Description

🎵 December Composers – Daily Reading & Listening Activities (KS2–3 Music & Literacy)

Make literacy and music history part of your classroom every day in December!

This ready-to-use December pack introduces pupils to a new composer each day, with short, accessible biographies, high-quality comprehension questions, suggested answers, and QR codes linking directly to listening clips. Perfect for cultural capital, daily literacy routines, music appreciation, and cross-curricular learning.

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✨ What’s Included

✔️ 31 Composer Profiles (1st–31st December)
Clear, 150-word biographies written for ages 8–14.

✔️ 5 Daily Comprehension Questions
Covering retrieval, vocabulary, inference, explanation, and summary.

✔️ Suggested Answers
Ideal for whole-class discussion, peer marking, or quick independent feedback.

✔️ QR Codes for Instant Listening
Direct links to musical examples hosted via MusicOfTheDay.co.uk.

✔️ A Diverse Range of Musical Styles
From Baroque counterpoint to contemporary classical, jazz, film music, and cross-cultural traditions.

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🎯 Benefits for Teachers and Pupils

• Cross-curricular learning across English, Music, and Humanities

• Zero prep required — ready for starters, tutor time, assemblies, or cover

• Builds curiosity by connecting reading with real listening experiences

• Differentiated challenge through varied question types

• Flexible use across independent tasks, homework, group work, or full lessons

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🎼 Featured December Composers

This month’s line-up blends well-known favourites with remarkable composers from diverse cultures and eras:

🎻 Baroque & Classical

• Franz Xaver Richter

• Francesco Scarlatti

• Tarquinio Merula

• Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

• Joseph Bodin de Boismortier

• John Dunstaple

• Joseph Bologne (Chevalier de Saint-Georges)

🎼 Romantic & Late-Romantic

• Hector Berlioz

• Camille Saint-Saëns

• Charles-Émile Waldteufel

• Giacomo Puccini

• Peter Warlock

• George Frederick Bristow

🎵 Modern, 20th Century & Contemporary

• Aaron Copland

• William Grant Still

• Benjamin Britten

• Jean Sibelius

• Glenn Miller

• René Aubry

• Eric Coates

• Victor Hely-Hutchinson

• Amy Marcy Cheney Beach

• Dave Brubeck

• Armando Manzanero Canché

• Julia Wolfe

• Daniel Léo Simpson

• Philip Sparke

• Alex Baranowski

• Jennifer Higdon

🌍 Global Voices & Cultural Heritage

• Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou (Ethiopia)

A rich and varied list to support cultural capital, broaden pupils’ musical horizons, and spark meaningful discussion.

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📚 Curriculum Links

🇬🇧 United Kingdom – National Curriculum

English (KS2 Reading)

• Retrieve and record information

• Understand vocabulary in context

• Make inferences

• Summarise main ideas

Music (KS2/KS3)

• Listen with attention to detail

• Appreciate a wide range of composers

• Understand musical history and context

Cultural Capital
Exposure to significant cultural figures across genres, cultures, and centuries.

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👩‍🏫 Ideas for Classroom Use

• Use as a daily starter throughout December

• Build a composer timeline display that grows each day

• Set as independent comprehension or homework

• Combine with creative writing tasks (diaries, reviews, programme notes)

• Link listening tasks to broader music appreciation or PSHE themes

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🛒 Why Teachers Love This Resource

Teachers save time. Pupils grow in confidence as readers, listeners, and critical thinkers. And every day brings a new opportunity to explore music that stretches far beyond the classroom.

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🎶 Perfect for:

• KS2 & KS3 classroom teachers

• English & Music departments

• Supply teachers

• Homeschool families

• Cross-curricular enrichment projects

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👉 Add December Composers to your basket today and make every day of December an inspiring musical journey!