ҹɫÊÓÆµ

Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education Course

Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education CourseÌýLevel I, II & III

ҹɫÊÓÆµ School of Music

July 21 – August 1, 2025

Faculty: Ben Torres,ÌýBethAnn Hepburn, Chris Judah-Lauder, Karen Medley, Connie VanEngen
Program Director: Dr. Keith Koster
Assistant Program Directors: Kathleen Sullivan and Al Heary

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Deadline:ÌýJuly 15, 2025

If you have any questions, please contact Al Heary: aheary1@naz.edu

About the Training

Course Includes

Level IÌýThis course includes the basic study of Orff techniques such as the pentatonic scale, simple borduns, the ostinato, and playing pitched and unpitched percussion instruments and the soprano recorder. Topics and skills in this highly participatory course will also include vocal and rhythmic training, movement, and improvisation. A degree in music or strong musicianship is required.

Level IIÌýThis course builds on the foundations laid in Level I. Folk melodies, all diatonic modes, mixed meter, and rhythms from many parts of the world are included. Accompaniments, musical forms, and improvisations are more complex. Both alto and soprano recorders are studied. Music, movement, and speech are synthesized in cooperative learning lessons. Successful completion of an AOSA approved Level I course is required.

Level IIIÌýParticipants will continue to engage and develop skills in the principles of the Orff Schulwerk approach. Introduction of the following concepts: arranging and composing pieces via polymeters and functional harmony, further developing deeper creative movement vocabulary/technique using uneven steps and asymmetrical meters in dance, and the use of both soprano and alto recorders (and additional consort sizes) as instruments and instructional tools in the musical classroom. Written homework will be assigned nightly to help participants reflect and synthesize material.Ìý

For more informationÌýabout

Registration & Cost

Graduate students, for 3 credits

For Nazareth Students:

  1. Complete the .ÌýIf you are not sure that the course is the right fit for you, please e-mail Dr. Koster,Ìýkkoster8@naz.edu
  2. Also complete the usual
  • Level I: MED550-50 MED550, Summer B, 2025
  • Level II: MED560-50, Summer B, 2025
  • Level III: MED570-50, Summer B, 2025)

Tuition: $1045/credit hour x 3 credits = $3,135*
Graduate Supplemental Fee: $110/semester
Total: $3,245

*Rate is subject to change. For details, please reach out toÌýDr. Keith KosterÌý´Ç°ùÌýKathleen SullivanÌý´Ç°ù Al Heary

For non-Nazareth Students:

  1. Complete theÌý. If you are not sure that the course is the right fit for you, please e-mail Dr. Koster,Ìýkkoster8@naz.edu
  2. Complete the top half of theÌýҹɫÊÓÆµ Graduate Non-Matriculated Student Approval FormÌýand email that form to Dr. Keith Koster, kkoster8@naz.edu, or send the form to Dr. Keith Koster, Program Director, Graduate Studies in Music Education, School of Music, ҹɫÊÓÆµ, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618
  3. The ҹɫÊÓÆµ Registration & Records Office will send you confirmation along with information about how to register for either
    • Level I: MED 550-50 MED550, Summer B, 2025
    • Level II: MED 560-50, Summer B, 2025
    • Level III: MED 570-50, Summer B, 2025

Tuition: $1045/credit hour x 3 credits = $3,135*
Graduate Supplemental Fee: $110/semester*
Total: $3,245*

*Rate is subject to change.ÌýFor details, please reach out toÌýDr. Keith Koster, ÌýKathleen Sullivan or Al HearyÌý

Registration opens December 7.

±Ê²¹²â³¾±ð²Ô³Ù:ÌýÌý´Ç°ù by a check or purchase order made payable to ҹɫÊÓÆµ, mailed to Dr. Keith Koster, School of Music, ҹɫÊÓÆµ, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618.ÌýCheck or purchase order is preferred.

Once payment has been received, you will be officially enrolled in the course.

Undergraduate students (3 credits)

For Nazareth Students:

  1. Complete theÌý.ÌýIf you are not sure that the course is the right fit for you, please e-mail Dr. Koster,Ìýkkoster8@naz.edu
  2. Also complete the usualÌýÌýfor either:
    • For Level I: MED 550-50 MED550, Summer B, 2025
    • For Level II: MED 560-50, Summer B, 2025
    • For Level III: MED 570-50, Summer B, 2025

Tuition: $1045/credit hour x 3 credits = $3,135*
Registration Fee: $35
Total: $3,170

*Rate is subject to change.Ìý For details, please reach out to Dr. Keith KosterÌý´Ç°ù Kathleen SullivanÌý´Ç°ù Al Heary

For non-Nazareth Students:

  1. Complete theÌý. If you are not sure that the course is the right fit for you, please e-mail Dr. Koster,Ìýkkoster8@naz.edu
  2. Complete the top half of theÌýҹɫÊÓÆµ Graduate Non-Matriculated Student Approval FormÌýand email that form to Dr. Keith Koster, kkoster8@naz.edu, or mail the form to Dr. Keith Koster, Program Director, Graduate Studies in Music Education, School of Music, ҹɫÊÓÆµ, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618.
  3. The ҹɫÊÓÆµ Registration & Records Office will send you confirmation along with information about how to register for either
    • Level I: MED 550-50 MED550, Summer B, 2025
    • Level II: MED 560-50, Summer B, 2025
    • Level III: MED 570-50, Summer B, 2025

Registration opens December 7.

±Ê²¹²â³¾±ð²Ô³Ù:ÌýÌý´Ç°ù by a check or purchase order made payable to ҹɫÊÓÆµ, mailed to Dr. Keith Koster, School of Music, ҹɫÊÓÆµ, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618.ÌýCheck or purchase order is preferred.

Once payment has been received, you will be officially enrolled in the course.

Audit the course (no college credit)

Cost (includes registration fee $35):

Before 2/1/25 2/1/25 – 2/28/25 3/1/25 – 3/31/25 4/1/25 – 4/30/25 5/1/25 – 5/31/25 6/1/25 – 7/15/25
$685

$785

$885

$985

$1085

$1185

Note: If you are an undergraduate student at ҹɫÊÓÆµ OR at another institution, get approval from Dr. Koster (kkoster8@naz.edu) by completing step 1, before you pay.

  1. Complete the . If you are not sure that the course is the right fit for you, please also e-mail Dr. Koster, kkoster8@naz.edu
  2. or by a check or purchase order made payable to ҹɫÊÓÆµ, mailed to Dr. Keith Koster, School of Music, ҹɫÊÓÆµ, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618.ÌýCheck or purchase order is preferred.
Non-college Student (no college credit)

Cost (includes registration fee $35)

Before 2/1/25 2/1/25 – 2/28/25 3/1/25 – 3/31/25 4/1/25 – 4/30/25 5/1/25 – 5/31/25 6/1/25 – 7/15/25
$685

$785

$885

$985

$1085

$1185

Complete the . If you are not sure that the course is the right fit for you, please also e-mail Dr. Koster, kkoster8@naz.edu

or by a check or purchase order made payable to ҹɫÊÓÆµ, mailed to Dr. Keith Koster, School of Music, ҹɫÊÓÆµ, 4245 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618.ÌýCheck or purchase order is preferred.

Prepare for the Course

Get Required Materials
  • All required materials will be available in the Orff Levels Bookstore located near your classroom. Information about purchase options will be sent to students on June 1.
  • One source is Ìýwhich has a page for this Nazareth course that includes an offer for free shipping.Ìý(Order by June 15 to be sure your order arrives in time.)

Required Materials Level I

All Level I'sÌýwill need a Baroque fingered soprano recorder. These will be available for purchase in the bookstore.

  • Beginners & Intermediates: Sweet Pipes Soprano Recorder Book I, Burakoff & Hettrick and Sweet Pipes Duet Time, Vol. 2
  • Intermediate: In addition to above, Descants in Consort, Simpson
  • Advanced: Hugh Orr Soprano, Vol. II
  • Music For Children Vol. 1-Murray Edition
  • Elementaria-Gunild Keetman
  • Bring to class: rhymes, pentatonic folk song collection, and a computer with notation software.
  • Comfortable clothes for moving all dayÌý

Required Materials Level II

  • Music for Children Volume I. Murray Edition
  • Music for Children Volume II. Murray Edition
  • Music for Children Volume IV. Murray Edition
  • Rhythmische übung, Gunild Keetman, Schott Publications
  • Spielbuch fur Xylophone Book II by Keetman-published by Schott
  • Bring to class: rhymes, pentatonic folk song collection, and a computer with notation software.
  • Beginners and Intermediates: The Recorder Guide, Kulbach and Nitka
  • Advanced: Hugh Orr Alto Volume II
  • Level II student will need baroque fingered sopranos and altos. These will be available for purchase through the bookstore.
  • •In addition, students may bring other voices of recorders, such as tenor or bass. Other voices of recorders will be available in the bookstore as well.

Required Materials Level III

  • Music for ChildrenÌýVolumes I, II, III, IV, V Murray Edition.ÌýNOTE: If you completed Level II at Nazareth, you should already own volumes I, II, and IV
  • Rhythmische übung, Gunild Keetman, Schott Publications
  • Spielbuch für Xylophon, Volume 1, Orff/Keetman
  • "In the Modes" by Chris Judah Lauder
  • All Level III small recorder ensemble music will be provided by the instructor; feel free to bring additional ensemble music.
Daily Schedule

Who's Teaching

BethAnn Hepburn – Level I

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BethAnn Hepburn, M.A. Music Education, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN. BethAnn teachesÌýgeneral music and choir for Streetsboro City Schools. BethAnn is the music mentor forÌýthe Ohio Department of Education Fine Arts Cohort for new teachers. She serves as the OhioÌýMusic Education Association’s Professional Development Chair for General Music and is on theÌýNAfME General Music Council. She is a frequent presenter and Teacher Educator for AOSA.
She is a former National Board Member for the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and onÌýthe AOSA Mentorship committee. BethAnn is co-author of Purposeful Pathways: PossibilitiesÌýfor the Elementary Music Classroom Books 1 -4. She is a Ph. D. candidate in Music Education atÌýKent State University.

Connie VanEngen – Level II

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Connie VanEngen is the music specialist at Bell Prairie Elementary and was named Teacher of the Year in 2013 for North Kansas City schools. She has served as AOSA Region III Representative and Recording Secretary. Connie is an active presenter and also teaches Level II Orff Schulwerk Basic Pedagogy at Trinity University, Baker University and also ҹɫÊÓÆµ School of Music in Rochester, NY.

Chris Judah-Lauder – Level III

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Chris Judah-Lauder taught elementary and middle school music for 40 years. She is a consultant and regular presenter at state, national conferences, Canada, China, and South Korea. She is a Past President of AOSA and was the AOSA National Conference Chair for the 2009 and 2017 AOSA Conferences and chaired the AOSA Mentorship Committee. She also directed the 2023 FEMA All-State Orff Ensemble. Chris teaches AOSA approved Teacher Education Levels CoursesÌýand Masterclasses in Orff Schulwerk at various universities across the United States, has 16 publications including Drum with a Passion and Games, Groups & Gems, In the Modes, and Hand Drums on the Move.

Karen Medley – Recorder

Karen Medley.jpg

Karen Medley has over 40 years’ experience teaching children in public elementaryÌýschool music programs in the Pentucket Regional School District (MA), Clark CountyÌýSchools (Las Vegas, NV), Memphis City Schools, and Rochester City Schools (NY).ÌýShe earned a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music and a Master ofÌýMusic with a Concentration in Orff Studies from the University of Memphis where sheÌýalso completed her Orff Teacher Education Levels I-III and Master Class.Ìý

Presenter at more than a dozen AOSA National Conferences, Karen is a frequentÌýpresenter for workshops, residencies, in-services and teacher education courses acrossÌýthe United States, including Hawai’i and Alaska. In addition to ҹɫÊÓÆµ, Karen teaches in summerÌýteacher-education programs through the University of Alaska (Fairbanks) and theÌýUniversity of Alaska (Anchorage). Karen hasÌýtaught many courses and workshops introducing classroom and preschool teachers toÌýOrff-Schulwerk. In 1983 and again in 1995 she was a guest lecturer in New Zealand,Ìýpresenting courses and workshops through the Teacher’s College of AucklandÌýUniversity and throughout the country.Ìý

Karen has directed several children’s choruses whose performances include singingÌýMahler’s Eighth Symphony, opening the National Blues Awards, performing at the 1989ÌýAOSA National Conference in Atlanta, and singingÌýCarmina BuranaÌýandÌýTheÌýNutcrackerÌýwith the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. A recipient of the Rotary Award for Teacher Excellence in Memphis City Schools, the Homegrown Heroes award, ClarkÌýCounty Schools, and the Sachem Award from Pentucket Regional Schools. Karen is aÌýcontributing writer forÌýMusic and YouÌý(Macmillan/McGraw-Hill), and her arrangementsÌýhave been featured inÌýThe World Sings: International Folk SongsÌý(Memphis MusicraftÌýPub.) andÌýLas Vegas Writes III.

Karen served on the AOSA National Board of Trustees for more than thirteen years asÌýRegional Representative for two terms, as Chair of the Post Level III Committee, as aÌýmember of the Guidelines Revision Committee, and as National ConferenceÌýChairperson for four AOSA National Conferences.

Ben Torres – Movement

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Ben Torres teaches K-5 general music at Woodlawn Elementary in the Clarksville Montgomery County School System. Prior to this, he taught K-6 general music at Brentfield Elementary in Dallas, TX where he was chosen as teacher of the year and his choral and Orff ensembles were selected to perform at TMEA and AOSA Professional Development Conferences.