Dear Jos,

Happy 90th Birthday! Today is your special day that your family, friends and students celebrate you, and the richness you have shared with all of us during your 90 years. In the early 1980s before I had even met you, your influence was apparent through the guidance I received from your students Konnie Saliba and Judy Sills. They inspired me to study with you personally and I am so thankful they did.

Your gift to me has been an understanding of the depth and goodness that quality music education can bring to the world. I have many fond memories of you – your sense of humour, your intellect and your mentorship which challenged me to do my best. I am very grateful for knowing you.

Colette Bischoff, Retired music teacher, Saskatoon Saskatchewan

Do You Know the Jossy Dance?

Judy, in Edmonton, knew a guy Jos
And boy, were we lucky with glee!
‘Cause something was missing in Music for kids:
The magic “Orff Kids Jamboree”!!

You flew o’er the ocean to make us all dance
And play a bordun on the bass
We passed it all down to our dear little wards
And my joy was the joy on their face!

But it didn’t stop there: spending weeks in you class
Fostered lifetimes of friendships, you know
And we were so lucky to get to know you –
Your talents b’yond Music did show!
Spoonerisms caused giggles: We ate belly jeans!
Your kitchen skills: sooo unsurpassed!
But your songs about drinking Cinzano, I fear
Did not reach the ears in my class!!! (LOL)

Your fab Orffestrations – with words slightly changed –
Were loved dearly in school and on stage
I loved all your classes and still have my notes!
Many times have I drawn on your sage.

Generations have passed since those glorious days
Many thousands of children you’ve reached
have remembered the dance and the planning with team
And creating their Life Musics each

And today is so special; I honour you true
As you finish your 90th year
I wish you a birthday with joy and with love
To reflect your life’s work with good cheer!

Love,
Marlene kirwin, Edmonton, Canada

Dearest Jos, 

Happy Birthday my good friend! I wish you a wonderful day of celebration, reflection, good memories, and best wishes from all over the world. In many ways, your life has been a celebration of music as you travelled the world, both teaching and performing. I will always be grateful for the music you shared and the ways you taught us to teach it! I’ve told you several times that you are the best teacher I’ve ever had. As I move through my teaching career, I often am reminded of not only the material and the techniques, but of the joy of music, of teaching, and learning you shared. 

Teaching children in public schools, or teachers in Orff levels courses, I try to pass along not only the knowledge you shared but also the joy! 

I truly wish you the best! Stay well and joyful. 

With Love, 

Brent Holl

Dear Jos,

How excited we are to wish you the very best on this milestone birthday! As you know, we are among the thousands of educators whose lives you have touched, and we cannot overstate the positive impact you have had on our teaching with both children and adults. We consider ourselves unbelievably fortunate to have been students of yours and hope you know how much your knowledge, wisdom, and brilliance has influenced our lives not just as educators but as human beings. We remember fondly your Level 3 class at the U. of Southern California in 1982 and your Master Class in Memphis in 1983, 1987, and 1991. We are also proud to have hosted you twice in Las Vegas for workshops and the 2002 AOSA Conference. Any success or accomplishments we have experienced are a direct result of having studied with you and we are filled with gratitude and appreciation. You have had the greatest influence on our teaching careers, and we hope you know how much we value and respect our friendship.

We wish you the happiest of birthdays… we will be toasting you on March 23rd!

Greetings from Randy DeLelles and Jeff Kriske, your friends in Las Vegas, NV.

Happy Birthday Jos!

My first course with Jos Wuytack was in 1983 for Level 2 of the Orff Schulwerk Program, U. of Southern California. I followed Jos to Memphis for Level 3 and Master Class.

Jos gave us his “A B C of the Orff Pedagogy”. I still find so much joy reading those pages and practicing what he taught me with my own students and teachers in training. One heading was JOY.

JOY is basic for successful teaching. Of course, not every lesson has to be a “fun experience”, but the atmosphere needs to be happy. Is happiness not the goal of our whole life? Why not appreciate a tongue-twister, a riddle, a humoristic rhyme, an amusing way of presenting the materials? Laughing is the game of the spirit.

Jos inspired me and still does today!  I wish Jos much joy on his birthday, feeling the gratitude we all feel from the joy he gives us! Best wishes,

Lynn Kleiner, music teacher, California, US

Hello Jos. I want to wish you a very happy birthday! So many of us have been blessed by your presence in our lives. I am eternally grateful for all that I have learned from you.

In 2005 Shirley McRae and I were co-chairs of the National AOSA Conference, and you were one of our headliners. I am still involved in Orff teacher education, and I am so fortunate to have known you. Thank you, Jos. I wish you good health and beautiful music.

Vivian Murray Caputo, Orff teacher in the Memphis City Schools.

Estimado profesor Jos,

Soy una de los muchos alumnos que cursaron, a finales de los 1970 y principios de los 1980, los cursos de “Pedagogía Musical Activa” en España. Era una joven profesora universitaria que tuvo la fortuna de tomar contacto con una pedagogía de aprendizaje por descubrimiento, de sentido de grupo, de actividades expresivas…, todo ello conducido de forma magistral. Supo transmitirme ilusión por las clases de música, optimismo y energía para impartirlas. Han pasado muchos años, esa joven profesora es ahora una profesora jubilada con un fantástico recuerdo de usted, de los cursos, de los libros y materiales que publicó.

En su fecha de aniversario le quedo muy agradecida por sus enseñanzas y le deseo todo lo mejor.

Maravillas Díaz, Universidad del País Vasco, España

Con gran ilusión participo en el homenaje y felicitación por el 90º aniversario de Jos Wuytack, figura emblemática en la pedagogía musical y un referente clave en mi formación y desarrollo como docente. Tuve el privilegio de asistir a sus cursos en Madrid, donde su energía y maestría didáctica dejaron una impronta imborrable en mi trayectoria profesional. Recuerdo con nostalgia aquellas sesiones en las que el maestro hacía gala de un derroche de carácter, pasión, entrega y entusiasmo. Allí la música cobraba vida a través de la escucha, el canto y el movimiento y todavía hoy son fuente inagotable de inspiración para mí. Su enfoque innovador y profundamente humanista no solo enriqueció mis conocimientos, sino que también me ayudó a encontrar respuestas a muchos de los interrogantes que me planteaba sobre la enseñanza musical.

Gracias a la instrucción de Jos Wuytack, mi enfoque educativo se ha enriquecido con herramientas que favorecen un aprendizaje musical más intuitivo y vivencial, adaptado a las necesidades del aula. Me permitió también descubrir nuevas formas de conectar con mis discípulos y despertar en ellos el amor por la música. Su legado sigue vivo en cada clase que imparto. La influencia de Jos Wuytack ha sido, sin duda, un pilar fundamental en mi desarrollo profesional y sigue siendo una fuente de inspiración constante en mi vocación docente.

¡¡Feliz cumpleaños, maestro!!!

Rocío Chao, Universidad da Coruña, España

¡Feliz Noventa Cumpleaños, Jos!

Pocos tienen la suerte de llegar a esa edad, y con la mente joven y activa que siempre has tenido.

En tu larga actividad profesional has dejado huella en miles de personas de todos los continentes.

En mi caso, desde que conocí tus propuestas las incorporé a mi trabajo docente en la Universidad de Cádiz. Mis alumnos de magisterio musical han sido también tuyos a través de tu obra.

Estamos muy agradecidos por tus aportaciones a la pedagogía musical activa: canciones gestuales, organización de la melodía, improvisación global, audición activa y tu invento del musicograma (que tantos intentan copiar), y un largo etc.

Has sistematizado y enriquecido el Orff-Schulwerk. Por eso, los 12 cursos que organizamos en Cádiz y Sevilla los titulamos Pedagogía Musical Activa “Orff-Wuytack”.

Y aparte está la relación personal. Desde la admiración y el respeto, siempre me he sentido con la libertad de expresarte mis pensamientos y compartirlos con los tuyos. Gracias.

¡Un fuerte abrazo!

Ángel Müller Gómez,

Profesor titular del área de Música, jubilado, Universidad de Cádiz.

Há momentos da nossa vida que nos marcam especialmente. Não imaginava, na minha juventude, que o Curso de Pedagogia de Jos Wuytack que frequentei em Braga em 1975, iria ser uma bússola ao longo de boa parte da minha vida profissional na educação musical das crianças e na formação de educadores de infância e professores do ensino básico. A construção do conhecimento musical através do envolvimento com a música, a expressão musical e criatividade, a riqueza multicultural de canções belíssimas de todo o mundo (de que ainda hoje me lembro), o valor da Música e da Educação Musical, eis o legado deste músico pedagogo que continua a tocar-nos!

Parabéns em dia de aniversário! Continue a partilhar a sua Música!!

Elisa Lessa, Universidade do Minho, Braga