An Opera From Scratch: The Case of Raanana’s Mor Metro- West High School 

Authors

  • Dafna Kohn Levinsky College of Education Author

Keywords:

composing, collaborative creativity, music in high schools, community outreach

Abstract

This article describes the project of composing and performing an original opera by the students of the music department at the Mor Metro-West High School in Raanana, Israel. This project has achieved such success that it has become a tradition of over two decades in this high school’s music department, with 15 operas performed on stage, composed by music students aged 16-17. The case reported here may provide valuable insights into how collaborative creativity and collaborative music-making may be promoted in educational settings, also within the framework of public education, while at the same time demanding and attaining a high artistic level. 

Author Biography

  • Dafna Kohn, Levinsky College of Education

    Dafna Kohn is a lecturer in Musical Pedagogy, Music cognition, Eurhythmics and Stage singing at Levinsky College of Education, Faculty of Music Education. Ph.D. Tel Aviv University, Israel, under the supervision of Prof. Zohar Eitan. Awarded “2007 Dan David Scholarship for outstanding achievement in the field of Music” – on behalf of Dan David Price. Stage and artistic director of The Opera project of the Mor Metro-West High School in Raanana, Israel since 1993, and member of its music department’s teaching staff since its founding. Member of the educational staff of "Keynote" program of the Israeli Philarmonic Orchestra. Member of the Editorial committee of RIEM (Revista Internacional de Educacion Musical – ISME Journal).Member of International Scientific Advisory Committee of Saccom (Sociedad Argentina para las Ciencias Cognitivas de las Musica). With more than 30 years of experience with children and teachers in a variety of musical scenarios, her research interest focuses mainly on the relationship between music and movement, particularly the perception of music through bodily motion in children. Her research “Musical parameters and Children’s movement responses” has been awarded by Escom – European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music - 2009 Young Researcher Award. For the past 20 years, she has been pedagogic instructor of music students in Levinsky College of Education, guiding their practices in music teaching at all levels of education. 

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Published

2024-02-04

Issue

Vol. 15 (2018)

Section

Articles