Collins Schools

Motivating the Adult and Teen Piano Student: The "Get Set! Couch to Concert Way"

Motivating the Adult and Teen Piano Student: The "Get Set! Couch to Concert Way"

Karen Marshall is a dedicated piano educator who creates accessible music. Widely published, her work includes the popular "<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font:...

5 min

Navigating cultural capital in primary music

Navigating cultural capital in primary music

Most schools in England are aware of the concept of ‘cultural capital’, defined by Ofsted as ‘the essential knowledge pupils need to be educated citizens, introducing them to the best that has been thought and said’. Taking our pupils...

4 min

Nate Holder’s journey to Listen and Celebrate

Nate Holder’s journey to Listen and Celebrate

I’m really excited about Listen &amp; Celebrate, a new book I’ve co-written with Helen MacGregor and published with Collins Music. It’s designed for KS1 and KS2 teachers interested in introducing pupils to music created around the world...

3 min

Demystifying the primary music curriculum

Demystifying the primary music curriculum

There’s a lot going on in music education right now! For primary non-specialist teachers keeping up with all the reports, acronyms and edu-jargon can seem like an overwhelming task. In this blog, we will unpick some of the latest...

5 min

Five tips for home music-making with early years and primary-aged children

Five tips for home music-making with early years and primary-aged children

Are you a parent or teacher who finds themselves responsible for devising or delivering home-based music lessons? Are you looking for advice and ideas for activities? Are you feeling apprehensive at the thought of teaching music, or perhaps you’re just...

6 min

How to teach flute technique – 4. Playing loudly and quietly

How to teach flute technique – 4. Playing loudly and quietly

Here’s the fourth of 6 blog posts aimed at teachers of beginner flute players. This series looks at some common challenges faced by pupils and teachers and breaks them down into simple steps to make teaching technique easy even if...

3 min

How to teach flute technique – 5. Articulation

How to teach flute technique – 5. Articulation

Here’s the fifth of 6 blog posts aimed at teachers of beginner flute players. This series looks at some common challenges faced by pupils and teachers and breaks them down into simple steps to make teaching technique easy even if...

3 min

How to teach flute technique – 1. Embouchure and breathing

How to teach flute technique – 1. Embouchure and breathing

This is the first of 6 blog posts aimed at teachers of beginner flute players.

3 min

How to teach flute technique – 6. Finger work

How to teach flute technique – 6. Finger work

Here’s the last of 6 blog posts aimed at teachers of beginner flute players.  This series looks at some common challenges faced by pupils and teachers and breaks them down into simple steps to make teaching technique easy even if...

4 min

How to teach flute technique – 2. Hand positions

How to teach flute technique – 2. Hand positions

Here’s the second of 6 blog posts aimed at teachers of beginner flute players.  This series looks at some common challenges faced by pupils and teachers and breaks them down into simple steps to make teaching technique easy even if...

2 min

How to teach flute technique – 3. Posture

How to teach flute technique – 3. Posture

With Malcolm Pollock, author of Abracadabra Flute Technique This is the third of 6 blog posts aimed at teachers of beginner flute players.  This series looks at some common...

3 min

Spreading a musical virus

Spreading a musical virus

Karen Marshall, co-author of the Get Set! Piano series and How to Teach Instrumental and Singing Lessons – 100 Inspiring Ideas, shares her advice for encouraging children to teach themselves daily through musical games in the playground. 

2 min