MusicFirst Partnerships Programme Working in collaboration with Music Hubs and Academy Trusts
“Our partnership with MusicFirst has enabled us to work ever closer with our secondary schools by providing access to Focus on Sound, an outstanding resource which is having a significant impact on schools.” Peter Lovell, Music Service Leader – Essex Music Service
Music Education Distance Learning
MusicFirst is the ultimate cloud-based portfolio of digital learning software and resources used in over 1400 schools in the UK and many more worldwide, with hundreds of thousands of students being supported every day. Partnerships
Software
We work in partnership with numerous Music Hubs and Academy Trusts to bring our cloud-based resources and creative learning tools to secondary schools in their region.
MusicFirst provides a range of products covering theory, notation, sequencing, aural and more. All are accessible anywhere, any time on any device providing maximum flexibility and the opportunity to encourage students to learn and be creative outside of the classroom.
Training and Support MusicFirst offers online group CPD for teachers of member schools to ensure that they get the most out of the products.
Current partners include:
To discuss how your organisation can get involved, please contact:
Richard Payne at richard@musicfirst.com or call 020 3929 9046
Creativity... Anywhere, Anytime on Any Device Every music student should have the opportunity to create and compose music using digital tools. Soundtrap for Education and Noteflight Learn are outlets for students to be creative, offering first-class tools for sequencing and notation. Both programs integrate with numerous learning management systems, including the MusicFirst Classroom and Google Classroom. They also offer direct export options to send MIDI files from one to another.
Highlights include:
Soundtrap for Education
Noteflight Learn
• Online Music Studio for recording and mixing (4040+ loops, 540+ instruments & sounds) • Collaboration tools for students to work together remotely • Hundreds of Lessons Plans • Podcasting including voice transcription
• Professional cloud-based notation software • Activity templates for assignments • Perform mode for listening to and performing along with selected parts of the score • Discussion and assignment forums for communication and assessment • Optional content libraries for Band, Choir, Orchestra, Piano, Guitar, and Pop Ensembles
“ I love Focus on Sound’s continual growth of content and it has become an integral tool in all of our schemes of work.” Lewis Edney, Director of Music, Bishop Wordsworth’s School
Online Resources Supporting KS3, GCSE and A Level An engaging, interactive and authoritative online resource to enhance teaching and learning music. Focus on Sound includes a multimedia encyclopedia of instruments, terminology, composers and theory – with hundreds of listening tests and a broad range of structured lessons aimed at Key Stage 3, GCSE and A Level with coverage of all exam boards. The advanced version, Focus on Sound PRO, gives teachers the ability to create new resources using a slick interface and powerful content creation tools. It also integrates directly with Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams. All lessons contain multiple info pages and listening tests
Hyperlinks to multimedia definitions
Numerous diagrams and photos to explain the music
Tabs for full score, extended audio, YouTube links, etc.
What’s in Focus on Sound? Instruments A large encyclopedia of instruments ranging from the more familiar orchestral instruments to more obscure world instruments. With audio, videos, pictures, notation examples and learning advice, students can gain a broad insight into an instrument’s origin, how it fits into ensembles, what it sounds like, and how it is played.
Sound Words As the largest part of the software, Sound Words contains around 800 musical terms. These are grouped in topics like harmony and subtopics like pop chord progressions.
Lessons Over 400 structured lessons containing learning activities and listening tests. These are perfect for whole class teaching or individual student work. There are resources for all the UK exam boards, including lessons on set works.
Tests There are unlimited randomised listening tests and quizzes, and over 300 tests with fixed questions. All are auto-marked. Many more are available in the PRO version library. Tests also include exercises based on audio or video for class discussion or extended writing.
Results The results page displays the number of tests taken, the most recent date and time a test was taken, as well as percentage marks.
“ Through the MusicFirst platform, we have been able to overcome the challenges of remote learning, and high quality learning is now accessible 24/7. Teachers are continually developing exciting learning opportunities through the seamless integration of the platform into our entire curriculum model.” Alex Green, Director of Music – Skegness Grammar School
Fundamental Musicianship – Theory and Aural Auralia and Musition can revolutionise the teaching of aural and music theory. Students have virtually unlimited theory drills to practise, with all their questions being automatically marked. Both programs come in two versions - ‘First’ and ‘Full Cloud’. The First version is suitable for Primary through to GCSE, and the fully featured Full Cloud version covers all levels right up to College and University and is endlessly customisable. Topics include:
Musition
Auralia
• Recognising time signatures • Reading sheet music • Notating rhythms • Understanding intervals • Matching key signatures
• Pitch • Rhythm • Intervals • Scales • Melodic dictation
Also from MusicFirst:
Flat for Education Collaborative notation and composition
Soundation
Sight Reading Factory
Sequencing and audio recording
Sight reading and sight-singing practice
O-Generator
PracticeFirst
Beat-making with voice-led lessons
Practice and performance assessment
Groovy Music
Cool4School
Interactive music-making tool
Streamable library of songs with videos
info@musicfirst.co.uk www.musicfirst.co.uk
Richard Payne Education Manager, MusicFirst 020 3929 9046 richard@musicfirst.com