It all began when I was in the fifth grade at Lincoln School in Westfield, New Jersey:
 |
| Lincoln School |
Miss Anita Humer walked into the room and said, "Hello boys and girls. Clap this rhythm after me":
And from that moment on, things were never the same! The year was 1968, so Orff Schulwerk was still quite young. Miss Humer did not have a dedicated music room. Instead, she came room-to-room with all her materials on a cart. But she did manage to take over the very small library when she introduced us to her Orff instruments! Miss Humer knew that my friend Lisa and I both took piano lessons and so we were chosen to play the glockenspiels.
I can still play that piece today! Music with Miss Humer was so different from music class with Mrs. Brown. From first grade through fourth grade, Mrs. Brown came room-to-room only once a month. Mrs. Brown passed out song books and told us to turn to page ____... So when Miss Humer came along, WOW!!! She also started a 4th-6th choir, and our musical experiences just blossomed. She was a great music teacher. And that was my introduction to Orff Schulwerk.
I knew from sixth grade on that I wanted to be a music teacher. I only had great teachers: Mr. Bob Reitzke was my first band teacher, who taught me to play the flute.
Mr. Rietzke could see that I had rhythm skills, so he encouraged me to play drums. In fact, the school district provided FOUR brand new Ludwig timpani!!
I played for the All-City Band, and all through Junior High with my Junior High instrumental teacher, known as "Mr. Schlosberg", but now he is Dr. Ted Schlosberg.
Now, to really get back to where everything all started, I need to mention my father, who could play anything on the piano, violin and accordian. What an ear! He could play the Warsaw Concerto from memory. I always wanted to learn to play that, and one day I did.
My formal piano instruction started with Aunt Mary Bonnell. SHE was the BEST!!!! Aunt Mary taught everyone in my family to play the piano. In fact, she would teach anyone whether they had the ability to pay or not. Aunt Mary also introduced me to organ music with her close friend, Dr. Claire Coci.
I studied organ with Claire Coci at her Academy of Music in Tenafly, New Jersey all through high school. I called her "Aunt Claire," but we were not related. She was an amazing person! I am so privileged to have known her. When it was time to go to college, I was encouraged to go to Hartwick College because Dr. Coci was an artist-in-residence there. She made trips to Oneonta, New York once a month and that is when I would continue my organ study.
 |
| Anderson Center for the Arts - Hartwick College |
It just so happened that Hartwick College had an Orff Schulwerk program! At that time, the Levels we know today did not exist. Instead, these were the courses of study: Music, Movement and Speech, Ensemble I, Ensemble II, and Ensemble III. My professors were Don Slagel and Sr. Marcia Lunz. So naturally I walked into a program that was similar to my exposure from fifth grade. I remember as a student having to give up my Saturdays once in a while and go to Albany, New York, to the College of St. Rose and attend Berkshire-Hudson Valley Orff workshops. It was hard giving up Saturdays, but they were a fun experience when it was all said and done. (I feel much differently now about my professional development!) I also knew a little about Carl Orff, especially since the Hartwick College Choir, under the direction of Dr. Thurston J. Dox, performed Carmina Burana, by Carl Orff. I was a member of that choir.
No comments:
Post a Comment