VOL. 104 NO. 4 CONTENTS

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REGULARS 5 Editorial 6 News 9 Diary 32 Online teaching materials

A preview of April’s resources 34 Column: tech

John Calcott test-drives SoundGym, an audio ear-training online platform 36 Column: health and wellbeing

Should you let children ‘belt out’ songs from their favourite musicals? AOTOS’s Rob Lines shows how to protect their voices without being a spoilsport 37 Column: Musicians' Union

Verity Quarmby describes her journey as both Education Rep and teacher in a music hub in Yorkshire

FEATURES 11 Instrumental teacher education

RBC’s Luan Shaw and Adam Whittaker argue for a cultural shift in the performer vs teacher career debate 14 Climate change education

Sarah Lloyd and Helen Mead give www.musicteachermagazine.co.uk

39 New products: tech

Kate Rounding reveals her top picks for the month 40 Reviews

MT’s reviewers share their verdicts on Abelton Move, a portable music sketchpad; ABRSM’s new Diploma syllabuses; Drumbeatable, the programme for groupdrumming activities; and Paul Harris’s book How to sight-read 47 Quick tips

Nico Bentley on getting the most out of Microsoft O ce in the classroom 48 Q&A

MT meets three members of the National Youth Orchestra who are broadening their horizons through outreach initiatives practical advice for embedding environmental issues in the curriculum 20 Composing in instrumental lessons

Kay Charlton illustrates stimuli for improvisation and composing, and how to notate the results

ASSESSMENT & QUALIFICATIONS 18 Assessment in the lower secondary

Martin Fautley and Anthony Anderson unpack what assessment, attainment and progression mean for KS3 28 Marking graded exams

Three exam boards help MT understand the process behind the marksheet 29 International School of Musicians

MT meets June Fileti to hear how the (newish) exam board is levelling up 30 Rethinking progression

Michael Davidson shares his research into alternative pathways for instrumental teaching in schools

23 Music education ecology

Ally Daubney hails the transforming power of Newham’s Music Enrichment 26 AI in the primary music classroom

Katie Teage shows how AI can support teachers while encouraging creativity

MUSIC TEACHER April 2025 3