The Faculty of Primary and Preschool Education of Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE TÓK) is pleased to host an international conference on 25 September 2026 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Katalin Forrai.
The conference will celebrate Katalin Forrai's outstanding contributions to early childhood music education in Hungary and around the world. On the occasion of her centenary, Hungarian and international educators, former colleagues, researchers, students, and friends will come together to honor the memory and enduring legacy of the highly respected educator, who passed away in 2004.
Katalin Forrai's intellectual and professional legacy is exceptionally rich. Through decades of dedicated work, she created lasting values in early childhood music education. Her pedagogical achievements remain of immeasurable significance, while her humanity, integrity, and commitment to education continue to inspire generations of teachers. She is regarded as an ambassador of early childhood music education worldwide.
Following the principles of her mentor, maestro Zoltán Kodály, Katalin Forrai devoted more than fifty years to teaching young children, nurturing in them a lifelong love of music. She conducted courses and led workshops at universities across 17 countries. She frequently presented at international conferences and symposia. Her professional legacy is of immeasurable significance, and her work raises important questions that remain highly relevant today:
How can her invaluable legacy be preserved for future generations?
Which essential elements of her pedagogical approach should continue to guide early childhood music education in the twenty-first century?
What is the message of Katalin Forrai’s musical educational guidelines for today’s teachers?
The conference will bring together members and leaders of the International Kodály Society (IKS), representatives of music education organizations, and members of the International Katalin Forrai Award Committee.
The conference will be opened by Dr. Jerry L. Jaccard (USA), President of the International Kodály Society. The keynote speaker will be Gilbert De Greeve (Belgium), former President of the IKS. Speakers invited to the conference include Prof. Dr. Magda Kalmár (Hungary), Kelly Foster-Griffin (USA), Mary Stouffer (Canada) members of the International Katalin Forrai Committee, and Anne Lindeberg-Piiroinen (Finland).
The conference will offer a unique opportunity for participants to gain insight into Katalin Forrai’s rich professional legacy: original work diaries, lesson plans, notes, archival film footage, and valuable documents from the legendary Csobánc Street Kindergarten, including the “secrets” of the carefully preserved guestbooks.
Language: English and Hungarian (with English surtitles)
Registration is free.
Further information and the full conference program will be announced in due course.
On behalf of the organizing committee:
Helga M. Dietrich and Zsuzsanna Hegedűsné Tóth