Musical Futures

Musical Futures is a movement to reshape music education - driven by teachers, for teachers. At its heart is a set of pedagogies that bring non-formal teaching and informal learning approaches into more formal contexts, to provide engaging, sustainable and relevant music making activities for all young people.

Background

Funded and managed by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the initial aim of Musical Futures was to devise new and imaginative ways of engaging young people, aged 11–19, in music activities. Following a year of consultation in 2003, the Paul Hamlyn Foundation identified the following objectives:

After inviting applications from consortia of local music education providers, three Pathfinder Local Authority Music Services – in Leeds, Nottingham and Hertfordshire - were commissioned to explore new approaches and structures which might ensure that more young people participate in better quality musical experiences for longer.

Learning models

Informal Learning in the Music Classroom

A programme of informal learning, drawing on the real-life learning practices of popular musicians, developed by Lucy Green, Institute of Education and Hertfordshire Music Service. It involves students in self-directed, independent learning, in friendship groups, working on a series of musical tasks.

The Whole Curriculum Approach

A programme developed by Nottingham City Music Service that aims to develop school music beyond the classroom confines for Year 7-8 students, and involve them in real musical activity, in genuine musical situations and environments. It aims to draw together good practice from classroom, instrumental and extra-curricular music into an integrated package for students.

Personalising Extra-Curricular Learning

An approach by Education Leeds Artforms to empower young people to make positive, informed choices about the music they engage with beyond the classroom.

All classroom resources for the Personalising Extra-Curricular Learning model can be downloaded from http://www.musicalfutures.org.uk/teachers_pack_leeds_resourcepack.html

NUMU

NUMU is a safe online community for young people to showcase their music; collaborate, compete and develop their talent. Schools can join NUMU and establish their own school record label, and enable their students to create an online portfolio of work.

Who is Musical Futures for?

Musical Futures was initially designed for secondary schools, with a particular focus on 12–14 yr old students, as this has long been an age at which students seem to lose interest in music learning in school. However, teachers in primary and tertiary education have successfully adopted Musical Futures approaches. We have also seen these approaches tailored to work with students in challenging circumstances (for example students with special educational needs, or in Young Offenders Institutes and Pupil Referral Units).

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