BOOKS ARE DIVIDED by colors:
ORANGE for 4-9 yrs old (www.geocities.com/jyakkey/orangecoloringbook.html);
RED & GREEN for children; BLUE & BROWN for everyone, especially beginning teenagers and adults.
PLEASE REFER TO THE LINKS FROM THIS PAGE FOR SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF EACH BOOK.
Exercises include studies in Movable C clef and can be useful also for mixed voiced choral groups or male voices.
A TEACHER'S MANUAL for the ORANGE book is available.
The author, Joan Yakkey, an Italian-American from NYC is a graduate from Music & Art HS and Queens College. She has been teaching in Florence, Italy for over 30 years. The teaching methods of Kodaly and Orff were incompatible with the Italian school system and social context so Joan decided that an appealing professional series of music books for learning solfeggio needed to be developed for the student population not enrolled in State Music Conservatories in Italy. Joan's ideas began in the 1970's and initially pertained to the Italian need for children's practical textbooks for music reading, but through the years these books have been successfully used by many other teachers throughout the world.
The YAKKEY METHOD IS FLEXIBLE and offers concrete materials for teachers to use in many situations, in Fixed or Movable DO systems.
The books SIGNS AND SOUNDS can be used in place of, or in addition to both the Orff and Kodaly methods in as much as all three systems:
a)use singing and creating rhythms in a class situation
b)include international children's folksongs as a basis
c)emphasize individual instrumental or vocal improvisation
d)present exercises methodically for progressive studies
e)provide group games as well as solo work
f)include teacher's manuals and author's support
The SIGNS AND SOUNDS books are easily accessible, don't require specific music rooms or materials lacking in many parts of the world, and are low cost. They offer a large spectrum of general or specific study adapt for classes of numerous students of different abilities where each child can express his personal interpretation to the fullest of his individual capability.
CHILDREN BEGIN by approximating the sounds that correspond to drawings and graphics that often recall pictorial images. They apply notes to graphs and draw graphs where notes are printed. Exercises gradually become more specific. A child's writing is always considered 'correct' and his personal perception of the written page is accepted as long as he is proportionately constant when filling out the drawings. This assures personal self esteem.
BOOKS ARE FOR SINGING collectively and can interpreted on instruments.
TEACHERS IN PUBLIC OR MUSIC SCHOOLS or in PRIVATE PRACTICE can use these books; results will be different but all students will gradually progress musically.
ANY INDIVIDUAL METHOD can be used in conjunction with the SIGNS AND SOUNDS books, these are wonderful supporting materials: they are designed very simply to last in time and to offer full liberty to both teachers and students.
TONALITY, MODALITY, ATONALITY AND SOUNDS OF NATURE can be used in the interpretation of the books' exercises.
RED and ORANGE books for children are available in bilingual editions.
GREEN and BLUE BOOKS (ages 7 and up) are presently available in Italian with TRANSLATION SHEETS attached upon request. They will be published this summer in English editions.
BROWN book is only in Italian, it contains mostly musical singing exercises. TRANSLATION SHEET AVAILABLE.
EXAMPLE PAGES in email attachment jpg files can be requested by contacting Joan personally.
PERSONAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE by contacting the author personally.
BOOKS CAN BE ORDERED in quantity or as single copies.
A LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION for photocopying use is also available at a convenient price from Joan.
PLEASE LINK TO OUR ALBUMS listed on this site.
Links to and from all web sites were not possible to create. In order to follow all links please click on the RETURN ARROW of your internet program, once or several times to GO BACK to the current page or to Joan's main page at www.geocities.com/jyakkey/JoanYakkeyideas.html
OPINIONS, COMMENTS AND ADDED INFORMATION regarding this site are welcomed by Joan, so please write her.
