Dear Members and Friends of the International Kodály Society, 

FIFTY YEARS - what a great accomplishment! In August, we will celebrate the 50-Year Jubilee Anniversary of the founding of the International Kodály Society. The members of the IKS Board of Directors and I encourage you to do all you can to attend our 50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE Symposium in Kecskemét, Hungary, August 4-8. I was at the first symposium in 1973 and it changed my life and solidified the course of my career! Now 50 years later, we aim to do it again for all who are present - we will envision and launch ourselves toward the next 50 years of our joyful work. Your presence, your voices, your energy will be much valued and celebrated—you are needed more than ever to move this great work forward. More details are available at the symposium website through this URL: https://kodalysymposium2025.hu/ 

Please know that you are in our hearts and thoughts every day. What a pleasure it is to think of all of you throughout the world, giving so much of yourselves to nurture and cultivate the rising generation of music lovers, music makers, and music creators. Like you, we have spent our lives in classrooms, marveling at the wonderfully inborn capacity of children, youth, and adults to be and love being musical. Isn’t it true how much we learn from our students in every lesson we teach? What a blessing to be engaged in such an edifying and uplifting profession. 

Several years ago, our oldest son, his brother-in-law, and one of our sons-in-law—all businessmen—told me how they wished they could love their work as much as I do! They were keenly aware that in addition to my teaching salary, every day my students and I were made wealthier by the sheer joy of discovery and growth in the noble art of music. Kodály’s true gift to humanity is his vision of how great music and the joyfully purposeful teaching of it will produce dynamic, positive, and productive individuals and societies  

In this issue of the IKS Bulletin, we mourn the passing of Lois Choksy and Mary Place, two great pillars of the IKS who deeply felt and acted upon Kodály’s vision. Please read about them, learn from their lives, and let them inspire you to forge ahead with renewed vigor and clarity in your own work.  

We are also pleased to feature a review of Thomas Kite’s brilliant new edition of Classical Canons, an innovative teacher-friendly and immediately useful deeper look into the pedagogical treasure it is.  

In his article, IKS Past President Gilbert De Greeve helps us further understand the timelessness of Kodály’s vision and our imperative to continue to establish it worldwide. Kathy Kuddes details the pedagogical value of Béla Bartók’s For Children with a clear-cut practical guide for using it in our classrooms.  

IKS Vice-President Dr. Zsuzsanna Polyák reports on the inspiring initiatives of the Hungarian Kodály Society to keep the memory of Zoltán Kodály in the forefront of not only Hungarian, but our own consciousness. May we all find hints in their activities for the kinds of influence our national and local affiliations can have within our spheres.  

Speaking of Zsuzsanna, who chairs the local organizing committee for this upcoming symposium, we the Board extend our heartfelt thanks to her and her committee members for the excellent preparations they are making for this truly historic symposium. 

How I look forward to greeting you in Kecskemét in August. Let us make history together! 

 Jerry L. Jaccard
President