The music history overview workbook I use for RCM.

Music history is easiest to teach when a student can see all of it at once before zooming in. Taught era by era with no connecting thread, the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern periods become four disconnected units to memorise. The overview workbook exists to give students that connecting thread—one organised book that holds the whole subject, so the details always have somewhere to belong.

A walkthrough of the workbook

Rather than describe every page, here is a video that goes through the workbook itself—what is in it and how it is meant to be used. It is the quickest way to see whether it fits how you teach or study.

What is in the workbook

The Music History Overview Workbook covers all four major eras—Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern—in one place, with a clear, organised approach to the key concepts, major composers, and important works of each period. It brings together listening reviews, essay preparation, composer guides, era comparisons, and study games, so a student is not juggling a dozen loose worksheets. It is the paid, all-in-one resource for students preparing for RCM history or any teacher who wants the whole subject in a single book for general music history lessons.

Pair it with era comparison charts

The workbook goes deep; the comparison charts keep the big picture in view. There are a few 'teaser' worksheets currently available for free. Check those out first and see if you find them helpful. These free charts line the eras up side by side—key features, innovations, forms, and where they overlap—so a student can see the shape of music history at a glance. I keep one on the stand while we work through the workbook, so the era we are studying always sits in context.

How I use it in lessons

• As the spine of a history unit. The workbook gives structure to weeks of study, so each lesson adds to one coherent resource rather than another loose sheet.
• Charts on the stand. I keep the relevant comparison chart in view so the era we are on always sits in relation to the others.
• Video for independent learners. Students who like to preview or review on their own can watch the walkthrough and come to the lesson already oriented.
• Essay and listening prep together. Because the workbook bundles listening reviews and essay prep with the content, exam preparation happens alongside learning rather than as a separate scramble.
• Intential Language. I tried to break things down in sections and use similar language so your exam content won't be a surprise. Don't try to just read and memorize. You'll have a hard time recalling the right information during the right section.