Discover how the International School of Geneva have rolled out the MusicFirst Classroom throughout the school with over 1000 students. They use MusicFirst to connect music learning, creativity and technology, giving students the opportunity to make music and develop skills for the future.
The Context
At the International School of Geneva, students arrive with different musical backgrounds and levels of experience, and the school places a strong emphasis on giving every student the opportunity to participate, create and develop as a musician.
The school has embraced technology as an important part of that approach. While hands-on music-making remains central to its teaching, digital tools are increasingly important to the way students learn and develop their skills.
MusicFirst provides the school with a single environment where students can access a range of resources and opportunities for musical learning and creativity.
“The great thing about MusicFirst is that the students with very little experience of music making are able to make music straight away.” John Aram, Head of Arts
The Challenge
Music education needs to work for students with very different starting points.
For students with little previous experience, traditional approaches can sometimes mean that a significant amount of time is spent developing knowledge and technical skills before they have the opportunity to create music for themselves.
The school wanted to encourage students to become active music makers while continuing to develop the essential skills of reading, listening and understanding music.
There was also an opportunity to bring together the growing range of digital resources used within music education. Previously, much of the school's learning relied on physical books, with students working through individual resources over an extended period.
The challenge was to develop a more flexible and connected approach that could support different learners while reflecting the way students engage with technology in their everyday lives.
The Solution
MusicFirst has become an integral part of the school's music provision, giving students and teachers access to a range of resources within one platform. The school makes extensive use of Focus on Sound, while Auralia and Musition are used particularly in the Upper School and to help younger students consolidate their reading and listening skills.
For creativity, Soundtrap has been their DAW of choice offering the students an engaging way in to creativity. Rather than using technology as a replacement for practical music-making, the school uses it alongside hands-on musical experiences. This gives students opportunities to compose, experiment and develop their ideas while continuing to build the core musical skills they need.
MusicFirst’s suite of tools also brings different aspects of music learning together, giving teachers a broader range of resources to use across different ages and levels.
The Impact
MusicFirst has made learning and creativity more immediate and accessible for students. For those with limited musical experience, being able to start creating quickly can be an important first step. Students can experiment with musical ideas and develop confidence alongside their musical knowledge and skills which they may have used Focus on Sound to help with.
Technology has also become a natural part of students' learning environment. MusicFirst is available through the computers around the school as well as their own devices every day, so composing with a DAW or accessing digital learning resources becomes naturally embedded into their workflows rather something separate from the curriculum. This gives students more opportunities to explore music independently.
The school has also benefited from having its digital music resources brought together within one suite on the MusicFirst Classroom platform. Teachers can draw on different tools according to the needs of their students and support learning across different ages and levels.
“The idea of having everything in a suite, everything where it's all together, has been hugely beneficial.” John Aram, Head of Arts.
Looking Ahead
For the International School of Geneva, technology is an increasingly important part of preparing students for the real-world when they leave school, with some looking towards careers in the industry. MusicFirst gives students practical experience of creating music with digital tools while maintaining a strong focus on musicianship and hands-on learning. For some students, this may mean discovering a new way to enjoy music. For others, it could be the beginning of a much deeper musical journey.
“All these things lead on to what might be a future in music.” John Aram, Head of Arts.
Summary
- MusicFirst is integrated into students' everyday learning and creating.
- Focus on Sound, Auralia and Musition support different stages of musical development.
- Digital tools complement the school's emphasis on hands-on music-making.
- A connected suite of resources gives teachers greater flexibility.
- Students develop confidence through creating and experimenting.
- Technology helps prepare students for a future in music.