The most important teaching content in the Kodaly music education system is ethnic music education.
The Kodály music education system’s most important concepts are “let music belong to everyone” and “music will accompany everyone’s survival and development”. He believes that music is closely related to the essence of human life. Human life cannot be without music. Without music, there would be no perfect life. He firmly believes that music has the power to shape character and even transform people. His lifelong emotions for people are difficult to replace with any words.
He also pointed out that the utilitarian purpose of music learning should be downplayed and abandoned. "If music is not regarded as a means of making a living, then life will be better." This is his famous music education motto. School music education must first be firmly based on folk music, which is one of the important principles of Kodaly's educational thought.
Introduction to Zoltan Kodaly:
Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967) was a famous Hungarian national music theorist, composer and music educator. He was born in a family with a good artistic environment. He learned a variety of musical instruments as a boy and reached the level of participating in chamber music performances very early. He began his music creation activities in middle school. After graduating from high school, he entered the Budapest Conservatory to study composition and conducting.
In 1904, he received a diploma in composition and in 1906, he received a doctorate in philosophy.
In 1907, he went to Paris, France, where he came into contact with and studied the music of the Impressionist composer Debussy, and became very interested in the use of the pentatonic scale in vocal music. After returning to China, he taught at the Liszt Conservatoire.
In 1919, he was appointed vice president.
After 1925, attention began to be paid to music education for young people.
In 1942, the Hungarian Choral Association awarded him the Kodály Cross and an honorary doctorate from Geneva.
In 1916, he was recommended to serve as the chairman of the International Folk Music Council. In 1964, he was elected as the honorary chairman of the International Society for Music Education (ISME). In March 1967, he died in Budapest.