OUR HISTORY
ANCOSA (Australian National Council of Orff Schulwerk Association) was founded in 1976 by foundation members, the Orff-Schulwerk Associations of Qld and NSW to promote Orff-Schulwerk in the education systems in our states. Victoria and South Australia joined not long after. In 1991, the national body, made up of two representatives from each of the six state associations became ANCOS (Australian National Council of Orff Schulwerk) as it is known today. We have connections with the Northern and Australian Capital Territories, and as a member of the International Orff Schulwerk Forum Salzburg, we have international connections with the Orff Institute in Salzburg, and Orff Associations throughout the world, particularly with New Zealand and Asia.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
The Australian National Council of Orff Schulwerk (ANCOS) represents a strong membership of educators and therapists in music and the performing arts across Australia. The aim of ANCOS is to provide, through collective effort, what individual states cannot provide for their membership individually, such as:
- Advocating the position of music education, both nationally and internationally;
- National input into setting direction for the Orff movement within Australia;
- Representing and promoting the Orff movement both nationally and internationally;
- Establishing and supporting state Orff organisations;
- Co-ordinating major Australian Orff events such as National Conferences and visits by international presenters;
- Regular forms of publication such as the website and the national journal, Musicworks;
- Supporting professional development and Training (Levels) Courses throughout Australia and co-ordinating national guidelines for these courses.
WHY THE ORFF APPROACH?
The pace of our life is accelerating with the impact of areas like technology being felt every minute of every day. Conformity is at a premium, individuality is paid lip service to. Being successful in today’s world in essence asks us to dampen our individual expression and spirit. We have to take the opportunity of this dawning of this new century to create opportunities for individuals to learn to express themselves and their imagination – and the Orff approach gives us a vehicle to achieve this. As Christoph Maubach has so successfully summed it up:
“The nature is joyful. The goal is music. The focus is on listening.
The pathway is creative. The teaching is an art.”
Christoph Maubach
Adapted from the speech presented by Margaret Moore, President of ANCOS, at the opening ceremony of the Eleventh Conference of Australian National Council of Orff Schulwerk (ELEVANCOS), on January 11th 2000 in Perth Western Australia.
