Music education is a vital part of early childhood development. Historically, music was an integrated art form encompassing melody, poetry, and dance (Stamou, 2002). While these elements began to diverge around the fifth century BCE, music's power to shape human experience has persisted. Plato (428-347 BCE), for instance, believed that rhythm and harmony could profoundly influence the soul.

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Piano lessons have been a mainstay of extracurricular education since the late 19th century. Fisher notes the prevalence of teaching within the musical profession, seeing that while some musicians become conductors or hold positions as organists and choirmasters, a vast majority also teach.

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Doctor Sally Cathcart, in "The Social History of Piano Teaching" (2025), documents a rise in unqualified piano teachers during this period, charging low fees, sometimes as little as 3d (equivalent to £1.21 today). Lessons were often haphazard, relying on a collection of tutor books and technical exercises. John Curwen, in his teaching manual (2025), advocated for a progressive approach, suggesting that easier material should be studied first, followed by new concepts that build upon earlier learning. However, as Doctor Cathcart points out, any tutor books, and indeed teachers, often disregarded this principle, with notable exceptions. Mrs. Curwen even lamented the errors present in introductory lessons focusing on notation and rhythm. This low standard of piano teaching and poor-quality materials contributed to a low standard of piano playing and musicality. The next development of graded examinations and exam boards created a uniquely British system that provided structure, accountability, and standardized expectations.

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While haphazard lessons may suit some students, and a one-size-fits-all tutor book approach may work for others, a music teacher who actively engages in continuous professional development and tailors their teaching to the individual student's needs offers a flexible, yet structured, learning experience. An interconnected program using a multitude of methods aligns with the principles of Rhizomatic learning (Crozier, 2011). Rhizomatic learning is a way of thinking about learning based on ideas described by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari in a thousand plateaus.

 

Learning that is rhizomatic in nature is based on the ideas of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, which they explored in their work "A Thousand Plateaus." (Deleuze, 2025) In his blog, "Building a Better Rhizome" (2011), Crozier explores the question of "Why do we teach?" suggesting that the goal is for the student to surpass the teacher's knowledge. He argues that a fixed curriculum can encourage passivity, while teachers should instead create a context for student learning, fostering "not a series of remembered ideas, reproduced for testing, and quickly forgotten, but something flexible that is already integrated with the other things a learner knows."

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This concept of lessons as a map inspired the development of the Triquetrae Music Programmes. Each level is envisioned as a field where students can explore, discover, and engage with various aspects of music. Within the Elementary program, each section provides a small map for that area. The path taken is a collaborative decision between the teacher (guide) and the student (explorer). Certain elements, such as producing a sound or understanding concepts like notes, duration, and tempo, are essential, just as a traveller knows not to pick certain flowers or swim in dangerous waters. Other aspects can be explored in different sequences. This approach marks the beginning of an adventure in music.

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The Triquetrae Programme

 

This guide introduces the Triquetrae Elementary Programme, a novel approach to music education designed for young children. The program is built upon seven core components—Find, Create, Grow, Develop, Achieve, Explore, and Build—each targeting specific aspects of musical skill development. These components are further divided into sub-skills, such as articulation, composition, and listening, and are supported by suggested activities and materials. Structured across four progressive levels, the Triquetrae program aims to foster integrated musical growth and engagement.

 

The Triquetrae Music Programme is adaptable to both one-to-one tuition and classroom settings. TQ worksheets can be used in either context, the framework incorporates differentiation for diverse learning needs. Worksheets are categorised into five skill levels (suited for "all," "many," "most," "some," and "few" students), allowing educators to select components from each zone to meet the specific requirements of their students in each session.

 

The core resources for each zone have all the necessary materials for that area. Each zone is organized into twelve rows, breaking down each concept into small, manageable steps to ensure thorough understanding. While some students may grasp concepts quickly and not require every step or activity, others may receive help from a more comprehensive approach. This structure helps differentiation, enabling educators to select materials based on individual student needs within the Achieve Zone and other relevant areas. Materials are selected from each of the seven zones to best support student learning, with a primary skill named for each row, while recognizing the presence and development of other sub-skills.

 

The seven zones are intentionally arranged in the order of sharps in the key signature. This provides a clear educational framework for the presented information. It is important to note, however, that this arrangement does not dictate a rigid teaching sequence. The zones are interconnected, functioning much like the hexagonal cells of a honeycomb, allowing for flexible and integrated learning experiences.​​​