Holy Names University
Kodály Center 40th Anniversary Celebration – July 24-27, 2008

“Music for Everyone: Envisioning a Musical Culture”

The Kodály Center’s 40th Anniversary Celebration, “Music for Everyone: Envisioning a Musical Culture,” attracted over 50 returning faculty and alumni who joined this summer’s participants in the final days of the 2008 Kodály Summer Institute. The list of returning faculty was impressive: Erzsébet Hegyi, Toni Locke, Sarolta Platthy, Ivy Rawlins Ward, Rita Klinger, Judy Johnson, Anne Comiskey, Judit Hartyányi, Helga Dietrich, Gail Needleman and Caroline Frazer. The program began with Sr. Mary Alice Hein, founder of the program, joining Erzsébet Hegyi and Toni Locke to recall discoveries and challenges of the early years of the Kodály Center. Several other panels followed--on music in the schools, issues in higher education, the meaning of literacy, and the future of the Kodály Center. Alumni who participated in the program include International Kodály Society Vice President Jerry Jaccard, OAKE President Georgia Newlin, Miriam Factora, Lydia Mills, Kate Offer, Matt Walsh, and Arwen de Castellanos. HHU President Rosemarie Nassif and International Kodály Society President Gilbert De Greeve also participated in several of the sessions and events.

The Opening Ceremony provided a powerful testament to the significance of this unique program. President Nassif gave a tribute that noted the importance of the Kodály Center in the history and mission of the university. In his speech, Gilbert De Greeve spoke of the importance of music in developing sensitivity, and the right of every person to a good music education. Dr. Jerry Jaccard ’76 presented the keynote address “To View, To Envision, To Have Vision: The Holy Names Essence.” He said “Whereas the political-commercial world is mostly deaf to the pure voices and blind to the singular innocence of the world’s children, we have staked our future on the power of childhood. We believe the hope of civilization rests on how our young ones are educated, and we believe that every child is naturally musical, a self-evident truth with the potential to change the course of nations.” Sr. Mary Alice Hein accepted an award from the Hungarian Ministry of Education and Culture to the HNU Kodály Center presented by Eva Voisin, Honorary Consul of Hungary. The highlight of the evening was a performance by Chanticleer, the preeminent men’s vocal ensemble which is now celebrating its 30th anniversary. Many of us in the audience agreed with Robert Commanday’s San Francisco Classical Voice report of the Opening Ceremonies (sfcv.org) that this was one of Chanticleer’s best performances.

Returning faculty and alums were recognized at the anniversary banquet, as well as the past presidents of the Northern California Association of Kodály Educators (NCAKE). 2008 marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of NCAKE, and the gathering of these leaders of our local chapter of OAKE was a reminder of the wonderful association over the years between the Kodály Center and NCAKE. The evening ended with a brilliant performance by Cascada de Flores, featuring recent graduate Arwen de Castellanos.

The celebration concluded with the Kodály Summer Institute Choral Concert directed by Judit Hartyányi, from the Liszt Academy in Budapest. It was a joyous evening of music making that included five different ensembles plus the choral conducting class led by various student conductors. Several of Kodály’s compositions were performed: Straw Guy, Ave Maria (1898), Epigrams #6 and #7, Norwegian Girls, Psalm 114 and three Hungarian folksongs. Other composers included Hungarians Lajos Bárdos, and György Ligeti, Americans Charles Ives and Kirke Mechem, as well as Johannes Brahms, Giovanni da Nola, Mátyás Seiber, Gilbert De Greeve and K. Vasiliauskaité. NCAKE hosted the reception that followed the concert.

The outing to Angel Island on July 27 gave everyone a chance to relax together on a beautiful day in San Francisco Bay. It was such a success that we are considering making this a regular feature of the summer course! To read the addresses of De Greeve and Jaccard, the report by Commanday, or view more photos from the anniversary celebration, please visit the HNU Kodály Center’s blog at www.kodalyhnu.blogspot.com.

Anne Laskey

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