Reviews and comments:

 

“I used the upbeat song, Vamonos Amigos, in my Year 5 ukulele Wider Opportunities lesson and, I have to admit, I was pretty nervous about the idea of getting 30 lively 9-10-year-olds to improvise but they absolutely loved it! I found the planning clear and helpful. I personally adapted it to work with my class but I believe that it would be just as successful delivered exactly as prescribed in the suggestions. The song was immediately popular and the performance track got them dancing; always a good sign… We were able to have an in-depth conversation about improvising and I found that even those who were not keen on it in the first week were enthusiastically joining in by Lesson 2, trying out new techniques and commenting on and complementing each other’s efforts…my students and I have enjoyed the experience of using In the Gap! and it has given me the confidence to experiment with improvisation more in my planning.”

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Finn Ros, Primary School Teacher, London.

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“A well thought out, beautifully designed book full of catchy songs to engage children.

The songs are a mixture of genres to help introduce children to different styles and the teacher advice given with each song is very useful.

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In the Gap! reflects the new national curriculum stated purpose of study aims; children can learn to sing songs, chants and rhymes and the concert and Bb scores will help children learning to play on tuned instruments. The lead sheet and rhythm scores allow for ensemble practice and for children to learn to play group or solo improvisations with clear guidance for success.

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This is a real opportunity for children to go further than just learning about music; they can become real musicians and have opportunities to perform.”

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Ellie, Year 2 Teacher, Sheffield.

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“In the Gap! is a great resource for teachers looking to get their younger students involved in the world of improvisation in a fun and engaging way. The pieces are well thought out in terms of their playability across different instruments. I’m enjoying working through the book with my younger students.”

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Matt Anderson, Peripatetic Teacher, London.

 

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Delegate feedback from a workshop session for Derbyshire Music Education Hub:

“Very enjoyable”

“Very good – I will buy and use this book in both individual teaching and wider opps”

“Easy to follow and encouraging. Musically enjoyable”

“Great material”

“Some great ideas from a lovely resource”

“Top notch – really well orchestrated”

“Very useful; bought the resource”

 

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“If my music teacher had used this approach to  music, rather than just making me do exams, I would still be playing now. The book and CD make music fun…The CD brings the tunes alive, making you want to get started and play along. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants their students to have more fun and enjoy playing music.”

 

Helen Matthews, Sheffield.

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“As a manager of a Music Hub (UK), it is an utter delight to write a review of this fabulous book…I wanted to support this independent publication as there is a gap in the market for such highly considered, improvisational materials.

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This book could be used in so many settings – whole class ensemble teaching (for example, 30 Y5 clarinets), continuation from whole class ensemble teaching, small group settings, in a music curriculum lesson (primary/SEN), for cross curricular or phase projects including dance and art, one to one music lessons, holiday courses, singing assemblies and performances.

There are such opportunities for differentiation that I would use this book for concerts that involve a range of ages and abilities. You do not need to be a music specialist to use this resource.

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CPD. From an organisatonal point of view, this resource would be very beneficial to develop a network of improvisers – it has supported our Jazz Holiday Courses. Some of our Music Leaders use this material to encourage improvising in schools, whether that is coming from a starter level or simply looking for new materials.

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If only I had had this as a child, vocal improvisation would have been part of my musical diet! If you feel the world would benefit from more individuals who can adapt, listen, create, explore, celebrate and welcome new opportunities with a fun flavour…£15, done!”

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Colette Dutot, Music Hub Manager.