Learning map

The Mountbatten Brass Ops team understands the importance of music in education and supports the ongoing research in how music can positively effect the brain and increase social mobility, especially in the early developmental stages of young people.

To ensure that our Brass Ops students can fully engage, achieve and enjoy the learning experiences , The Mountbatten Brass Ops team have designed a learning map to enable students to keep track of their progress.

Throughout this scheme of work, we will be establishing a variety of skills related to learning a musical instrument to build a strong foundation to the students' musical understanding. These skills include the appreciation of music, an understanding of rhythm & pitch, developing a facility to improvise and create music, developing music literacy and performance skills. These skills in turn help us develop our presentation, confidence, sense of well-being and overall musicality; this is something we strongly believe to provide positive outcomes and we hope you do too!

Here is a skills map of the journey you can follow to track your progress on your path of musical discovery.

Weeks 1-5

2 notes Trumpet - C,G Trombone - Bb,F

  • Routines and setting up the instrument, stance, posture, buzzing, first 2 notes
  • Dalcroze/feeling the beat
  • Rhythm reading (bronze/silver)
  • Musical Skills - 'Copy Cat'
  • Pieces - (All About The Brass), Funky Monkey/Robot Rock


Week 6-10

4 notes Trumpet - C,E,F,G Trombone - Bb,D,Eb,F

  • Staff wars/Clefs/Stave
  • Rhythm reading (gold)
  • Music Literacy - bronze L1-5
  • Musical Skills - Call and response
  • Pieces - Fanfares, Food Blues, Jingle Bells


Week 11-15

5 notes Trumpet - C,D,Eb,E,F,G Trombone - Bb,C,Db, D,Eb,F

  • Rhythm reading Bronze, Silver, Gold & platinum
  • Music Literacy - 'Bronze', Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had A Little Lamb
  • Musical Skills - Improvisation, Call and response, 'Copy Cat', Learning 'Heads'
  • Pieces - Spider-man/Food Blues/C Jam Blues


Weeks 16-20

6 notes Trumpet - Bb,C,D,Eb,E,F,G Trombone - Ab, Bb,C,Db, D,Eb,F

  • Music Literacy to Silver Standard
  • Musical Skills - Music Literacy - Reading pieces - 'Oh When The Saints', 'London Bridge'
  • Pieces - Groove 13/Uptown Funk/Oye Come Va


Weeks 21-25

7 notes Trumpet - Bb,C,D,Eb,E,F,G,A & Trombone - Ab, Bb,C,Db, D,Eb,F,G

  • Music Literacy to Silver/Gold Standard
  • Exploring the use of Major Pentatonics
  • Performance Songs - Smoke On The Water


Weeks 26-30

9 notes Trumpet - Bb,C,D,Eb,E,F,G,A,C Trombone - Ab, Bb,C,Db, D,Eb,F,G,Bb

  • Further developing sight reading and playing basic rhythmic notation, developing to 1 Octave + in range and exploring the use of minor pentatonic.
  • Further developing our performance skills through more pieces, choreography and improvisation.


Final Performances for the year Dates TBC,

Many thanks The Mountbatten Music Academy