Over the last few years Sing Up has been developing its instrumental teaching resources and now offers a series of outstanding instrumental units for classroom percussion, ukulele and, most recently, recorder.
As part of their next steps, Sing Up would like to invite external collaborators to help develop an area on their website dedicated to teaching whole class violin and keyboard.
Using existing Sing Up Song Bank songs (and pieces), they’re looking for someone to:
- Curate playlists of Song Bank repertoire suitable for teaching violin and keyboard in classroom instrumental learning (CIL, formerly WCET).
- Write fun, flexible, practical and creative sample activities using the repertoire in the curated playlists (Sing Up’s songs, and interactive whiteboard) for use in CIL lessons.
- Create essential advice around using the instrument, within a whole class setting, for example setting up the classroom for playing, general playing advice and considerations. (See the following resource: Play recorder | Resource management | Sing Up)
- Outline approaches and ideas – using Sing Up songs as the springboard – for engaging young people in developing their musicianship and creativity, for instance through singing, body percussion, games, composing, and in combination with each instrument (violin/keyboard).
- Select examples of inspiring videos freely available online (e.g. via YouTube) for children and young people to watch that will amplify their interest in learning the instrument and across a range of styles.
- Contribute ideas for additional resources to create within this resource, or to incorporate instrumental teaching into Sing Up’s future material, including suggestions of gaps in repertoire.
These resources aim to help whole class groups of beginner players to progress their learning on violin or keyboard, from first steps through to playing as part of a group.
Users of these teaching materials will be other music specialists/instrumental specialists, with varying levels of experience teaching children in a whole class context, or where violin/keyboard might not be their main instrument. This needs to be something that is borne in mind.
File delivery
Files for different song resource elements should be delivered in the following formats, for each instrument:
- Text – a playlist of Song Bank repertoire to use within CIL (formerly WCET).
- Text – sample activities accompanying the material in the playlist.
- Text – essential advice/resource management for using the instrument in CIL (formerly WCET).
- Text – outline of approaches and ideas for developing musicianship.
- Text – a list of links (e.g. YouTube) of inspirational videos to include within teaching.
- Additional ideas for resources we’ll need to create e.g. printable resources like a fingering chart.
Please note this work does not include the creation of scored arrangements (or parts) of their repertoire, or the creation of new video.
About you
This work will involve curating, creating and writing guidance that will be published on the Sing Up website in the summer of 2025. With this in mind, they’re looking for two dynamic teachers with expertise in teaching violin or keyboard – one of each – with these qualities, skills and experience:
You are:
- A passionate advocate of playing the violin or the keyboard.
- An inventive, creative, and inspiring classroom practitioner.
- Open to new ideas and approaches to teaching.
- A skilled player, experienced in a range of musical styles.
- Experienced in delivering whole class music lessons using either violin or keyboard and familiar with including warm-ups, singing, body percussion etc. into your lessons.
- Familiar with different pedagogies.
- Understanding of the issues relating to equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism practice, reflecting this in your teaching.
You must also:
- Be familiar with the challenges of teaching music in the context of mainstream schools – primary/secondary or both.
- Be able to create engaging content for other music teachers/ hub tutors to follow.
- Be able to deliver work on time.
- Have excellent communication skills and attention to detail.
- Be available to work to the schedule outlined below.
Submit your interest in this work
If this is you, then please get in touch* with hubs@singup.org by MONDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2025 telling them:
- A bit about yourself and your experience of teaching violin or keyboard.
- Outline your approach/philosophy of teaching music.
- Describe a typical lesson. What do you try and achieve? What types of activity would you typically include and why?
- Confirm that you can follow the publishing timeline outlined below.
*Sing Up wants to be as inclusive as possible so encourage you to send this information in a manner that benefits your communication style i.e. send written text or record a video/audio with your information as outlined above.
Please join the Sing Up team for a chat at one of the following times:
Morning sessions: 9:00-9:45 Tuesday 11th Feb, Thursday 13th Feb, Monday 17th Feb, Friday 21st Feb
Meeting ID: 317 002 474 013
Passcode: ag2AV3fi
Twilight sessions: 16:00-16:45 Monday 10th Feb, Wednesday 12th Feb, Friday 14th Feb, Friday 21st Feb
Meeting ID: 386 977 728 630
Passcode: eW6cx3t5
A final decision will be made by TUESDAY 11 MARCH.
Deadlines
The following deadlines should be considered as the latest possible date elements should be delivered/signed off – resources can be completed and delivered earlier where that is possible.
| Deadline | Activity Deadline | Estimated time required |
| Friday 17 February | Expression of interest | < hour |
| Add various dates | Chat with us about the role | < hour |
| Tuesday 11 March | Final selection | n/a Sing Up |
| Friday 4 April | First draft delivery | 4 days |
| Friday 11 April | Sing Up feedback | n/a Sing Up |
| Monday 28 April | Second draft delivery | 2 days |
| Friday 2 May | Sing Up feedback | n/a Sing Up |
| Friday 9 May | Third draft delivery | 0.5 day |
| Friday 23 May | Edited resource text | n/a Sing Up |
| Monday 12 – Friday 23 May | Available for queries during editing phase, which might require some small rewrites | 0.5 day |
| Friday 13 June | Designed resource creation/ Proofing of webpage text | n/a Sing Up |
| Friday 27 June | Proofing of any designed resource | n/a Sing Up |
| Friday 4 July | Webpage creation | n/a Sing Up |
| Monday 7 July | Publication | n/a Sing Up |
Fees
Total fee: £1,750.00 per instrument.