#CanDoMusic
This campaign has been created to support school and instrumental music teachers and signpost them to practical resources so that children and teachers #CanDoMusic in school.
Get involved in the campaign
Read our latest press release on the new Model Music Curriculum
#CanDoMusic Discusses the Model Music Curriculum: Join our Free Event
On 26th April 2021, #CanDoMusic are hosting a free online session for primary and secondary music teachers to discuss the new Model Music Curriculum. With contributions from teachers, head teachers and other music educators associated with the ISM, MTA and Music Mark, the session will consider not only the content within it, but how it can sit alongside and enhance your existing curriculum plan.
This session will take place on Zoom on the 26th April 2021 from 4.00pm – 5.30pm. Sign up here.
Teaching music during coronavirus (COVID-19)
The ISM’s COVID-19 advice hub
A selection of regularly updated COVID-19 guidance for music professionals, including advice on navigating government guidance, succeeding online, managing finances, and staying healthy during the pandemic.
Music Unlocked
An up to date resource bringing together the latest advice on safe ways to continue music teaching in schools
Instrument hygiene
Guidance on how to perform and clean instruments to prevent the spread of coronavirus
A blog offering guidance
to woodwind and brass musicians on how to keep themselves and their instruments healthy. Key reading for pupils, parents, teachers and anyone else working in music education. Keeping your instrument healthy is of paramount importance.
Teaching music online
Transitioning to teaching online
This ISM webinar discusses setting up your tech, safeguarding for children and vulnerable people, and other key points to consider when making the switch to teaching online
Online learning resources
A selection of online learning resources for primary, secondary and instrumental learning. Many are free or discounted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Making music online in real time
Want to perform or record remotely with other musicians, in real time? Bassist John J. Williamson offers a guide to the world of online real-time music (ORM) software.
Transitioning to online teaching
ISM member and music teacher Pippa Reid-Foster, sets out her steps for transitioning to online teaching so you can use her experience as your starting point.
Bring the Noise
Series of educational resources, from films to songs to lesson plans a digital interactive tool
Home and School Online Resources
A wide range of home learning resources covering EYFS and Primary Teachers and Pupils, Secondary Teachers and Pupils, Parents and general Music Education Resources
Orchestras for All online conducting
Online training course designed to develop skills in effectively leading an inclusive music ensemble. The course is aimed at music teachers, ensemble leaders and aspiring conductors working in inclusive music-making settings. The first module is free
Al-Haytham's Light
is a free online, curriculum-based opera for key stage 2 from English Touring Opera, which comes with a 10 lesson plan teachers' pack.
Play Trumpet with Kay
Video for beginners to sing or play along with on trumpet or clarinet using C D E F, aimed at beginners who can play a few notes and those without an instrument who can sing along or play percussion on pots and pans from the kitchen.
Practical Progression film series
A film series made by music leaders and intended for music leaders from any setting as part of a peer-led professional development programme also called Practical Progression and aim to build on music leaders’ existing tool kit, whatever setting ...
Voices Foundation Virtual Singing Assemblies
A collection of uplifting singing videos for primary teachers and pupils. In addition to these free assemblies, VF has launched #VFIntoMusic & #VFIntoChoral- videos that dive deeper into process of creating effective music lessons/rehearsals.
Moving Your Teaching Online
By now it is very likely that you will have discovered all of the advantages and pitfalls of moving your teaching online. Some teachers may have been exploring the options long before this year and some will not yet have taken the dive.
Building an ensemble video
Robert Thompson, Teacher of Music and Music Technology at Kenilworth School & Sixth Form, Warwickshire, reports on how the department pulled together to make a viral video.
How to Teach Music Online
RSL's key strategies for online teaching and learning, referencing some good practice and highlighting some of the pitfalls
With Nicky
An educational series of videos with Nicky Benedetti enabling 1-2-1 and small group tuition
Advocating for music in your school
Music Education: State of the Nation
Report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education, the Incorporated Society of Musicians and the University of Sussex advocating for all children to have access to a high-quality music education.
Musical understanding
Essential reading for any school leaders and music teachers in schools currently reviewing the nature, purpose and design of curriculum music provision.
The National Curriculum for Music 2019
Two revised frameworks (primary and secondary), complete with wall-charts, to help you develop your curriculum, pedagogies and assessment in any setting.
Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing
Report presenting the findings from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing (APPGAHW) which was formed in 2014 aiming to improve awareness of the benefits that the arts can bring to health and wellbeing
Music Education Works Website
Collection of evidence of the impact of music education, aimed at making it easier for everyone who cares about music education to understand the benefits and advocate them.
Take action
Find out how to effectively engage and lobby your MP. Use the ISM’s practical advice, resources and research to promote music and protect music education.
Bacc for the Future campaign
Get involved with the Bacc for the Future campaign to save creative subjects in secondary schools across England. The EBacc is undermining creativity in schools and we need your help.
Practical music teaching resources
General
The ISM Teachers' Pack
A helpful guide for all instrumental and vocal teachers, whether you are employed, work freelance in schools or teach privately. It covers issues which all music teachers need to know about, including finding work, setting rates, recovering unpaid fees
Free Figurenotes Resource Bundle
Figurenotes is a progressive, accessible notation that adapts to your teaching method. This free bundle contains a range of activities - rhythm, composition, mindfulness, tutorials, and more.
Sing Up
Explore Sing Up’s free resources that support creative music making and blended learning at school and at home. Suitable for teachers, pupils and families. Schools are welcome to add this link to your own website or VLE.
Indian Takeaway: Rāg and Tāl basics
This innovative online resource brought to you by the ISM Trust and Indian music expert Yogesh Dattani enables you to take away lesson plans and successfully play or teach a piece of Indian classical music on any instrument.
Charanga Musical School
Offering a 30 day free trial to an online platform to assist with teaching music providing high-quality digital programmes and an online learning space for children
Home Body Percussion Challenge
Several short videos demonstrating a variety of body percussion duos, at various levels of difficulty, including challenges expanding on these patterns.
Music for Wellbeing Framework
Shared by Hounslow Music the attached framework is designed to help the user plan music lessons focused on supporting wellbeing.
Song Source
Song Source is a digital song bank designed to help keep children singing wherever they are. There are over 200 original songs as well as lyric sheets, scores, lyric videos and backing tracks.
Building an ensemble video
Robert Thompson, Teacher of Music and Music Technology at Kenilworth School & Sixth Form, Warwickshire, reports on how the department pulled together to make a viral video.
NYJO’s Virtual Academy
helps you recreate the feeling of playing in a band from wherever you are and includes our very own ‘Minus One’ material! All of the content is completely free and broken down into three levels: Entry, Intermediate and Advanced.
Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme
A wide range of sacred and secular singing sessions, from individual activities and songs to complete lessons. Primary KS2, with some resources for EYFS/KS1/ Secondary.
A Cappella Lego
A free resource from the VOCES8 Foundation, A Cappella Lego consists of 11 videos with interactive singing activities including warm-ups and songs. Suitable for primary and KS3.
Musicroom Resources
Musicroom is growing its index of free materials to support music teachers and students, including free a classroom teaching resources sample pack, and method packs for piano (for adult and young beginners), ukulele and music theory.
Classical 100
ABRSM’s Classical 100 is a fantastic collection of 100 carefully selected pieces of music and activities for you to share with your families over the coming weeks. Designed as a classroom resource, it’s already been a big hit in 6,000 primary schools.
Free Songs from Bright Star
Gareth Malone and Catherine de Sybel introduce songs from their popular whole-school singing book, Bright Star, offering tips on how to teach them, and free lyric and sheet music for the songs. Great for getting classes and school singing together, eve
Early years
First Notes Early Years Music App
Music resource app for use with Early Years packed full of exercises and activities designed to suit all ability levels to help with a child’s development in and outside of music
Primary
Primary Music Toolkit
An online toolkit from the ISM Trust to help primary school teachers better understand what music teaching is and how it can be utilised even more to bring the primary curriculum to life.
Naxos Music Box Free Trial
Naxos have made their new KS2 and KS3 resource Naxos Music Box free to use for schools during the current UK lockdown until 28th February.
Out of the Ark's #candomusic recovery curriculum blog
Loads of creative, fun and easy-to-use ideas, activities and tips that will show how your favourite songs (and many you have yet to discover) can support your music and whole-school curriculums whether you are singing in your school or not.
In the Gap! Fun Improvisation
A resource designed to allow teachers to introduce basic improvisation and creative music into their lessons, which is suitable for whole class, group and individual sessions
Music and Voice Play
An easily accessible book to help anyone to be a creative music-maker with young children. It aims to inspire parents and teachers to take young children’s enthusiasm for music and create a musically rich environment that supports all areas of learning
Arts Award with BCMG
These resources enable children or a class of children to complete their Discover or Explore Arts Award remotely with BCMG.
Ocarina Workshop
offer extensive free ocarina teaching tips and lessons, and are giving Play Your Ocarina Book 1 free with every ocarina purchased, plus a free ocarina with the set of Adventurous Music-Making books and CDs.
Becoming a Better Music Teacher free online course
Whether you’re starting your music teaching career or refreshing your skills, our free online course helps you take your teaching to the next level. This free course will provide you with a strong foundation of the skills, knowledge and insight needed
Secondary
BBC Bitesize music
Revision guides for all GCSE Music topics, covering a variety of exam boards
Introduction to music theory
Free course covering basic knowledge about music theory, aimed at being equally suitable for self-directed students, or as CPD for primary music coordinators, additional material for GCSE etc
MooreNotes Compositions
Original compositions, based around jazz, string and song ideas aimed at the young and the more experienced performer. Ideal for classroom and public performance for all.
Music Technology A Level
An A-Level Music Tech course opening up a range of skills to students, suitable for anyone who has a keen interest in creating and recording music, and who wishes to deepen their understanding of popular music styles and developments in music tech
Instrumental/Vocal
Junk Percussion Arts Award Project:
Facilitators guide you through making and creating junk percussion instruments using everyday household objects to create a Brazilian samba reggae, a junk funk piece and an atmospheric soundscape!
MTB Piano Duets:
Music Teachers' Board's supporting exercises are all designed to enable musical development. Find reading skills, listening skills, scales, technical studies and even duets for all grade levels.
RSL Teach Today
- Free grade books and schemes of work for teachers across Rockschool syllabuses (Music Production, Vocals, Piano, Drums, Ukulele, Electric Guitar)
RSL Learning Platform
: the revolutionary music teaching and learning app from RSL Awards. Access a huge library of RSL Awards’ grade book materials on an interactive score player, and deliver online lessons via the app with its in-built Zoom Functionality.
SEND / Additional Support Needs
Guide to Buying Adaptive Musical Instruments
This guide from Creative United includes details of more than 80 musical instruments and products, many of which have been specially designed to make learning and playing musical instruments accessible
Valuing Music in Special Needs Settings
Report on music making and singing approaches for whole class teaching (WCT) and group work in Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) schools. The toolkit offers a training and development framework to be flexibly
With Music in Mind by Amber Trust
A webinar for parents, carers and music professionals caring for, supporting or working with a young person with neurodegenerative disease
Amber Sound Touch
Amber Sound Touch, from the Amber Trust, is an online resource for teaching music to blind and partially sighted children and young people. It comprises a set of 13 engaging videos complemented with a comprehensive written guide.
Teaching children on the autism spectrum
This free webinar, presented by double bassist and teacher Elizabeth Bradley, looks at ways of teaching individual music lessons to students on the autism spectrum.
NDCS Guidance
Guidance from the National Deaf Children’s Society aimed at helping music professionals develop confidence in supporting the music education of deaf children and young people.
Friday Afternoons
An initiative encouraging young people to sing, commissioning new repertoire every year for children’s voices, with a whole host of resources available for free on the website, including teaching and accessibility resources to help lots people
Music Making SENse
provides accessible and inspiring music education programmes for children and young people with additional learning needs. These include online sessions and activities for schools and families at home.
Good Vibrations Toolkit
Toolkit for those working with deaf and hearing impaired children and young people, promoting active participation in music making as a way to enable musical engagement and progression
Drake Music Scotland resources:
Drake Music Scotland’s team of specialist musicians have worked on over 300 resources for pupils, teachers and parents. There are videos, downloads, and interactive resources for everyone.
Composing/Songwriting
GCSE Music Composition Resource
Free digital resource providing creative inspiration for students tackling the composition module of the GCSE syllabus through exploring music by 6 NMC composers
London Sinfonietta Online Activities
London Sinfonietta has created an online offer for families, teachers and young people to listen, compose, and create new music. Become a composer or challenge your family and friends to a high score on our app, there's something for everyone!
Listening Inspiration
Free resource aiming to help students find pieces to give inspiration and ideas for their own composing activities
Online composing courses
Interactive online courses to help secondary level students and teachers with different aspects of composition, accessible from home or in the classroom.
Minute of Listening
Helps pupils develop their creative listening skills. This carefully curated collection of introduces children to a range of music and sounds.
Creating Music at Home
set of composing activities for young people without access to a musical instrument. Inspirations include superheroes, nature, the zodiac, maps, lockdown, graphic scores and found objects. KS1 or 2.
Creating Music at Home (Instrumentalists)
Set of composing activities for young people with access to a musical instrument. Inspirations include code, bird song, clouds, constellations, skylines and stories. KS3 or instrumentalists.
Music technology
Play Trinity Rock & Pop app
An app allowing users to mix their own performances with the app's professional session musicians using the practice app that allows users to to adjust pitch, tempo and each individual instrumental track from the mixing desk.
Music Ed Tech Conference UK
a free conference on 4 and 5 May which provides an excellent CPD opportunity for Primary and Secondary school teachers
Health and wellbeing for music teachers and students
Supporting Wellbeing and Mental Health
Music Mark have collated a selection of mental health and wellbeing resources aimed at musicians, educators, young people, those working in the music education sector, and anyone looking for ways to support their wellbeing.
Mental health for musicians
This free webinar examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in music and the creative industries.
Preventing playing related injury
A free webinar which explores the risk factors for playing related injury as well as simple preventative methods that enhance playing