Manuel Zazueta

Manuel Zazueta is a Dalcroze trained music teacher, engaged team worker with passion for teaching and interacting with students of all ages and their families. Experience gained through more than 20 years of teaching young children, teenagers and adults, professional musicians, amateurs and non-musicians. Lecturer at various universities in Mexico and faculty member of music education conferences in Canada, Mexico, USA and Colombia. He currently resides in Vietnam where he is a music teacher at an International School, he also has conducted and prepared the School Orchestra and Choir having very successful performances at the Hanoi Opera House.

My teaching Certification has been awarded by the Higher Specialized School of Western Switzerland, through the HEM Jaques-Dalcroze Institute in 2008. This certification has been an important milestone in my career, as it provided me with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in the field of education. The Jaques-Dalcroze Institute of Geneva is renowned for its rigorous and comprehensive training programs, and I am proud to have been a part of this institution.

Receiving this certification has not only validated my expertise in teaching but also opened up numerous opportunities for professional growth and development. The program encompassed a wide range of subjects, including pedagogy, curriculum development, and educational psychology, equipping me with a solid foundation to create engaging and effective learning environments for students.

Furthermore, the practical experience and mentorship provided during the program have been invaluable in shaping my teaching approach and philosophy. My interactions with experienced educators and exposure to innovative teaching methodologies have greatly influenced my own practices in the classroom.

The skills and insights gained through this certification continue to serve as the bedrock of my teaching career, allowing me to make a meaningful impact on the academic journey of my students. I am grateful for the knowledge and guidance I received during this transformative experience and look forward to further honing my skills in the field of education.

As a Dalcroze Eurhythmics teacher, my lessons take place in a classroom with no obstacles, just an open space with great floor (so students feel comfortable with no shoes), and a piano where music is constantly improvised to spark students’ movement creativity and joy. We also use different materials like tennis balls, chopsticks, scarves, etc.

Two lessons a week can seem like a very small amount of time to «learn music» but it’s not really about learning music. It’s about developing the abilities students might need if they wish to embark on the study of an instrument, singing, composition, etc. The music class is also a moment within the Curriculum where we can create connections of different subjects, understand Why we are learning and How what we learn is connected to our lives and development. And as music teachers, we get to do it in a fun way!

If there is an instrumental component within the Curriculum we must make the most of it, like in the case of my current role where the Music Department was able to create a 40-member Orchestra which had very successful performances in the course of my tenure as Conductor. The following video is from our last performance in the "Festival of Lights" at Reigate Grammar School in Vietnam.

The lessons in Primary fall under the PYP IB’s Scope and Sequence. In this next example, my students are exploring the concept of Dynamics in music. They have to react to the different nuances of intensity from the improvised music. It’s a meaningful and beautiful way to learn about Piano and Forte. And goes beyond just knowing.

If you want to really experience a Dalcroze lesson, take off your shoes, turn up the volume, stand up and get ready to move with this next video, which is a full Asynchronous Dalcroze Eurhythmics lesson.