GBL IS AN APPROACH, NOT A SYSTEM
We do not prescribe a one-size-fits-all method. Instead, we offer programs, resources, and a collaborative professional community to support teachers in implementing GBL in ways that make sense for their classrooms
Our focus is on dialogic, critically reflective practice, as we learn through discussion, experimentation, and refinement. You will find examples of how we have done it, but the goal is not to copy. It is to adapt, experiment, and create a version of GBL that works for you.
MEMBERSHIP INCLUSIONS
Programs & Resources, Weekly Community Q&A (The Weekly Jam), Educator Community (WhatsApp Group), Reading & Research Discussions, & Support for Classroom & Space Development.
100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE
We are confident that engaging with the GBL Community of Practice will positively impact your classroom and professional development. However, if you fully participate in the community by attending at least four Weekly Jams and actively applying GBL, and you do not find it valuable, we will refund your membership fee.
There is no risk. You will either gain a supportive community, proven programs, and practical strategies, or you will get your money back.
YOUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY
Because GBL is context driven, membership is about active participation and professional reflection. We are not here to hand out formulas. Instead, you agree to:
❑ Engage with resources thoughtfully - Take what is useful, adapt what makes sense, and leave what does not.
❑ Reflect on your context - Consider how GBL principles align with your students, school, and resources.
❑ Share and collaborate - Whether it is challenges, successes, or questions, our community thrives on dialogue and exchange.
❑ Maintain a professional and respectful space - This is a group of music educators thinking critically together. We expect open mindedness, professional courtesy, and constructive contributions.
COMMITMENT & PAYMENT
❑ Annual Membership Fee: $600 AUD + GST per year (non-refundable unless covered by the money-back guarantee).
❑ Duration: Membership is valid for 12 months from the date of payment.
❑ Confidentiality: Members agree to keep community discussions and shared resources within the group unless permission is granted otherwise.
WHY GBL WORKS DIFFERENTLY
Unlike rigid professional development programs, GBL is not a course, a training, or a system. It is a space where:
❑ You experiment with what makes sense for your students.
❑ You engage in critical reflection with other educators.
❑ You have access to resources, but you decide how to use them.
Our approach is based on real-world music-making and the idea that great teaching happens when educators take ownership of their pedagogy and adapt ideas in ways that make sense for them.
If this aligns with how you think about teaching music, you are in the right place.
HOW TO JOIN
❑ Fill Out The Form
❑ We’ll review your application to see if you’re a good fit & then send payment information
Once payment is received, you will receive:
❑ Your community invite (WhatsApp group) and access to The Weekly Jam
❑ Full access to GBL teaching programs and resources
❑ Guidance on how to engage with the community
FAQs
-
“It’s All About The Gig”
This phrase was where Dr Brad Fuller and Peter Orenstein landed some time in 2013 as they attempted to distil their experiences as musicians and educators.
They felt the phrase captured how an opportunity to share musical experiences and/or products (gigs) can be such a powerful motivator for musicians to study, create/source, and rehearse music.
Working from this maxim over the last ten years, they have developed an approach called Gig Based Learning (GBL).
GBL is a musically informed, philosophically driven learning design and facilitation process.
It gives teachers tools to provide students with opportunities for active, engaging, real-world music(k)ing with/for an authentic audience.
Building on the integrated learning experiences model - performance, composition, and listening, GBL puts these experiences to work to produce a great gig, contextualising the learning for the student so that it’s ‘just in time’ not ‘just in case’.
The approach aims to remove barriers between teacher and student, artist and technician, art music and popular music, traditional instruments and computer instruments, and more by focussing on using the best tools to tell the story.
The regular turnaround of gigs allows teachers and students to rapidly iterate, as they learn from successes and failures, leading to continually improving instructional design.
They’ve coined GBL to help teachers legitimise active music making in the classroom.
-
Gig Based Learning offers innovative music education consulting services, combining online community learning with physical classroom upgrades. We partner with schools to enhance music programs through state-of-the-art equipment and evidence-based teaching methods.
-
The PPVaT Framework (Pedagogical, Physical, Virtual, and Technological spaces) is a holistic approach to designing reflective and effective music education environments. It begins with pedagogy - the "who" and “why” of music education - then extends to the practicalities of physical environment, digital tools, and technology.
-
Simply book a call with our team to see if you qualify. We just want to make sure the people who join are in fact real classroom music teachers. It’s a high quality group of educators and a highly support community of practice.
ABOUT THE FOUNDERS
Narrabeen based Electric Bassist and Educator Dr Brad Fuller has over 35 years of experience in music and education in almost every setting imaginable. He has shared his work in music education with teachers around the world since the year 2000 in person and as a pioneer of online teacher training. Brad holds a PhD in music education from the University of Sydney, Sydney Conservatorium of Music where he lectures in a range of graduate and post graduate courses. He has begun to establish an international research presence through peer reviewed papers, presentations at international conferences, and a recently published chapter in the Routledge Companion to Creativities in Music Education with Dr James Humberstone FRSA. Brad is also a lecturer in education at the University of Technology, Sydney, a presenter with Teacher Training Australia (TTA), an examiner with the Australian Music Examinations Board, and the co-founder, with Peter Orenstein, of Gig Based Learning.
Pete is a baritone saxophonist in Hot Potato Band (HPB), and co-founder of Gig Based Learning (GBL) with Dr Brad Fuller. In his dual role at HPB, Pete is a Sennheiser endorsed production manager as well as the director of the School Workshops and Concerts Program. At GBL, Pete is community manager of the GBL Community of Practice that champions a shared approach to classroom music pedagogy, programs, resources, and reflection. Previously a high school music teacher, Pete spent 8 years as a full-time music teacher while also juggling touring around the world with HPB. He holds a Bachelor of Music/Education from the University of New South Wales and a Master in Education (Specialisation in Technology) from Macquarie University, reflecting his keen interest in the intersection of music, technology, and education. When he’s not immersed in music, technology, and/or education, Pete embraces the challenge of ultrarunning. He thrives in the exhilarating solitude and discovery of the untamed Aussie bush. Despite his love for touring and performing in new cities, Pete deeply values the stability and comfort of home, always appreciating the chance to return to his family life.