Flat Cap Brass have recorded a few Christmas songs to try and bring some cheer to the festive season, with arrangements by James. Head over to our YouTube channel or Facebook page to see them as they appear!

New track from RVEL Music

I had a great time running a course on ‘Teaching A Level Music Technology for the First Time’ via Zoom on Monday. The programme was below. Please do get in touch for any bespoke training I might be able to help with, either online or in person.

This NEW course is designed to support new music technology teachers and experienced music teachers in delivering high quality teaching and learning for Pearson/Edexcel A Level Music Technology. Led by our highly respected presenter and experienced examiner, James Reevell, the programme will take delegates through the most important aspects of each assessment component including the demands of the Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) and written examinations, with a particular focus on strategies for exam success.

The course aims to develop strategies for successful planning and preparation to ensure strong outcomes for students, what examiners are looking for in assessing each component based on feedback from previous exam series, along with chance to consider and discuss the logistics and day-to-day running of the course. The day is designed to balance breadth with depth, ensuring take home strategies and resources to support you.

BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Find out about the standard and depth of knowledge and skills students need for exam success in A Level Music Technology
• Listen to strong student work and find out what examiners need to see and hear when assessing recordings and compositions.
• Be assured of knowing the exam standard and level of what counts as outstanding work in each component
• Explore how to integrate non-examined assessment work and theory to ensure students develop their skills in application and evaluation for exam success
• Focus on extended response questions and what the examiner is looking for to award top marks

New music currently released as RVEL on Spotify, SoundCloud and Apple Music.

James will be presenting online for Keynote Educational on 23rd June 2020.

This course will demonstrate how to guide your best students to achieve Grades A and A* in future Pearson/ Edexcel A Level Music Technology examinations.  The course will demonstrate exam-focused teaching and learning ideas for all components which will stretch and challenge able students and develop their higher level skills.

With feedback from an experienced examiner, this course will outline what is expected of high ability students and explore ways to build your teaching practice around this, and in order to secure those sought after A/A* grades for your most able students.

BENEFITS OF ATTENDING

• Focused on identifying the demands of the grades A and A* and providing strategies and materials to help teachers prepare students effectively
• A detailed look at the different demands of assessment and questions across the components and papers, linked to the challenges student aiming for higher grades face
• Take away effective methods to develop students’ critical listening, comparison and evaluation skills for the written papers to maximise the credit they achieve in the exam
• Take away approaches to aim for full marks in students’ non-examined assessment work

For more details and to book, head over to https://www.keynoteeducational.co.uk/tours/a-level-music-technology-aiming-for-grades-a-a/. You will receive a 10% discount if you book using code Keynote14.

James is running a course with JMC INSET on 1st and 3rd July 2020. It will be delivered online, details are below:

• James is presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides and activities
• Opportunities for delegate questions and comments
• A short task between the two sessions
• A copy of the slides will be made available after the course, along with further materials

This is a one day course split over Wednesday 1st and Friday 3rd July, sessions will be 3pm to 5.30pm on both days. It will consider the following key questions:

• How can we adapt our teaching to address the skills and content in the new 2017 Music Technology A Level specification
• What are the new demands on students?
• How do we develop our students’ skills in comparison and evaluation?
• Are your students able to demonstrate their AO4 higher level thinking skills to address the extended response questions on Components 3 and 4?
• How can you design your scheme of work to develop students’ holistic and synoptic skills in the subject?

This course is designed for teachers of Music Technology who are looking to get to grips with the new A Level specification, consider how to most effectively prepare their students for the exams whilst also topping up their own subject knowledge. It will explore new teaching approaches to develop students’ AO4 skills, technical numeracy and to achieve highly on their non examined assessment work. It will also consider the challenges and opportunities associated with the linear exams and how best to handle the content.

For more details and to book, please visit http://networkforlearning.org.uk/courses/2020-07-01/music-a-level-01-july-2020

Head over to Spotify to hear Flat Cap Brass’s first EP featuring The Killers, S Club 7 and Wheatus covers!

Here’s a preview!

Our music is also available on our SoundCloud page at https://soundcloud.com/flatcapbrass

After contributing to the original edition a few years ago, James has recently been asked to contribute to the revisions to the GCSE Music 9-1 for AQA Revision Guide for CGP.

He has written chapters based on the analysis of the set works for Paul Simon (Graceland) and for the music Little Shop of Horrors.

 

James has just finished recording the music and editing the video to publicise Flat Cap Brass’s new wedding packages.

Flat Cap Brass are happy to offer our services for weddings. Our aim is to make your wedding day music as memorable as your wedding day! Our standard wedding package is for 2 x 45 minute sets with a six piece band of 2 x trumpet, saxophone, trombone, sousaphone and kit. Included in the price is an arrangement of the song you have picked for your first dance. If you wish to have a larger band, additional horns/percussion are available on request, just get in touch. We also can offer a DJ service for weddings for before/in between and after our sets. Call us to discuss this. This service finishes at midnight (additional hours are available by negotiation). Our full set up includes disco lighting and PA. We can also offer other, smaller ensembles made up of our players, from solo saxophone to traditional brass quintet – call us to discuss this.