Building on Zoltan Kodaly’s idea of teaching music reading using authentic repertoire, solfege, and long-term planning for the preparation, presentation, and cumulative practice of each notational element experienced over time, John Feierabend’s life’s work, Conversational Solfege™️, utilizes extensive research to firm up and validate Kodaly’s earlier framework. This session will unpack Feierabend’s 12-step approach to teaching musical thinking for learners ages eight and beyond learners, using accessible traditional repertoire to set up an easy-to-use, data-informed sequence of musical experiences that model conversational language acquisition through listening, responding, and improvising first by ear before introducing reading, dictation, and composition.
Target Audience
Elementary General Vocal, MS/HS Choir,
Additional Notes
Clinician Info
John Crever
Feierabend Association for Music Education - FAME
John Crever is a driven music educator with over 30 years of experience coaching, instructing, producing, managing, and organizing music. He has a talent for connecting with students and teachers from diverse backgrounds and has successfully taught vocal music in various settings. Throughout his career, he has maintained his passion for the Kodaly approach, which he learned at Westminster Choir College, and continuously works to enhance music literacy and empower people musically. In 2008, John transitioned his teaching philosophy from Gordon’s Music Learning Theory and American Kodaly approaches to a Feierabend-focused approach. He is also a Feierabend Association-endorsed teacher trainer, leading regional and district workshops and certification courses on the Feierabend curricula. John aims to help others share their love of music through active learning with song and movement. He currently resides in Portland, Oregon.