Ruth Friend

Nominated by David Campbell

2024 Award Recipient for Excellence in Australian Kodály-inspired Music Education: Mentoring

Ruth is an experienced facilitator in training teachers in the Kodaly approach to music education. Currently working with Primary pre-service teachers at Australian Catholic University, she has over 40 years of broad teaching experience and expertise encompassing classroom music and movement, instrumental and choral programs from kindergarten to university.

Her first publication, ‘Put the Beat in ya Feet’ for flute, focused on developing independent, creative young musicians. Ruth has since co-authored the highly successful ‘Take Note Music’ series of student and teacher books along with outstanding resources for the music classroom.

Ruth now leads professional development for music teachers and provides coaching and mentoring to assist in maximising their teaching effectiveness. She passionately supports teachers and encourages quality music and movement education in Australia.

Ruth has been fortunate to work with exceptional Kodaly teachers who have been formative in her development as a teacher.  At Westbourne Grammar she worked with Claire Preston, choral expert and then with amazing colleagues at Caulfield Grammar, Davina McClure and Marion Stafford. After 12 years at the school Ruth is thrilled to see one of her former Prep students now taking over her position as music teacher at Caulfield Grammar.

During her time there, Take Note Music was established with co-author Davina McClure as they shared their teaching insights and expertise. Over the ensuing 20 years, their Music Writing books and teacher resources have established a wide following throughout Australian schools with teachers relying on their resources to assist them in providing a sequential Kodaly inspired program.

As Assistant Dean of Music at St Kevin’s College for ten years, she established a Kodaly-based, sequential music and movement programme from Prep to Year 6, which included collaboration between the band and strings programmes and staff.  With a strong contingent of highly accomplished instrumental teachers and ensemble directors, along with an expansive performance programme, the students thrived in a fully immersive Kodaly-inspired programme. Ruth not only worked to promote the classroom music program within the school community but also drove strong links between the classroom music programme and the instrumental programme. It was through these links that the Choir and instrumental programmes doubled in size to the point where 280 out of a possible 390 Year 3 and above students learnt a musical instrument.

With a particular focus on including movement in the classroom music program and honing the Year Level Singing Programme, she also established a streamed Years 5 & 6 programme where the Secondary Level One Kodaly approach for new beginners was used to cater for individual differences due to the large intake of new students at Year 5.

1. Demonstrated personal teaching and musical excellence
Ruth is an exemplary music educator who is passionate about supporting other teachers and sharing her Kodaly-inspired practice. A central part of her practice is that all students can achieve success. Her ongoing drive for excellence has seen Ruth develop highly differentiated programs that are accessible to all, promote independence and success, and cater for all students’ learning needs.

2. Demonstrated contribution of work to Australian Kodály-inspired music education and/or the Kodály Australia community
Ruth’s contribution to the Australian Kodaly Community has been seen through her active support of teachers from within the Victorian branch of KMEIA, for which she currently serves as Vice President.

She was lecturer for the Secondary Level 1 Course for 2015-2018 along with assisting with many primary methodology courses. Ruth has presented at many Kodaly conferences and mentored young teachers preparing to present for their first time.

The creation of Take Note Music with her business partner, Davina McClure, has significantly impacted the teaching resources and pedagogy in many schools throughout Australia. As well as student workbooks, the teaching manuals, classroom resources and ‘Teaching Tips & Tea’ instructional videos allow music teachers of all backgrounds to become familiar with and embrace the Kodaly methodology.

3. Demonstrated impact of work on Australian Kodály-inspired music education and/or the Kodály Australia community
Through her lecturing and consulting work, Ruth has continued to make an impact on Kodaly-inspired music programmes. Her encouragement of other teachers to use dance and movement in their programmes to aid the understanding of musical concepts, as well as her supportive feedback to her students, continues to promote musical excellence in the legacy she has established.

4. Potential model for others
Ruth is a passionate supporter of music educators, both from within her own departments and those throughout Australia. Arriving at St Kevin’s she ensured that I was immediately supported to achieve my Primary Kodaly training thus ensuring a sequential program from Prep to Year 6 and our team teaching at Years 5 & 6 saw my expertise go from strength to strength. She also mentored the instrumental music staff at St Kevin’s to encourage them to undertake further qualifications including Kodaly and early years music training.