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Department of Music
College of Liberal Arts


 

The Department of Music is committed to providing high quality educational opportunities in music education, performance, and technology, enabling students to develop the skills required to assume leadership roles in music education, the music industry, and supporting fields. The Department of Music offers courses and performance opportunities which broaden the musical education in the liberal arts tradition and provide artistic enrichment for students, faculty, the community, state and nation.

Level I, II, III & Masterclass

Mississippi Orff #100
&
Jackson State University
29th Orff-Schulwerk Summer Certification Course
July 7 – 18, 2025 – Level I, II, III
The Jackson State University Department of Music in partnership with the MS Orff#100 Chapter is pleased to offer the 29th Orff-Schulwerk Summer Certification Course. We will offer Level I, II, III and Masterclass of the Orff-Schulwerk Teacher Education Course this summer. Orff-Schulwerk centers around the development of the whole child, while encouraging the continued development of the teacher. Orff-Schulwerk uses poems, rhymes, games, songs, and dances as its foundation for teaching music; the melodic and percussive musical activities are easily learned by the students. Designed for all children, the Orff-Schulwerk technique enables students to create good music immediately. The course itself provides a non-competitive atmosphere, where one of the rewards is the pleasure of making good music with others.
 
Level I

This course is recommended for those with no previous Orff-Schulwerk training and will include:

  • Studying Level I music curriculum concepts in time, rhythm, meter, melody, accompaniment texture, timbre, elemental forms, expression, and pedagogy
  • Experiencing learning objectives through speech, body percussion, unpitched percussion instruments, singing, playing pitched instruments, playing recorder, movement, orchestration, and composition
Level II

Level II extends the foundation built in Level I with increased attention to how the Orff-Schulwerk approach facilitates conceptual understanding of music and movement. The roles of rhythmic speech, singing, playing instruments, movement, and improvisation will be considered in greater depth. Recorder instruction and performance activities will involve the alto recorder, as well as the soprano instrument. Participants also will engage in a broadening range of musical experiences that include more complex compositional elements, including modal melodies, changing meters, and varying accompaniments and textures.

 
Level III

Explores polymeters and functional harmony to include I-V, I-IV, and I-IV-V accompaniment settings. Forms include theme and variations, chaconne & passacaglia, decoration of the third, and ground bass. In pedagogy, students apply the Orff process to conceptual teaching. All recorder voicing are explored in a variety of combinations.

 
Masterclass

Advanced pedagogy based on Orff-Schulwerk principles, designed to train workshop clinicians; includes orchestration techniques, ontogenetic treatment of rhythm and melody, movement improvisation, and recorder playing.


Registration – Tuition and Credit Information
  • No Credit: $175  non-refundable Application Fee

  • Undergraduate & Graduate Academic Credit (3 hrs) (Contact Dr. Ramon Jackson for more information)

  • Non-Credit Continuing Education Units  – TBD

All registration applications/payments are due by May 1, 2025.

Reserve your spot today by registering and submitting payment Today Click Here 

On-Campus Housing is available at $55 per night

Spaces are limited for each level. 1st come 1st serve.

Note: If you are applying for graduate credit you must complete a graduate application through the graduate school by June 1st. Special documents are required for admission. Contact Dr. Ramon Jackson for more information.


Faculty

 

  

Lauren Summa
Level I
Dr. Patrick Ware
Level II
Mrs. Vivan Murray-Caputo
Level III
Ms. Sandra Kaetsu
Movement
Mrs. Chelsea Thiel
Recorder
Supplemental Teacher
Dr. Kimberly Collins
Mrs. Judith Thompson-Barthwell
Summer Music Camp K-5 Director

   

 


Meals

Meals may be purchased on campus at the University Student Center Food Court, in addition, there are numerous restaurants near the F.D. Hall Music Center.


Parking

A parking pass is included for those who enroll. To reserve please go to this link.


What to Bring

You should plan to wear comfortable clothing for movement, comfortable shoes, and have a sweater on hand in case the air-conditioning gets too cool. Also, nursery rhymes and children’s poetry books. All course material can be purchased from West Music at a special discounted price.


Course Daily Schedule

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM


Course Requirements

  • 100% attendance; Participation in all activities; Successful completion of all written assignments.

What to expect

  • If you’ve never been to an Orff class, you are in for a wonderful surprise! We will spend as much time experiencing activities, games, songs, traditional dances, creative movement, and playing child-centered instruments as we will be sitting in a chair. We will work individually, in small groups, and all together with the other participants standing, and on the floor, so wear comfortable clothes in layers to pull off and put on when necessary. We will laugh, be able to artistically express ourselves, and take deep dives into serious aspects of music education. 
  • There will be homework every evening including readings, journaling, and compositions that should take about an hour of concentrated time.
  • We hope you will leave this course with friends who can support you and help you in your music teaching journey throughout the year.
 

 

 

RESOURCES

 

Programs of Study

Orff-Schulwerk Music Institute

Undergraduate Music Student Handbook

Graduate Music Student Handbook

Student Recital Form

PERSONNEL

READY TO JOIN?

For more information, please contact us at (601) 979-2141.  We look forward to meeting with you and seeing how our program can help you achieve your goals.

Department of Music

Location

Jackson State University
Department of Music
F.D. Hall Music Center
JSU Box 17055
Jackson, MS 39217-0155

Contact

Phone: 601.979.2141
Fax: 601.979.0858
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