“Let the Whole World Rejoice!” Choral Music Education

Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967), one of the foremost figures of Hungarian culture and choral music in the twentieth century, laid the foundations of a new music pedagogical approach during the times immediately preceding and following the years of World War II. His concept of music education can be summarized into two important goals: (1) to draw more people near to classical musical art while developing the necessary skills in them for its in-depth understanding and reception, (2) to create opportunities from these precious musical experiences for the shaping of personality and the creation of valuable community bonds. Kodály Zoltán’s art was centered around choral music; singing and choral singing are of paramount importance in his educational philosophy. According to him singing was the most important tool for the development of musical literacy. And choral singing was a gateway to life-long inspiration received from the performance of masterpieces.