"Engagement has shot through the roof. Students are focused, motivated, and proud of what they’re creating. There's laughter, excitement, and a real buzz of learning"
Hey everyone,
My name is Krisztina Ujhazy, Head of Music at Concord College International School Malaysia. I wanted to share something exciting I’ve been working on the past year - developing a brand-new whole-school music programme from scratch!
When I was given the opportunity to create a full music curriculum here at Concord, I felt confident about the Primary programme and had a clear vision for IGCSE Music.
But KS3 (Key Stage 3)? That was the tricky one.
Students came in with such a wide range of musical backgrounds - some had learned instruments for years, others had barely touched one. I knew I needed something adaptable, inclusive, and engaging.
Enter The Big Gig Bangkok and Musical Futures. Taking the course with Musical Futures International was a total game-changer. It gave me not just ideas, but also the structure I needed. I walked away with practical strategies, inspiration, and access to a treasure trove of resources that I could instantly put to use in my classroom.
Musical Futures classroom workshopping in action at Krisztina's school in Malaysia.
Why I chose Musical Futures for KS3
What drew me in was how instantly accessible the Musical Futures resources are. The videos are brilliantly scaffolded, students can jump in and play almost right away. Whether it’s keyboard, ukulele, guitar, drums, or bass, there’s something for every learner.
That sense of early success? It does wonders for their confidence.
Here’s what a lesson looks like
I usually kick things off with ukulele chords.
They’re a bit more complex, so I like to get them out of the way early. We move through call-and-response patterns over a backing track, which the students love. Then we explore the same progression on the keyboard, bass and 3-string guitars, which means the lower 3 strings are muted with a piece of sponge for simplification. What a brilliant idea!
The videos show rhythm patterns on one chord, then transition between two or more chords at an increasing speed, slowly building students’ fluency. It’s all paced beautifully - from playing one single chord to full jams. Once they’re ready, we dive into real-song jam sessions using the multi-instrument videos. This is the moment the room lights up - they're making music together and it sounds awesome.
Krisztina jamming at the Big Gig Bangkok 2024
Keep things moving!
One big thing I encourage: instrument swapping during the lesson.
I want students out of their comfort zones. If you started on the ukulele, try the next tasks on the keyboard. It keeps things fresh, and they begin to understand how all the parts fit together.
The results?
Engagement has shot through the roof. Students are focused, motivated, and proud of what they’re creating. There's laughter, excitement, and a real buzz of learning. Honestly, it's made a huge difference, not just musically, but in how students collaborate and support one another.
If you’re building a programme from the ground up, or just looking to reinvigorate your KS3 lessons, I highly recommend exploring what Musical Futures has to offer.
It gave me the framework I needed and opened up a world of musical possibilities for my students.
Let’s keep making music happen, one jam at a time! 
Written by Krisztina Ujhazy
Krisztina Ujhazy is the Head of Music at Concord College International School Malaysia. After years of teaching in the USA, Hungary, and at a top international school in Bangkok, Thailand, she is now leading the development of a whole-school music programme rooted in engagement, inclusivity, and real-world music-making.