Message from the Kodály Director

“Real art is one of the most powerful forces in the rise of mankind, and he who renders it accessible to as many people as possible is a benefactor of humanity.” - Zoltán Kodály

Greetings and welcome to the American Kodály Institute! This four-summer Kodály teacher training program is designed to meet the needs of today’s music educator and provide tools that help cultivate rich, diverse, and quality music education for generations of children. Our classes are participatory and collaborative in nature, and based on current music education research, which allows faculty to model developmentally-appropriate pedagogy and practical applications for the classroom. Our faculty adhere to a mastery learning philosophy, instilling in our music educators all of the qualities of a good musician—a well-trained ear, a well-trained mind, a well-trained heart, and a well-trained hand (from Who is a Good Musician? by Zoltán Kodály). Our dedication to equity, community, and collegiality strongly reflect the Jesuit philosophy of cura personalis, or “care for the entire person.” At the American Kodály Institute, our music teachers are not just graduate students—they are future colleagues and educational leaders, and are treated as such.

During our three week summer sessions in July, students enjoy the warm weather on the beautiful Loyola University Maryland main campus and attend classes in state-of-the-art facilities. The first three summers of the Master of Education in Kodály Music Education program will consist of Level I, II, and III Kodály certification courses, totaling nine credits each summer. The fourth and final summer, participants will take education courses, also consisting of nine credit hours, and following the successful submission of a teaching portfolio, students will earn their Kodály certification and degree.

This website provides an in-depth look at our graduate degree, and I would be more than happy to discuss any aspect of the program or answer any questions. Please consider completing the online application and join a cohort of fabulous Kodály educators! I hope to see you this summer!

Best wishes,
Lauren Crocker
Director, The American Kodály Institute
lkcrocker@loyola.edu