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Many middle-level ensemble rehearsals already in- werk teachers use score study to break each piece in the
clude a great deal of variation, scaffolding, flexibility, volumes down into the most elemental structures nec-
movement, and creative enterprise. For some, however, essary for their students to be able to either reproduce
it can be easy to unintentionally develop the expecta- a piece successfully—which is what we traditionally do
tion that our middle school ensemble members leap in ensemble spaces—or to generate something new by
straight from elementary general scenarios into formal using the component parts of the piece as constructive
ensemble rehearsal by offering little variation in rigid materials. In fact, the purpose of the volumes is to serve
rehearsal routines. Orff Schulwerk offers two core ideas as a catalyst for creative student work. Krueger asks en-
toward developing a creative community by relinquish- semble instructors to view concert repertoire in much
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ing teacher control and putting musical autonomy and the same way. Seek out repertoire made of materials
problem-solving into the hands and minds of our very appropriate for your students’ current goals and care-
capable students. First: the elemental breakdown of fully dissect the repertoire, extracting elemental chunks
larger works, and second, student-led creation. for use as both training and creative material. 11
When studying ensemble repertoire through an Orff
Schulwerk lens, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed.
Finding Elemental Chunks Don’t despair. Like with any good lesson plan, start
through Score Study with your goals and forget the rest. Don’t worry about
One of the components at Orff Schulwerk’s core is covering every single component skill and elemental
the breakdown of complex musical thoughts and skills chunk identifiable within a given piece. Address the
into basic elemental structures for sequenced scaffold- component skills necessary for students to understand
ing and student-led exploration. An Orff Schulwerk and be immersed in the repertoire just as you usually
lesson must include student input and creativity. The would—but this time, maintain a special focus on a
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Schulwerk instructor leads students in the reproduction small set of elemental chunks derived from the score
of these elemental structures and in their repurposing that students can use to generate their own creative ma-
and reapplication in student-generated musical activ- terial. Allow yourself time to think and plan creatively,
ity such as improvising, arranging, and composing. Our and watch how quickly the options for student applica-
ensemble rehearsal planning can mimic this approach. tions can multiply.
For students to take musical knowledge and skills away In this style of score study, I might focus on the mel-
from ensemble participation, they need time to experi- ody and extract the different three- or four-note com-
ence transferring the knowledge and skills they develop binations the composer or arranger used to build the
in rehearsal in unique contexts without conducting line. Present these combinations as isolated, meter-less
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hands to guide them. Just as an elementary Orff Schul- pitch combinations on flashcards and invite students to
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werk teacher might break down and sequentially trans- work in groups to rearrange them (like a magnet poem)
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fer a piece from Music for Children from body percus- to create longer lines. Sing or play one of the patterns
sion to barred instrument, so too can the middle school and invite students to answer it by improvising a similar
ensemble director break down repertoire into what I pattern back, practicing a loose question-and-answer
will refer to in this article as “elemental chunks” and fa- format in a group jumble that offers safety for students
cilitate transfer to novel scenarios through creative play. to experiment. Later, invite students to work in pairs to
Dr. Carol Krueger offers an approach to score study develop a question/answer phrase entirely their own
that asks directors to break ensemble repertoire down with time to edit and refine.
into Orff Schulwerk-esque elemental chunks to better When viewing repertoire as truly a composition—
facilitate authentic learning and exploration of the lit- comprising myriad elemental chunks—we identify a
erature. When many Orff Schulwerk educators open wealth of constructive materials with which our stu-
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their volumes of Music for Children, they are likely look- dents can play, collaborate, and create while still being
ing at the examples for relevant component parts that fully immersed in ensemble preparation. By engaging
fit together to construct the greater work. Orff Schul- in collaborative work in this way, students are prepar-

CHORAL JOURNAL November/December 2024 Volume 65 Number 4 71