The COVID-19 lockdown presents an unprecedented challenge for educators, and we want to do everything we can to support you through it. In light of the ongoing and uncertain situation, we’ve collated here a selection of the free, useful resources Sound and Music is offering throughout the pandemic.
This includes a selection of free CPD sessions teachers, online masterclasses for secondary school students and a digital listening resource for primary school children.
If you have any questions about how Sound and Music can support you, or if you have suggestions on how we can help parents and educators during COVID-19, feel free to get in touch with us at education@soundandmusic.org
Free, Online CPD through Listen Imagine Compose
Ordinarily, our annual Listen Imagine Compose Away Day provides secondary school music teachers across the U.K. the chance to come together for a dynamic day of sharing and learning. We explore research generated by teachers currently on the Listen Imagine Compose Masters programme, as well as talks from composers and music educators, all aimed at developing more creative practices for teaching composing within secondary schools.
In 2020, given the situation surrounding COVID-19, we re-imagined the day as a series of six, free online sessions exploring the theme of supporting young composers in and beyond the classroom. Topical focuses for each these sessions included supporting young composers remotely during lockdown, going beyond the classroom with music technology, composing within instrumental learning context and more.
Watch our Away Day recordings on YouTube
Explore Listen Imagine Compose resources
Learn more about Listen Imagine Compose
Free Minute of Listening for Primary School Teachers and Parents
Minute of Listening is Sound and Music’s digital listening resource for primary school children. In order to support parents and teachers through this challenging time, we’ve made a substantial portion of the site free to access throughout the coronavirus emergency.
Parents and teachers can freely explore exciting sounds and teaching resources from multiple collections, including a brand new, curated collection of 60 minutes.
Using a minute every day, you can give children at home or school regular listening and appraisal activities, enjoy learning through discovery and establish a sense of routine.
Learn more about free Minute of Listening
Free, Online Masterclasses for Young Composers aged 11-18
As part of our first-ever Digital Summer School in August 2020, we hosted a week of lunchtime masterclass sessions for young composers, exploring new ways of making music. We have now made the majority of these available for students to watch from the comfort of their own homes; you can view them all here.
The full programme featured inspiring talks and demonstrations from AI computer music expert Lizzie Wilson, artist and director Mella Faye, electronic composer Caro C, interdisciplinary pianist David Austin Grey, hip-hop producer Sami Baha and jazz saxophonist & bandleader Shabaka Hutchings.
Watch all of the lunchtime masterclasses
Learn more about the Sound and Music Summer School
Support our Education Work
Get in touch with our Education Team