Living Traditions

  • Attila Smuta – Zsuzsa Buzás

Aspects of Kodály’s Music Pedagogy

Aspects of Kodály’s Music Pedagogy

Zoltán Kodály’s principles in music education have had a major international influence across the world. He is universally recognized as one of the greatest figures in music teaching. Zoltán Kodály was a Hungarian composer, folk music researcher, and a pioneer in music education. Zoltán Kodály believed that musical aptitude is a characteristic of every person and that, ideally, a music education should begin as early as possible in a person’s life – first at home and later within the school curriculum. Kodály elaborated the structured and sequential system of music education that would make music accessible to all students in Hungary. His concept has gained international interest and remains in use in many countries’ music education, not only in Europe, but all over the world. On the basis of his concept we tested students’ music reading skills with the aid of the latest computer-based assessment technologies.

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  • Adél Vehrer

Hungarian Folk Customs and Traditions

Hungarian Folk Customs and Traditions

In folk cultures the complex system of folk customs regulated and determined the everyday lives and festivities of the members of long-established communities. As a consequence of the social and economic changes that have taken place over the past century, the entire system of traditions has been reshaped and it has become part of our everyday lives to continually pass on folk customs between nations and cultures. The passing on of traditions played a key role in peasant society for many centuries, and was influenced by a number of factors. Today, however, the place and role of the generations have been transformed by this process. In contrast to past centuries, the present day is characterised by the development of technology. The information society has brought a substantial change to people’s lives, and today most of traditional folk culture is only a historical relic. Traditions can, nevertheless, still fulfil their role if we can pass them on to the coming generation, and so it is the responsibility of all of us to maintain and carry on traditions.

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