they click their own
sticks together on beats 2 and 3 (two clicks).
Continue this alternating pattern through Section A.

B SECTION
Measures 9 10: Partners cross right sticks and hold them high while they circle
clockwise.
(First Ending) Measure 11: Standing still, each click their own sticks together on beats 1
and 2 and then click each others right sticks together (high) on beat 3.
Measure 12: Standing still, each click their own sticks together on beats 1 and 2 and
then click each others left sticks together (high) on beat 3.
Repeated Measures 9 10: Partners cross left sticks and hold them high while they
circle counterclockwise.
(Second Ending) Measure 13: Standing still, each click their own sticks together on beats
1 and 2 and then click each others right sticks together (high) on beat 3.
Measures 14: Standing still, each click their own sticks together on beats 1 and 2 and
then click each others left sticks together (high) on beat 3.

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