Maestro 2nd edition

Maestro 2nd edition

The only package fully aligned with the updated JC Music Specification and Assessment Guidelines (December 2025)

The market-leading Maestro , tried and tested in classrooms around the country, has been revised and updated based on teacher feedback, recent exam papers and the 2025 updated JC Music Specification and Assessment Guidelines.

Much-loved features and approaches have been retained and upgraded with:
NEW end-of-unit Exam Focus sections featuring exam questions with annotated sample answers and exam-style practice questions plus comprehensive Exam Guide and CBA advice
NEW end-of-unit Composition Projects in the revised Composition Portfolio, which allow students to further develop and display their learning and prepare for CBA 1 9
a NEW write-in Music Skills Book packed with extra activities based on recent exam papers, offering students a greater variety of assessment opportunities
an ENHANCED digital offering including the Maestro app, interactive PowerPoints and instructional videos.

Textbook

Maestro 2nd edition follows a spiral approach, where students meet and revist Learning Outcomes on an ongoing basis. Clear, simply language is used throughout to cater for students of all abilities.

Prelude activities get students thinking about the chapter topic

Tracks and Links clearly marked to indicate audio available on the app or online

Composition Portfolio tasks clearly marked

Programme notes and composing tasks help prepare students for their CBAs

End-of-unit Exam Focus sections give an exam question and sample answer from past papers

End-of-unit Composition Project

Composition Portfolio

Provides a place where students can:

create and store original compositions based on a range of stimuli

draft and redraft material for their compositions as recommended in the new specification

prepare for the CBA 1 in a carefully scaffolded way

reflect on their work and development as composers

reflect on their use of the Junior Cycle Key Skills

An end-of-unit Composition Project allows students to further develop and display their learning and prepare for CBA 1.

Digital Resources

Maestro comes with an enhanced complimentary digital offering that provides engaging and interactive content to enhance the teaching and learning experience.

The Maestro app comes packed with over 200 musical examples from many genres for use in activities and to illustrate different aspects of music theory. Available on- and offline across major operating systems.

Enhanced ebook to play all tracks

Editable planning documents and CBA reflection templates

Editable PowerPoints for each chapter

Interactive PowerPoints, including quizzes and embedded audio, for further learning on specific topics

Key Terms quizzes

Instructional videos from the author providing clear guidance on topics such as inputting sounds on GarageBand, adding lyrics and dynamics on MuseScore and Flat.io, tuning a ukulele and much more!

Teacher’s Resource Book