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Music and Dance educator and teacher educator


Since July 2019 Secretary of the International Orff-Schulwerk Forum Salzburg, after having served the OSF in different functions (executive secretary, vice-president, advisor) from the very beginning in 1983.


Born in Munich (Germany). Studied at the Music Conservatory in Munich (Viola and Voice), the Orff Institute of the University Mozarteum Salzburg (Elemental Music and Dance Education) and the Salzburg University (Psychology and Pedagogy). Specialized in Movement and Dance working with internationally renowned teachers, as well as through historical studies and extensive ethnographic fieldwork.

From 1974-1977 Principal of the School of Music in Malta, a Cultural Development Project of the Federal Chancellery of Austria.  Assistant Professor at the Orff Institute until 1993, teaching Didactics of Music, History of Music and Movement Education, Teaching Practice, Movement Accompaniment and Traditional Dances (historical, ethnological and social). Director of international summer courses at the Orff Institute from 1978 to 2015.


From 2003 to 2014 in charge of the area "Educational/Creative Dance" in the Dance Pedagogy programme at the Conservatorio Superior de Danza de Madrid “María de Ávila”, teaching all the related subjects, supervising Bachelor theses and building up the Conservatory’s library.


Since 2019 Lecturer at the Master programme “Education through Dance. Interdisciplinary tools for Educational/Creative Dance in educational, social and community settings” at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.  Teacher for the area of Orff-Schulwerk at the Master programme “Young Children’s Music Education” at the Universidad Internacional de Andalucía between 2010 and 2017.

International lecturer giving courses and seminars in teacher training in more than 25 countries in Europe, North and South America, Southeast Asia and Australia. From 2003-2012 Coordinator of Orff-Schulwerk projects in Latin America, Spain and Portugal on behalf of the Carl Orff-Foundation Diessen. Pro Merito Award 2006 of the Carl Orff-Foundation.

Collaborator in various publications in the field of Music and Dance Education with articles about Elemental Movement and Dance in Music Education.

Co-author, together with Sofía López-Ibor, of "¡Quien canta su mal espanta! Songs, games and dances from Latin America" (Supplement to the American Edition of Orff Schulwerk, Schott New York).

Verena Maschat

Recording Secretary

Spain/Austria

Verena Maschat
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