Out now: Classroom Music spring term 1 2009/10

The spring term 1 issue of Classroom Music is out now, complete with the new online lesson materials for KS3, 4 and 5, including BTECs.

In the magazine itself, you can read about composition summer schools, Youth Music Theatre UK and leading audio production FE courses. There's advice on the whys and wherefores of teaching notation in the classroom, the basics of multi-track recording and how to set up a local music network. You can also find out how the new Rhinegold listening tests work and read a review of Music Technology from Scratch.

We also share the reflections of teachers running the Creative and Media Diploma, and would be very interested in hearing your own experiences/opinions of this course. Do you teach the Diploma? If so, what do you make of it so far? Do you agree with the opinions expressed in the article?

As ever, we'd also value your feedback on the articles and lesson materials we've provided in this issue - please post a comment below.

Latest issue of Classroom Music out now

The autumn term 2 issue of Classroom Music is out now, complete with a brand new design and online lesson materials.


Comment below on the articles and lesson materials we've provided in the latest issue. Were any of particular use to you? If so, why? Was there anything we could have done better? How are you finding the new lesson material format?

Also... does our report on the new controlled coursework conditions match your own experiences from 2008/09? Tell us what you've made of the first year of supervised coursework below..

Online lesson materials now available!

The first-ever online lesson materials are now available to download by Classroom Music subscribers from the Classroom Music homepage.

Instructions for setting up an online user account are given below. You will need your 6-digit subscriber number, which should be printed on the address label on the front of your copy of the magazine. The latest issue, in a brand-new format, has been posted today, so if you don't already have your subscriber number, you should have it when the magazine arrives.



1. Go to www.rhinegold.co.uk/classroommusic
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page. In the 'lesson material' tab you will find a list of the materials available, with the latest issue's first. You can click on 'read more' to see a brief introduction to what each article contains.
3. To download any of the articles you will need to log in. The first time you do this, you will need to set up a Rhinegold.co.uk user account. Click on 'create one now' at the top of the lesson materials tab, and fill in your details. You will need your 6-digit subscriber number as part of this (see above). If, once you have received your latest copy of the magazine, you still can't find this, please call the number on the account set-up page.
4. Once you've finished, an email will be sent to you with an account activation link. Once you've activated your account, you're ready to go!

Are you and your students finding the new rules on A-level resits tough?

A letter from Patrick Gazard in the October issue of Music Teacher highlights the extra burden on students taking AS resits this academic year: they can no longer adapt their compositions from the previous year but must follow the new AS briefs for the current year; under the Edexcel system, they must also learn ten new set works for Unit 3.

Mr Gazard questions the fairness of this extra burden, on teachers as well as students, especially given that in other subjects, it appears that students can reuse topics and briefs from the previous year. He also calls for all the exam boards to clarify their position, to avoid severe mishaps when this year's exam season comes round.

What do you think? Please post a comment sharing your own experiences or views...

Is the amount of KS3 curricular music under threat?

Among the many seminars at the recent NAME conference was a round table discussion of the impact the new National Curriculum has had on the amount of time designated for music at KS3.

The session was led by Hilary Meyer, the outgoing chair of NAME's secondary curriculum focus group. Delegates shared their own experiences and concerns about the scope that the new cross-curricular emphasis of the curriculum has for cutting music curriculum time.

A fuller report on the discussion that took place will be published in the November issue of Music Teacher. But Classroom Music would love to hear your views on this issue:

• Is curricular music under greater threat in the new National Curriculum provision? 
• Do you have any particular stories you'd like to share? 
• What do you think, if anything, should be done about this?

Post a comment below!

Classroom Music website: latest improvements

In advance of our new online lesson materials (available from 12 October), we've just made some other improvements to the Classroom Music webpage...

• New, easy-to-remember address: no more complicated navigating, just steer your browser straight to www.rhinegold.co.uk/classroommusic
• No more trawling through your old copies in search of that support article that discusses the Brandenburgs - our *downloadable index has contents details for every single issue in our back catalogue*, so you'll be able to find what you need in three shakes of a lamb's tail

More info on the new online capacity and subscriber access will follow in the coming weeks. Watch this space...

Latest issue of Classroom Music out now - your comments please

The latest issue of Classroom Music is out now. Full contents details for the autumn term 1 09/10 edition are available on the Classroom Music page of the Rhinegold website, where you can also set up a subscription if you don't already receive the magazine.

Comment below on the articles and lesson materials we've provided in the latest issue. Were any of particular use to you? If so, why? Was there anything we could have done better?

Also... does our report on the new controlled coursework conditions match your own experiences from 2008/09? Tell us what you've made of the first year of supervised coursework.

And finally...watch this space for instructions on registering for Classroom Music's all-new online lesson materials. More details to follow in the next few weeks.