The New German Kodály Society

Deutsche-Kodály-Gesellschaft e.V.
www.deutsche-kodaly-gesellschaft.de

In July 2011 the German Kodály Society was founded and it will be based in Weinstadt, close to Stuttgart. This society plans to continue the very good work of the former German Kodály Society, which was established in 1972 by Conrad Wilhelm Mayer.

The aim of the German Kodály Society is to make known Zoltán Kodály's concept of the educational and cultural aspects of teaching music and to encourage their being put into practice. In the German educational scene many changes are taking place — it is these changes that make the Society believe they have a role to play as this is where the Kodály conception is of particular current relevance. What are these changes? In Germany the number of years spent at school has been reduced and full-time day schools have been set up, which means that music teachers and music schools have had to cope with curricular changes and a new work environment. Music lessons are increasingly being incorporated into the general school timetable. This supports Kodály's belief that the task of teaching music lies in the hands of schools and that it is therefore necessary for primary school teachers to be well trained in teaching music —  the German Kodály Society is in favour of introducing Solfège lessons in all primary schools.

Above all the German Kodály Society wants to unite all those who are following in the steps of this great Hungarian composer. The Society plans to organize lectures, concerts and workshops. They want to publish work written by its members and to make other reports available in German.

The founder of the society, Mr. Fritz Kaminsky, was born in Budapest and grew up in Nyergesújfalu. He studied music at the Conservatorium in Szeged. Today he lives near Stuttgart. He is a music teacher and a choirmaster and has his own private music school.

Matthias Funkhauser