A Song from the Heart
The Pedagogical Philosophy of Lorna Lutz Heyge, PhD
by
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Introduction
Early on during my now thirteen years of teaching the Musikgarten curriculum, I became more aware of the educational treasure I held in my hand and used in my daily work. Actually, my daily work was and is hardly “work;” it is a manifestation of my love for young children and for music—how natural it is to impart my love of music to the young children in my care, as well as to impart the same to their mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, and caregivers.
What led me to this joyful daily work happened when I was pursuing the Master of Music Education degree at the Eastman School of Music in my 51st year, for I came to college quite late in life. I believed at that time (2001), deep in my heart, that it was not for me to become a teacher of high school or junior high school or even elementary school students. But when my Eastman early childhood teacher, Donna Brink Fox, brought out the first early childhood activity and we all sat on the floor and began that activity, I knew I had found the right age-group for me. And when another Eastman teacher, Richard Grunow, handed me a “fresh-off-the-press” copy of the Musikgarten Music Makers: At the Keyboard publication, I knew I had found the right vehicle for me. And when my husband Mike and I made a trip to Greensboro that early winter of 2002 and spoke personally with Lorna Heyge, I knew I had found the right philosophy as well as a lifework for myself.
Over the years, as I began studying Lorna Heyge’s philosophy of teaching and discovered just how well-researched and educationally as well as neurologically sound is her work, people would tell me that the story of the philosophy needed to be told—the music education world needed to know just what this pedagogy is really all about. So here we are—the dissertation was completed in 2012 and sits on library shelves—but the story is now in a format that is accessible to everyone. Welcome to the fascinating and brilliant work of Lorna Lutz Heyge, who loves music and who loves children.
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About the Book
A Song from the Heart describes the development of Lorna Lutz Heyge’s teaching philosophy—the philosophy that brought the original Kindermusik (1974-1994) from its beginnings as a German neighborhood music school program to its early days in Greensboro, North Carolina. Through a series of sound, intellectual, well-researched revisions and additions, Lorna Heyge created the holistic education program that is Musikgarten (1994-present)—holistic musically as well as educationally—for children ages birth through nine. Lorna Heyge’s teaching philosophy is concerned for the education of children from all walks of life. Her Pathway to Literacy, found in the Musikgarten curriculum, addresses all the aspects of learning, making it important to both parents and educators. Her work made a significant contribution to, and continues to influence, the field of music education.
About the Author
Jean Ellen Linkins, EdD, became interested in Lorna Lutz Heyge’s teaching philosophy while pursuing her Master of Music Education degree at the Eastman School of Music in 2001. She has taught Musikgarten since 2002. She and her husband, Mike, reside in Anderson, South Carolina. They have four adult daughters.