I met Professor Flávio Medeiros in 2001 when he arrived in Rochester to participate in the Orff Schulwerk course at Eastman. After three summers of study he returned to his university in Recife with a generous donation of Orff instruments along with new energy for including Carl Orff’s Schulwerk in one of his teacher education classes. It was in 2005 that I made my first trip to Brasil with my good friend and colleague, Mary Helen Solomon; we arrived at the very moment (almost) that the shipment of instruments from Germany did. The unpacking of more than 20 boxes of pitched Orff instruments attracted many curious students who wandered in throughout the day to help assemble the Orff barred instruments and tinker with the sounds of wood and metal.
Today these same instruments are put to good use by students enrolled in an Orff Schulwerk course–Musica Iniciação III, the third course in a four-semester music education sequence at UFPE. I have been eager to learn how Orff Schulwerk was being adapted in this course at UFPE and to observe Flavio’s use of Brazilian repertoire. He had explained many times that Orff Schulwerk would only “live” in Brazil if it drew upon regional music, dance, and poetry and that earlier translations in Brazil had relied too heavily on the original source material. For several years he has incorporated a final arranging assignment into his class requiring students to compose a piece using a traditional northeast rhythm–ritmo nordestino such as côco, ciranda, maracatu, and frevo.
According to Flávio it is nearly impossible for students to improvise or compose without bringing a traditional rhythm into the mix, so this assignment generates much enthusiasm among students. Students research the roots and characteristic instruments of each style to inform compositions that blend Orff xylophones and Brasilian percussion. Flavio’s own collection of instruments (zabumba, alfaia, caixa, surdo, and conga drums) become part of the Orff ensemble to preserve traditional rhythms and local flavor. Accordion and rebecha (played by violin) are added for some of the pieces.
For the past two weeks, student compositions have been performed in class. Flute, trumpet, trombone, violin, often carry the melody and students always come prepared to play. Xylophone parts (soprano, alto, and bass) are performed by any who volunteer to play and the contrabass bars are doubled by a string bass. A small group of 5 or 6 students gather to read through any vocal parts and a percussion section also begins to form as students jump in to try their hand (literally) at conga, zabumba, alfaia, or pandeiro. When a part requires an advanced technique, as is often the case with the pandeiro (a tambourine-like instruments), an”expert” student joins the class for a brief demonstration and performance. Many students learn to play in their communities outside in the university and willingly share their knowledge of northeast rhythms and dance. Cavalo-Marinho (sea horse) was one style that had a particularly challenging pandeiro rhythm and complex dance steps.
The “community” of learners comes to life in Flavio’s class as the pieces are constructed. Scores are passed around to different “stations” (Orff xylos, contra bars and bass, percussion, melody for flute, violin, or brass, and vocal parts). Shakers of all shapes and sizes are added along with any other sound effects that people choose to add. Even though scores are used for learning purposes, everyone begins by simultaneously practicing and learning from each other (not under the direction of a teacher-director). Students work out parts as the composers circulate to help, and Flavio jumps into assist when necessary. My first reaction to the use of scores was that this is not Orff Schulwerk, but the environment reflects Andrea Sangiorgio’s description of an Orff Schulwerk learning process that is “disciplined, yet open and permissive.” The sense of community and collaboration are also markers of an Orff classroom. There is noise with a purpose and everyone remains on task until a “lead” student eventually takes charge for a final rehearsal and performance.
As the arrangement comes together, the dancing and drama begin.Students play and move with ease and delight; Samuel dances the côco while playing his flute; Adriano adds a simply baião step to the ganzá rhythm he plays, and singers are typically in motion inviting me to join in for maracatu, forró, and cocô.
The synchronicity of music and movement is a fundamental element of traditional music and most students here are at home assuming dual roles as musicians and dancers. Although Recife is a long way from the Munich and the Güntherschule where Orff began his music-movement experiments, I am finding similarities between these different worlds. “Out of music movement; out of movement music” (Dorothee Gunther) is an idea that is practiced by Brasileiros. Music and movement in this culture are as “important for survival as water and air”—something that long-time director of the Orff Institute Hermann Regner no doubt marveled at during his travels to Brazil. In class, I am swept away by the music and dance as well. For those who know me well, you can imagine that I am in heaven!