Back to School Day
Saturday February 22, 2025
Join Kodály Vic and the Victorian Orff Schulwerk Association (VOSA) for our annual Back to School Day! The morning will include workshops run by Kodály and Orff experts! Brush off the cobwebs and kick-start the New Year. Be inspired by fresh and innovative ideas!
Venue: Melbourne Girls Grammar Morris Hall
100 Caroline St. South Yarra
Multi-Purpose Room (MPR)
Times: 8am – Registration, 8.30am – 12.30pm Back to School Day
Presenters: Ruth Friend (Lower Kodály), Katie Hull-Brown (Lower Orff), Susan Searle (Upper Kodály), Alison Thompson (Upper Orff)
Registration Rates
Become a Kodály Australia or VOSA member to save on your registration!
If you wish to pay by invoice, please select this option at checkout.
Non-refundable booking fees are added to all registrations by our ticketing partners Humanitix
| Registration type | Early Bird (paid before 1 February) | Standard (paid after 1 February) |
|---|---|---|
| Kodály Australia & VOSA Members | $97.88 ($95 + $2.88 booking fee) | $113.25 ($110 + $3.25 booking fee) |
| Non-member | $113.25 ($110 + $3.25 booking fee) | $133.75 ($130 + $3.75 booking fee) |
| Full time Student | $62.00 ($60 + $2.00 booking fee) | $67.13 ($65 + $2.15 booking fee) |
Program
| 8.00am | Registration | |
| 8.30am | All in | |
| 9.00am | Session 1 | |
| Lower Orff | Upper Kodaly | |
| 10.15am | Break & Trade Exhibits | |
| 10.45am | Session 2 | |
| Upper Orff | Lower Kodaly | |
| 12.00 noon | All out | |
| 12.30pm | Finish | |
Venue Information
Parking
Please be aware that there is very limited parking surrounding the venue. Most of the streets close by offer a range of 2 or 3 hour parking.
There is $5 all day parking in Shipley St. This is a block’s walk from the venue.
Public Transport Options
Train:
- South Yarra Train Station, on the Cranbourne, Frankston, Pakenham and Sandringham lines – 15 minutes walk to venue
Bus:
- 246 Elsternwick – Clifton Hill via St Kilda
- Stop: Tivoli Pl/Punt Rd – 4 min walk to venue
Tram:
- 58 West Coburg – Toorak
- Stop #125 Punt Rd/Toorak Rd – 6 min walk to venue
Please visit PTV for up to date public transport information.
Check out some of the past Back to School Days for an idea of what to expect from this wonderful learning & networking opportunity.
Typically Lower Kodály and Orff sessions relate to early years & lower primary years, whilst Upper Kodály and Orff sessions relate to upper primary years.
Presenters
Ruth Friend – Lower Kodály
Ruth Friend is an experienced facilitator in training teachers in the Kodály approach to music education and is serving as Vice President of the Kodály Victoria. Currently teacher training at the Australian Catholic University, she has over 40 years of broad teaching experience and expertise encompassing classroom music and movement, instrumental and choral programs from kindergarten to university.
Her first publication, ‘Put the Beat in ya Feet’ for flute, focused on developing independent, creative young musicians. Ruth has since co-authored the highly successful ‘Take Note Music’ series of student and teacher books along with outstanding resources for the music classroom.
As a music education consultant, she leads professional development for music teachers, and provides coaching and mentoring to assist in maximising their teaching effectiveness. She passionately supports teachers and encourages quality music and movement education in Australia.
Katie Hull-Brown – Lower Orff
Katie Hull-Brown, a seasoned music educator with over 20 years of experience, excels in teacher mentoring and music making facilitation. Her expertise in Orff Schulwerk pedagogy and arts leadership has led to roles such as Music Mentor, Lecturer at Melbourne Polytechnic, National Arts Learning Manager at The Song Room, and President of the Victorian Orff Schulwerk Association. She completed her Master’s in Education in 2023 and Leadership Victoria’s Williamson Leadership Program in 2021.
Susan Searle – Upper Kodály
Susan Searle has been the Coordinator of Junior Music at Trinity Grammar School since 2017 and is a lecturer in the Australian Kodály Certificate. Susan has a passion for Choir, Pedagogy and Inquiry learning. She has taught in state and independent schools, in co-ed and in single sex boys’ and girls’ schools. Exploring new ideas and approaches in the classroom is a continual theme of Susan’s teaching.
She spends much of her spare time in the forests, taking pictures of birds.
Alison Thompson – Upper Orff
