Report on the activities of the Cantus Princeps Choir of Bethlen Gábor College
(2017 – today)
One of the most beautiful and influential periods of my career is as a music teacher at Bethlen Gábor College in Nagyenyed, from 2017 to the present. I am responsible for the music education of the students of the college and I put special emphasis on conducting the choir, as it is one of the most important cultural representatives of the institution to the public at home and abroad.
Principal objectives of my work:
My work is based on the belief that singing is not just a subject, but also an activity that can be an important tool for teachers, early childhood educators and other education professionals in their future careers. Therefore, one music lesson a week is not enough for pupils to truly master singing and discover its joy. To this end, choir participation not only serves to develop musical knowledge, but also provides opportunities for community building and creative expression.
My goal is to capitalize on the musical talents of all students and use their knowledge of instruments to enrich the sound of the choir. renaissance flutes, pianos, violins all play an important role in complementing the sound of the choir. Through the choir, we aim not only to enhance the school’s reputation, but also to glorify God.
Results and achievements:
The most beautiful confirmation of the “choir policy” took place at the 400th anniversary of Bethlen Gábor College, where our choir rendered outstanding service. This occasion had a special significance, as the choir’s activities have become a central part of the cultural mission not only of the students, but of the entire institution. Under my leadership, the choir participated in two choir tours. The first tour took place in 2023 and included guest performances in the Gheorghe region and the Gyimesek region, while the second tour in 2024 was in the regions of Mediaș, Baraolt and Brașov. These performances provided an opportunity to spread the reputation of the College more widely and bring musical joy to the communities in the Sporavina region.
Expanding choir activities:
The work of the choir extends beyond the school as we are invited to sing in the diaspora. In these places, we try to bring a little joy to people not only through choral singing, but also through Renaissance orchestral performance. These performances are not just about music education, but also play an important role in bringing communities closer and enriching their cultural life.
In conducting the Cantus Princeps Choir of Bethlen Gábor College, together with Ildikó Szőcs, the college’s principal, we have set ourselves the goal not only to develop the musical skills of the students, but also to provide them with a community-building experience. Through the choir, we represent the school and the region, an activity that brings joy to our communities. I believe that through the power of music we can successfully achieve our common goals and bring glory to God through our work.
CHORAL SINGING IN THE DIASPORA
For our Hungarian community living in Sporvány, the choir plays a particularly important role, both culturally and communally, and because we live in a minority, there is a particular need for activities that keep us together and strengthen our identity and survival. Music has a special importance for our living Hungarian community, and music serves as a kind of link that helps to preserve and pass on our mother tongue, traditions and common culture.
It plays a remarkable role in the education of students, not only by providing an aesthetic experience, but also by having a positive impact on the development of our young people in many other areas: language preservation, tradition, cultural identity, spiritual care, social interaction with other communities.
Learning music improves memory and concentration. Pupils who play an instrument or sing regularly practise memory and concentration, which can have a positive impact on their academic performance. Music and math are closely related. Rhythm, meter and timing develop students’ mathematical skills, especially spatial-temporal perception.
1.Preservation of the mother tongue
The choir provides our students with opportunities to use and develop their mother tongue on a regular basis, thus helping to preserve the Hungarian language and culture for future generations.
Our songs, create a close connection with the language, which is particularly important for us, where the use of Hungarian is often endangered, so we keep it alive in the everyday life of our students.
2. Cultural identity:
For Kodály, singing was the basis of musical education, he believed that musical education should start from an early age and that choral singing was an excellent means of making musical literacy available to all children, singing in a choir not only developed musical skills but also general literacy, as the choral repertoire includes many historical, literary and cultural references.
For him, the cultivation and transmission of Hungarian folk music is particularly important and he has included Hungarian folk songs in the choir repertoire, thus contributing to the wider dissemination of Hungarian musical traditions. He saw choral singing as a means of strengthening national identity, especially when the repertoire includes works by Hungarian composers and folk songs. If the Grand Master believed so, then we too have a duty to continue the project, to cultivate it in the hope of great harmony and survival.
3. Community building:
Choir rehearsals and performances provide a regular opportunity for members of our community to get together, which is especially important. These occasions strengthen the cohesion of the choral community and provide an opportunity to foster personal relationships. Our choir often participates in festivals and meetings, which gives us the opportunity to build relationships with other Hungarian communities in Sporvány.
Zoltán Kodály, world-renowned Hungarian composer, music educator and musicologist, considered the role of the choir in music education and community life to be of paramount importance, and in his opinion the choir is not just a musical ensemble, but one of the most important tools for community building, cultural cultivation and personal development. The Kodály method, a system of music education known and used all over the world, places great emphasis on choral singing. In the Kodály Method, choral singing is not just a subject, but a central element of music education as a whole, which integrates the development of the musical ear, sense of rhythm and singing skills, and is therefore not just a musical activity, but also a means of musical education, community building, cultivation of national culture and spiritual and intellectual development. In his opinion, the choir is a democratic art form accessible to all, which serves both individual and community development and construction.
Singing in a choir gives your students a common purpose and experience. Working together, participating in rehearsals and performing together, creates experiences. Choir members work together, experience success together, and overcome challenges together, which brings them together in a deep connection. In choir, our students must listen to each other, be in harmony, and work together to create a shared musical experience. This harmony not only enhances musical performance, but also strengthens the relationships between members of the community, increasing empathy and mutual respect.
Kodály believed that choirs also have a social role. Choral singing gives the members of the community the opportunity to participate actively in cultural life and thus contribute to the spiritual enrichment of society, and we consider it our duty to implement this plan, which can be a plan of maturing if we can live it as a faith and pass it on to the young members of our community .
Choirs, orchestras, popular music ensembles and other musical groups provide platforms where our choir members can meet regularly, work together and enjoy music. Musical events such as folk music festivals, choir gatherings and church celebrations provide opportunities for our choir to gather and sing where the community is smaller and possibly more dispersed.
Cultivating our musical heritage gives our students the opportunity to connect with other Hungarian communities, either in the motherland or in other communities in the diaspora, who can offer not only cultural but also spiritual support. Our Hungarian music groups from the Sporavina region participate in international festivals and these events contribute to the cultural enrichment of the international community as well as to promoting a sense of national belonging.
4. Spiritual help:
Choral singing is often a spiritual experience, especially when it comes to sacred music. Singing together, praying together, strengthens the spiritual life of the community, which can be particularly important for our students in the diaspora, where the community is smaller and perhaps more fragile.
The spiritual power of the choir in our communities is extremely important, because singing together is not just an artistic experience, it also has a profound spiritual and community impact. Choral singing is an activity that brings members together, brings our community together and provides a spiritual recharge for all participants. These experiences create deep emotional bonds between participants so that they become emotional companions, sharing their feelings and experiences, supporting each other emotionally. By working together and sharing experiences, the bond between choir members is strengthened and choir members find a supportive community where they feel safe and accepted. Successful performances strengthen the self-esteem of choir members to develop their individual skills, while members feel part of the community, learn the importance of cooperation, communication and working together. These skills are useful not only in the choir but also in everyday life and contribute to personal development.
Singing can touch the deepest layers of the human soul. The harmony and beauty experienced in singing together is spiritually recharging, helping to reduce the stress and tensions of everyday life, bringing spiritual balance and inner peace, contributing to hope for survival.
Choral singing is often a spiritual experience, especially when it comes to sacred music. Singing together, praying together, strengthens the spiritual life of the community, which can be particularly important for our students in the diaspora, where the community is smaller and perhaps more fragile.
The spiritual power of the choir in our communities is extremely significant because singing together not only provides an artistic experience, but also has a profound spiritual and community impact. Choral singing is an activity that brings together members, our community and provides spiritual enrichment for all participants.Members and audiences share emotional experiences, whether of joy, sadness, celebration or remembrance. These experiences create deep emotional bonds between participants, so that they become emotional companions, sharing their feelings and experiences, supporting each other emotionally.
Working together and sharing experiences strengthens the bond between choir members, and choir members find a supportive community where they feel safe and accepted. Successful performances strengthen the self-esteem of choir members to develop their individual skills, while members feel part of the community, learn the importance of cooperation, communication and working together. These skills are useful not only in the choir but also in everyday life and contribute to personal development.
Singing can touch the deepest layers of the human soul. The harmony and beauty experienced in singing together is spiritually recharging, helping to reduce the stress and tensions of everyday life, bringing spiritual balance and inner peace, contributing to the hope of survival.