Article by Jiřina Jiřičková (ČOS).

In 2025, the Czech Orff Society (Česká Orffova společnost, ČOS) celebrates the 30th anniversary of its foundation. This milestone is an opportunity not only to offer congratulations but also to reflect on the role the society has played within the music education field in the Czech Republic.

The Czech Orff Society was established in 1995 as part of the Czech Music Society and became independent in 2007. Its founder and first chair was the distinguished pedagogue, musician, composer, and promoter of folk song, Pavel Jurkovič (1933–2015). He was followed by Jarmila Kotůlková, and since 2014 the society has been led by Lenka Pospíšilová, who continues Jurkovič’s legacy with respect and creativity. Over the years, many prominent Czech music pedagogues have contributed to shaping the society. Today, ČOS is led by a committee including Lenka Pospíšilová, Hana Novotná, Jiřina Jiřičková, Patricie Windsor, and Lenka Pobudová.

The 30th anniversary was marked in a way most fitting for the society – through music and shared activities. A traditional spring weekend seminar offered participants a rich variety of workshops led by Czech and international educators: Lenka Pospíšilová, Soili Perkiö (Finland), Jana Machalíková, Mona Manoochehri (Iran/Germany), Jiřina Jiřičková, Alena Tichá, Gabriela Coufalová, Gabriela Žatková, Karolína Řepová, and Ludmila Bajerová. Guests included former chairs and founding members, among them Jarmila Kotůlková. The program also featured a distinguished vocal performance by the Prague Octet. A large birthday cake became a symbol of gratitude and of the sense of community that has grown around the society over three decades.

The anniversary was not only a festive seminar but also a lively encounter of generations, colleagues, and friends who have been connected by music and the Orff idea for decades. The presence of both long-standing members and younger colleagues created an atmosphere of continuity and renewal. Beyond the official program, the weekend became, as always, a space for exchange, reflection, and the strengthening of professional and personal bonds that have always been at the heart of ČOS.

The celebrations will continue throughout the year. A one-day seminar in Brno this autumn and the traditional November weekend meeting in Prague will further provide opportunities to further share experiences, strengthen the community, and honour thirty years of the society’s work.

ČOS’s mission remains to contribute to enhancing music educators’ competences while also engaging children, students, seniors, and people with special needs in creative music-making. The society’s lecturers and members are active in schools, universities, and cultural institutions across the country, and ČOS collaborates with organizations such as the Czech Philharmonic, the Pilsen Philharmonic, and, of course, with the International Orff-Schulwerk Forum in Salzburg (IOSFS). Although the Czech Republic has no formal institution dedicated to Orff-Schulwerk studies, ČOS fulfills this role through its courses, seminars, and community projects.

Publications such as Chapters on Creative Music Education (2023) and Chapters on Creative Music Activities (2024), developed at Charles University with support from the Czech Ministry of Culture and being fully available online, reflect the society’s openness to dialogue with other pedagogical approaches. They offer practical examples of Orff-inspired work with different age groups and demonstrate the richness of current practice in this field.

Thirty years of experience of the Czech Orff Society show that Orff-Schulwerk has a meaningful place in Czech education and beyond. Today, as education emphasizes competencies and inclusion, the approach of ČOS offers a welcoming space for meeting through music – a space where people feel at home.