On the 23rd of October, 2008, more than 350,000 school students from over 1,600 schools around Australia, joined by Federal Arts Minister Peter Garrett, Australian Idol's John Foreman and 2,000 ACT kids at Parliament House, sang the same song at the same time to highlight the importance of music education in our schools. Thanks to everyone who played their part in Australia's biggest ever simultaneous school music performance - singers and instrumentalists all!
Music. Count Us In
From tiny rural schools to big city schools, ‘Music. Count Us In’ gives principals, teachers, parents and students a focal point for discussions about the value of music in our schools - and an opportunity to collectively, loudly, celebrate it and make the call for more. Last year, the initiative involved more than 200,000 kids from over 850 schools. The number of schools participating in 2008 almost doubled.
The 2008 song, called 'Sing', is a joyous, upbeat song composed by four Victorian high school students in a songwriting workshop led by John Foreman (MD, Australian Idol). Kate Ceberano lent her incredible voice to recording the song with John. Instrumental scores and charts were developed for almost every conceivable school music situation - choirs, orchestras, even ukulele groups! - and students around Australia have been practising hard in the lead up to the October 23rd culminating performance.
More help for primary school teachers
This year there was an expanded professional development element to 'Music. Count Us In', which was delivered in each State and Territory to help get even more schools involved. It was designed for primary school teachers with little musical training who want some extra help in learning the song, teaching it to their students and generally feel like they could do with some confidence-building around classroom music.
Why is ‘Music. Count Us In’ important?
The idea for 'Music Count Us In' came from the National Music Workshop held in 2006 and was a response to the first recommendation of the National Review of School Music Education: that the status and value placed on school music education needed to be raised much higher in Australian schools.
"The conclusion of the research undertaken by the National Review of School Music Education is that music in schools has been diminished – there has been decreased systemic and school attention to music; music has suffered a loss of identity and status; participation in music in schools has decreased; and, consequently, perceptions of the status of music in schools have suffered.
The solution to this situation is to give increased attention to music in schools; focus on quality (as identified by the work of the Review); build and re-build the place of music in the school curriculum; and, as a result, raise the status of music in schools.'
National Review into School Music Education, 2005
Department of Education, Science and Training.
• Read the full report here
Note: The views expressed here are those of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government.
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