UNLV
Orff Schulwerk
Teacher Education
A Hot Place to Study
Level I
(Limit 28)
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Level One is for anyone with the ability to read music. The daily program will include three hours of pedagogy, 75 minutes of soprano recorder, 75 minutes of basic movement and a 40 minute special topic. Instruction will cover Orff techniques, rhythmic and melodic training, improvisation, the study of pentatonic scales, the ostinato, simple bordun accompaniments, and elemental forms.
Level II
(Limit 28)
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Level Two is for anyone who has successfully completed an AOSA approved Level One course. The daily program will include three hours of pedagogy, 75 minutes of recorder, 75 minutes of basic movement and a 40 minute special topic. Instruction will review Level One techniques with further expansion of rhythm; melodic development of pentatonic and diatonic modes; harmonization to include moving bordun, shifting triad and non-functional harmonic accompaniments; movement and instrumental improvisation, extended forms, and the continuation of the soprano recorder with the introduction of the alto recorder. Students will teach a short lesson demonstrating Orff process.
Level III
(offered in 2026 and 2028) (Limit 16)
Level Three is for anyone who has successfully completed an AOSA approved Level Two
course. Instruction will review Level One and Two techniques emphasizing the teaching process. Students will explore instrumental and vocal improvisation, review modal materials, advanced orchestration, including functional harmony (I-V, I-IV, I-IV-V), advanced recorder and movement. Students will teach two short lessons. Opportunities will be provided to fill in gaps which may exist as a result of the shift in the AOSA curriculum effective 2013.
Course Requirements
100% attendance, participation in all activities and completion of all written assignments. (Plan on nightly homework) A certificate will be awarded at the successful completion of each Level. This course meets the guidelines set by the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and will not be offered unless participant numbers meet AOSA guidelines.
OUR VISION
Orff Schulwerk is a unique approach to music education based on the teachings of Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman.
This child-centered approach combines speech, movement, and song in a creative playful atmosphere where students experience the elements of music in an active way.
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This course meets AOSA criteria: number of contact hours, course content, qualifications and number of instructors.
All levels in this course are designed according to the AOSA Teacher Education Curriculum Standards.
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UNLV offers a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in Orff Schulwerk. For information,
contact the UNLV School of Music at (702) 895-3332. UNLV is an AA/EEO Institution
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Evan Billings
Level I Pedagogy
Bachelors of Music Education, University of Kansas
Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Evan Billings has been teaching K- 5 General Music since 2007. He holds a Bachelors of Music Education from The University of Kansas and a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has completed all three levels of training in both Orff-Schulwerk (UNLV) and Kodály (WSU). Evan is a past-president of Nevada's Desert-Valley Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. He has served as chair of the Clark County School District Orff Festival, and his groups represented CCSD as featured performers at the 2015 American Orff-Schulwerk Association National Professional Development Conference in San Diego, CA. His students have performed in events across the valley, including with the Las Vegas Philharmonic at The Smith Center and with Barry Manilow.
Daniel Jolly
Level II Pedagogy
BM and MM, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Daniel Jolly is a National Board Certified Teacher with a Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He completed his Orff levels at UNLV and has been teaching in Las Vegas for 11 years. He has been published in AOSA’s Orff Echo and has presented both locally and at AOSA’s national conference. Daniel is currently serving as the Past-President of Nevada’s Desert Valley Chapter of AOSA.
Vivian Murray Caputo
Level III Pedagogy
BA from Miami University
All Levels and Masterclass at the University of Memphis
Vivian Murray Caputo has taught in public and private schools for many years. She has presented workshops for AOSA chapters and for NAfME and AOSA National Conferences, and she is an instructor for Levels II, and III Orff Schulwerk Teacher Education. She served on the AOSA National Board of Trustees as Region V Representative and as Co-Chair of the 2005 AOSA National Conference in Birmingham. She was Co-Chair of the International Orff Symposium in Rochester, NY in 2000. She has been an instructor for IAJE Teacher Training Institutes, and she sings with various jazz ensembles. She has performed and recorded with Phil Woods and the Gregory Caputo Big Band. She continues to explore and delight in the many possibilities offered by Orff Schulwerk. Vivian is the author of Earth Dance, A Celebration of Canons, and is the recipient of the AOSA Distinguished Service Award in 2025.
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Rachel Marie-DelaCruz Rivera
Movement
Bachelors of Music Education, University of Nevada, Reno
Masters of Music: Music Education with Orff Schulwerk Emphasis, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Rachel is a National Board Certified Teacher. She completed her Orff Level certification at UNLV. She has taught K-5 General Music in the Clark County School District since 2008. Rachel has served on the local Orff board (NDVC) as President, treasurer, scholarship chair, and programing chair. She has presented locally, nationally, and at AOSA’s national conference. She co-chaired the CCSD Orff Festival from 2014-2015. Rachel believes that movement is for everyone, and using the Schulwerk to teach movement makes the possibilities of creativity endless.
Jennifer Prestridge
Recorder
BME, Henderson State University, MME, University of Oklahoma
Jennifer K. Prestridge has taught K-5 General Music in Las Vegas, Nevada for the past 28 years. Her students have been featured performers at many district and national events, including the American Orff Schulwerk Association National Conference in 2019 and the National School Boards Association CUBE Conference in 2024. Jennifer is a certified Teacher-Educator in Movement and Recorder for AOSA and teaches at several courses across the country. She regularly presents sessions on arts integration, music and movement at conferences and workshops at the district and national levels. Jennifer recently presented at the AOSA national conference in Des Moines, Iowa and served as a conductor for the FMEA All-State Orff Ensemble in Florida. She is a past chair of the Clark County Orff Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada and her arrangements, compositions, and choreography have been featured in multiple festivals.
CONTACT
UNLV ORFF
OUR ADDRESS
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
4505 S. Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154
Email: amy.brown@unlv.edu
For any general inquiries, please fill in the following contact form:
