| dc.description.abstract | Hungary developed one of the most effective music education systems known as the Kodály Concept, an approach that has been recognized internationally since the 1960’s. Many people know of Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967), the man who instigated these pedagogical ideas, but few know of Katalin Forrai (1926-2004), a student of his who became an international figure, sharing the Kodály Concept around the world. Forrai is one of the most recognized early childhood music educators who devoted her entire professional life to music education. She was able to effectively establish the field of early childhood music education in Hungary and throughout the world. She was a preschool music teacher her entire career and she worked for the Hungarian National Pedagogical Institute, where she developed the national curriculum for the music education of children between the ages of three and six. Forrai also worked at the National Methodological Institute of Nurseries, where she conducted research concerning the musical development of children, three years of age and under. She was active in several music organizations in Hungary, including the Hungarian Music Council for which she served as president. She received numerous awards for her outstanding work, including the Apáczai Csere János Prize, the highest award in Hungary given for unparalleled teaching activity. Forrai presented lectures and workshops around the world, beginning in 1964, when she first presented a demonstration workshop in Budapest at the Sixth International Society for Music Education (ISME) conference. Altogether, she gave at least 136 presentations in twenty-six countries, was active and held positions of leadership in international music education organizations, serving as vice-president of the International Kodály Society (IKS), president of ISME, and founder of ISME’s Early Childhood Commission. Katalin Forrai developed her own international following as she adapted the philosophical principles of the Kodály Concept to establish the field of early childhood music education. | en_US |
