Assessment in Dalcroze Pedagogy

Abstract

This chapter addresses the target areas, criteria, forms, practices, and tools of assessment in Dalcroze pedagogy, also known as Dalcroze Eurhythmics—education in, through, and for music that integrates body movement (rhythmics), ear-training (solfège), and improvisation and recommends that music is effectively experienced, expressed, understood, and studied through the interaction of sound, sound perception, and neuromuscular response. The chapter also describes in short the aims, content areas, principles, and applications of Dalcroze pedagogy. It brings out the complexity and challenges of assessment in Dalcroze teaching and invites practitioners and Dalcroze training centers to work toward shared assessment guidelines, particularly essential in teacher preparation, while simultaneously acknowledging the importance of context and student-specific assessment target areas and criteria in a variety of (music) educational settings.