MUSICAL FUTURES

Musical Futures is a Paul Hamlyn Foundation special initiative, established in 2003 to create innovative models of learner engagement with music, particularly in secondary schools. At its core, Musical Futures has a series of tried-and-tested pedagogical methods that have been proven to fully engage, motivate, and sustain student learning in music. The methods involve drawing on the real-life learning practices of popular musicians and community musicians as a means of engaging students in highly authentic, inspirational music participation, and bridge the gap that often exists between in- and out-of school experience of music. Musical Futures is a movement driven by teachers for teachers – it represents a global network of music educators committed to developing and sustaining innovation in music education.

It has spread from the ground-up, and while there is no sign-up process it is known to operate in approximately 1,700 schools in the UK, as well in schools overseas, particularly Canada, Australia and Singapore. Musical Futures’ output is free teacher professional development, resource production, curating an active online community of over 3,500 music educators that among other things have weekly ‘live chats’ on Twitter (#mufuchat @musicalfutures), and regional and national support and consultancy. Musical Futures has recently launched a free, fully interactive magazine-style App, which has been developed to support and enhance music educators’ classroom practice and encourage reflection and debate. Download Musical Futures The App.