The Orff Echo is the national, peer-reviewed quarterly journal and philosophical voice of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. Our mission is to demonstrate the value of Orff Schulwerk and promote its widespread use; to support the professional development of our members; and to inspire and advocate for the creative potential of all learners. Non-members may contact the editor for information.
Interested in writing for The Orff Echo? Check out how to get involved in the process:
Extensions to articles published in The Orff Echo can be found in the AOSA Resource Library.
List of Orff Echo Articles
Rituals Lost? Rituals Found!
A biographical sketch of Jean Ritchie’s contributions to keeping alive the traditional and indigenous songs for daily life: work, rites of passage, times of day.
Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan’s Chinese New Year
Children’s Book Review: Photographic essay chronicling young Ernie Wan’s first performance of the Lion Dance in New York’s Chinatown for the Chinese New Year.
Portrait Series: Lillian Yaross
A biography of the life, insights, and contributions of Lillian Yaross.
Students Embrace, Rewrite Rituals
Students learned, improvised and created selections of songs, games and rhymes related to bedtime themes.
The Apple: A Star in the Core of the Curriculum
Description of a school wide unit study including cross-curricular activities, objectives and multiple art forms becomes a festival highlighting songs, games, dances, poetry composed and performed by children.
Learning the Way of the Tea
Teaching inTokyo, author finds peace in tea ceremony; she later recreates the tea room in her music room and introduces Japanese instruments and pentatonic songs; notes the ritual inherent in Orff Schulwerk lessons.
Jolly and Good
A fun canon to sing when a student will be moving away from the school community. Send them off with song!
Cracking Open the Volumes: Sailing School
The initial column of “Cracking Open the Volumes” is an autobiographical metaphor of discovering the Music for Children volumes and supplements and how to to use them freely in the classroom.
Foxhollow Birthday Round
A four-part canon to sing in celebration of a birthday.
Reflections on Orff Schulwerk and Brain-based Learning
The author lists 7 principles from neuroscience and how Orff Schulwerk contributes to human development though embedded appeal to how brain functions.
Music Education: Source Readings from Ancient Greece to Today
Professional Development Book Review: This book is a historical overview of Western apologetics for the inclusion of music in education.
Preparing to Teach: Essential Experiences in Music and Movement
University level music educator, Dale Misenhelter, writes about the challenges of preparing elementary classroom teachers to include authentic music activities in their classrooms.
A Whimsical Approach to Contemporary Music
Worth and Deininger discuss a year-long study of diverse cultures undertaken by their fourth and fifth grade students, culminating in a significant student-led performance.
Canon Corner: Snowflakes
Tossi Aaron offers a new take on a traditional German canon.
Four in All
Children’s book Review: This picture book consists of four-beat word chains paired to create simple rhyming poetry about humble things that become eloquent though the presentation and texture in sound and sight.
We Gather Together
Music, food and dance celebrations helps cultures mark the rhythms and seasons of the earth and of our lives. Multi cultural materials, culture-bearers and integrated arts help build community.