Request Information
Ready to find out what MSU Denver can do for you? We’ve got you covered.
Orff Schulwerk Levels at MSU Denver
Orff Schulwerk certification is offered in conjunction with the American Orff Schulwerk Association (AOSA). This certification focuses on training music teachers to implement the creative music and movement approach developed by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman. This approach is known for using instruments such as xylophone to improvise and compose music. Training includes recorder and movement classes.
Supplemental Course
Process, Play, and Pedagogy: Using Primary Source Materials for Inspiration and Creativity
Matt McCoy, presenter
During the first week (June 30 – July 4, 2025), Matt McCoy will be presenting a special supplemental course.
The primary sources of Orff Schulwerk represent an invaluable repository of musical works, offering boundless opportunities to foster artistry and creativity in both educators and students. Participants in this course will engage in an in-depth exploration of repertoire drawn from the Music
for Children Volumes and Supplementals. Through active learning, performance, and the extension and adaptation of these pieces, attendees will also delve into the instructional processes that render these works both accessible and pedagogically sound for learners across all age groups.
Registration Information
Registration Details
What: Orff Schulwerk Levels I, II
When: June 30 – July 4 and July 7-11, 2025, 8:30am-4:30pm daily
Two-Week Course Cost: $1050, with an early bird discount of $950 (until May 15).
Supplemental Course Cost: $550 with an early bird discount of $450 (until May 15).
Orff Schulwerk Levels Teachers
Alicia Knox (Level I)
Alicia Knox currently teaches music at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School in Washington, DC. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Alicia has taught music in schools for over twenty years, including three years at an international school in Shanghai, China. In 2013, Alicia’s students performed at the Welcome Ceremony of the AOSA National Conference in Denver. She has taught Orff Schulwerk Levels courses in San Diego, Los Angeles, and at Southern Methodist University.
Meg Tietz (Level II)
Meg Tietz teaches K-5 movement and music at Saint Paul Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota. Meg completed her Master of Arts Degree with a concentration in Orff Schulwerk at the University of St. Thomas. She is an active presenter for local and national workshops and conferences and teaches summer Orff Levels at Southern Methodist University, Metro State University, and the University of St. Thomas. Meg has served the American Orff Schulwerk association as a member of various subcommittees and also as a Trustee on the National Board.
Paul Hallsted (Recorder)
Paul Hallsted is the Fine Arts Content Specialist for the Las Cruces Public Schools. He has been a music educator for 40 years, teaching all levels of students, which include pre-school, elementary school, middle school, high school, and university. Paul received his bachelor and master degrees from New Mexico State University. He teaches recorder in AOSA-approved summer teacher education courses at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Metropolitan State University in Denver and University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Paul has served AOSA as a Trustee on the National Board and as a member of various subcommittees.
Laura Bercaw Petersen (Movement and Course Director)
Laura Petersen teaches music in Washington, D.C. She holds Level III and Master Class certifications in Orff Schulwerk and has studied at the Orff Institut in Salzburg, Austria. Laura teaches movement in AOSA-approved levels courses and presents locally and nationally. In addition to serving on her local MAC-AOSA board, she served as Region IV Representative on the National Board of Trustees of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. She most recently served as the National Conference Chair for the 2021 AOSA Conference.
Matt McCoy (Supplemental Course Presenter)
Matt McCoy teaches elementary music and choirs at the Emerson School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Prior to his time at Emerson, Matt taught in various educational institutions and programs including public and independent schools, children’s choir organizations, and universities in both the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions of the United States. As a clinician specializing in process-based teaching, he has presented at AOSA National Conferences and local chapter meetings across the country. Additionally, Matt has taught Orff Schulwerk teacher education courses in different regions of the country including Colorado, Virginia, Texas, Michigan, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Alaska.
Refunds for Orff Schulwerk Levels
Refunds of any type are subject to a 20% administration fee. If you need a refund processed, email the transaction number and reason for the refund to Carla Aguilar ([email protected]) to process the refund (at which time a 20% administration fee will be assessed). All refunds will be sent back to the credit card used to make the original payment and must be done within 30 days of the original transaction. If a refund is needed after 30 days or for a deposit made in the Cashier Office you can contact MSU Denver Accounting Services to request a check. The university reserves the right to cancel a course if registration has not reached sufficient enrollment 10 class days before the first class session. In such cases, students are notified immediately and full tuition is refunded.