Review: MuseClass Primary

Kay Charlton reviews the new online teaching resource from Hal Leonard

MuseClass is created by the music publishing giant Hal Leonard, making an almost bewildering array of resources availble. Once you find your way around, there is access to hundreds of songs - including many from Disney, a (small) section on WCET including class methods for recorder and ukulele, lesson plans, games, playlists and more.

Following my nose, I click on Listen/Play/Compose and find eight options. ‘Worksheets’ seems a good place to start, there are 76 pages rather randomly arranged, until I spot the filter and choose a year group and a topic, then it makes more sense - a collection of pages covering all kinds of subjects at many levels.

The Disney section has songs aimed at EYFS/KS1; the lesson plan section is unfinished here but will be useful for non-specialists when it is completed. The Music Show cartoons cover useful topics but some options such as MuseScore and Noteflight (perhaps the least useful in the primary classroom anyway) aren’t enabled yet. More playing with the filters brings up all sorts of options in many configurations, including songs with lyrics and activities, videos and books - yes, whole books from the Hal Leonard catalogue - if you want Encanto for Ukulele you can find it here!

I love the Listening Maps option - a selection of original recordings with cartoon representations of each musical theme as the music plays. For each piece there is a lesson plan, including objectives, musical vocabulary and a detailed analysis of the music with timings. There is no indication of which year groups these are aimed at, so some preparation will be needed when utilising the plans. Listening Maps currently offers only classical music, I hope this useful section will be broadened to include other styles and genres.

Teachers will probably want to jump in to the Lessons section. The interrelated dimensions of music are all covered for each year group; again, using the filter is the best way to find what you want. The Lessons Overview shows what is covered and at what level - Introducing, Developing, or Mastering - but I must say it takes some digging to work out where to find the right page. I looked around the year 5 lessons - they are very comprehensive but I can’t help thinking that some videos are a bit young for upper KS2.

MuseClass Primary is a wide-ranging platform with resources that, with careful planning, can usefully be included in your curriculum. A year’s subscription is £169 + VAT.