10 May 2011 — $10 million in new funding to support the arts

The Gillard Government has delivered on its election commitment to provide $10 million over five years in new support for young and emerging artists.

This new program provides funding for the creation of new Australian work across all art forms and will assist artists to build more sustainable careers.

Arts Minister Simon Crean said this new grants program will have a strong focus on increasing access to and participation in the arts for those living outside major metropolitan areas.

“The Gillard Government promised greater assistance to new and emerging artists last year and we are delivering with $10 million in new money for the Australia Council,” Mr Crean said.

“The $10 million will fund up to 150 additional artistic works, presentations and fellowships over five years,’’ Mr Crean said.

Finding room for this funding in a Budget that makes substantial savings to return to surplus in 2012/13 shows the strength of the Government’s commitment to support young and emerging artists.

“This significant investment demonstrates the Government’s leadership in encouraging all Australians to have the same opportunities to engage, practise and pursue a career in the arts,” Mr Crean said.

“Access to cultural activity for everyone, whatever their personal circumstances, background or location, is integral to building a society which fosters creativity.

“Building participation in the arts enriches regional communities and enhances the creative output of our nation.  A creative nation is a productive nation,” Minister Crean said.

The program will deliver grants of:

-       up to $80,000 per annum for new artistic works, including visual arts, performing arts, literature, new media and music;

-      up to $50,000 per annum for additional presentations to Australian audiences, including to communities outside the major metropolitan areas; and

-       $60,000 or more for fellowships for Australia’s young and emerging artists and mid-career artists.

Artists developing new content for distribution through the National Broadband Network or showcasing distinctive Australian work overseas may also be supported through this initiative.

The program is also aligned to the Government’s National Arts and Disability Strategy and supports social inclusion by increasing opportunities for Australian artists and audiences that would otherwise not have access to, or significantly reduced access to, funding for arts and cultural activities.

Media contacts

Mr Crean’s office: Clinton Porteous: 02 6277 7380/ 0403 369 588 or Colleen O’Sullivan 0409 282 143

Office for the Arts: 02 6275 9574 or 0488 490 987

When: 13–14 August 2011

Where: ANU North Australia Research Unit, Darwin

Call for Presentations | Due: 30 June 2011

The 10th Symposium on Indigenous Music and Dance is presented by the National Recording Project in association with the Australian National University, and the ARC Discovery Project ‘Intercultural inquiry in a transnational context: Exploring the legacy of the 1948 American–Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land’ hosted by the University of Sydney.

Proposals are invited for presentations of 20–25 minutes that address the broad topic of Indigenous music and dance, or a topic that relates to the aims of the National Recording Project for Indigenous Performance in Australia. We also welcome longer presentations of up to 50 minutes that incorporate performance demonstrations.

Please send your presentation titles, and short abstracts or summaries to Dr Sally Treloyn by Thursday, 30 June 2011.

For Sorry Day (26 May 2011) or for Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June 2011) listen to Black Arm Band’s music on YouTube (www.youtube.com) and discuss the band’s motivation for performing (read on). Listen to Gurrumul Yunupingu’s soulful music (eg. Wiyathul) while doing written work (www.grooveshark.com lets you listen for free).

Black Arm Band has just been asked to perform at the London Olympics in 2012

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/25/3226432.htm

The aim of Black Arm Band (www.blackarmband.com.au) is: “It is a creative meeting place for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal artists and producers to develop, perform, promote and celebrate contemporary Australian Indigenous music as a symbol of resilience and hope in the spirit and action of reconciliation.”

For 3MBS FM’s Radiothon, Classically Kids is pulling out all the stops on 7th May, 2011…

FREE LESSON IDEA: RECORD THE RADIO SHOW TO PLAY BACK TO YOUR STUDENTS

Our special guest  in the studio with us – and our new composer of the month – is French composer Hector Berlioz. Find out what he’s been up to for the last 140 odd years…

There’ll be a quiz to keep everyone on their toes…

Celebrate the birthday of Johannes Brahms…

We look at another AFL club and try to work out where their theme song came from…

And lots more…

Join Classically Kids this Saturday morning for our Radiothon Special, and if you like what we do, keep us on air by becoming a 3MBS subscriber – call 03 9416 1035.

Every subscriber gets a $30 CD voucher from Thomas’ Music and everyone goes in the draw to win a Bernstein Baby Grand, thanks to Bernie’s Music land.

Classically Kids, 3MBS 103.5FM, Saturdays 8am – 9am with Jacqui and Adam.

“A Great Landscape” was a 2008 DVD created by www.vea.com.au and is available via Click View. It discusses Indigenous self-expression through music, focussing on a Hip Hop band.

If you want to show this 36 min video to your class for Reconciliation Week (or any other week), here are some possible questions:

Name a famous Indigenous Australian band – “Yothu   __________________________ ”
Name a famous Indigenous Australian Hip Hop band?    ________________ and the Young ___________________________
Do Indigenous people own their land? If not, then what is the relationship between Indigenous people and the land?
How does music support Indigenous identity?
What do lyrics describe in Indigenous music?
What is empowerment?
Music and song allow indigenous people to share _________________ with a wider community and audience.
Clapping and click sticks are ___________ - phones
Didgeridoos are ____________ - phones
In the past, who was NOT allowed to play didgeridoo, according to sacred law?
Is Indigenous Australian history always written down?
What political issues do contemporary Indigenous artists address?
How can music be used as a means of protest?
What type of band was “No Fixed Address”? Reggae, Folk, Pop or Hip Hop?
When did Archie Roach come to fame, with the song “Took the Children Away”?
During the Sydney 2000 Olympics, what did “Midnight Oil” have written on their costumes? Why?
Who is Shane Howard? 
“Solid Rock” was the first Pop song to feature the didgeridoo. About what were the lyrics written?
What prevents some Indigenous artists from accessing mainstream venues (at times)?
What is CAAMA?

An opportunity for advanced-level music makers from Victorian Government and Independent Secondary Schools to participate with other like-minded young musicians in the ABODA Victoria Honours Band 2011 with conductor, Andrew Mott.  This outstanding ensemble will perform with the ANCA Honours Choir at the Sounds Great Music Educators’ Conference at Melbourne High School.

http://vic.aboda.org.au/node/201

Getting started with Film scoring on your PC
Thursday 9 June

Delve into the exciting world of film scoring using Acid Xpress and explore composing, arranging, recording and editing music, whilst synching sound to visuals.  The session will start by investigating the film scoring process by examining the roles of the music team: composer, editor, orchestrator and copyist.  Using short films, we’ll create our own movie soundtracks by adding sound effects, creating mood music and character themes.  We’ll also learn about hit points/time markers, cues and cue sheets, time code, scrubbing and synching and discuss a step-by-step approach to teaching film composition with your students.  Attendees will leave with a set of resources including lesson plan ideas.
This is a hands-on “bring your own laptop” session using Acid Xpress (free download ahead of session).  Participants without laptops are also welcome to attend.  Suitable for PC users only.

COST
$130.00 (members)
$190.00 (non-members)

TIME
9.30am – 3.30pm

VENUE
Statewide Resources Centre
150 Palmerston Street, Carlton
Melway reference — Map 2B:H6

Booking essential
Lunch is provided

http://amuse.vic.edu.au/2009_PL/katie%20wardrobe.htm

23-29 May 2011

Piano! 2011 – ANAM – Lectures, seminars, masterclasses, recitals

www.anam.com.au

ANCA Victoria is pleased to invite you to the State Choral Festival

‘SING IN THE CITY’ on 16 – 18 September 2011. Registration is now

open for this exciting choral event.

SING IN THE CITY is a unique opportunity for the Choral Community to come

together and do what they do best – SING!

Join us as three of Australia’s legendary choral conductors and two of

our country’s most successful singing teachers share their insights and

talents. This Festival has something for every stage of development of the

choral musician: singers from age 10 to 100, choral conductors, singing

teachers, educators, music students and everyone who enjoys the beauty of

voices raised in song!

You can choose to come as an individual or get your choir to come along;

if you’re a conductor, come and sing or observe rehearsals with a chance

to learn about singing issues from leading teachers. Our three streams will

feature Australian music for Primary students, the best of current

repertoire for Secondary Schools and a complete performance of the Mozart

Requiem in the Community Stream. Repertoire is listed in the brochure.

The Professional Development Stream will offer workshops in breathing,

posture for choirs, a Q&A session with our conductors and a chance to

observe them in action.

• Primary Choir Stream

Conductor: Mark O’Leary (Founder and Director of the Young Voices of

Melbourne)

Venue: VCA School of Music

Cost: $300 per choir or $50 per individual

• Secondary Choir Stream

Conductor: George Torbay (Hailed by The Sydney Morning Herald as ‘one of

Australia’s leading musical lights’)

Venue: St John’s Southgate

Cost: $300 per choir or $50 per individual

• Community Choir Stream

Conductor: Margaret Pride (Music Director for Collegium Symphonic Chorus

Perth WA)

Venue: BMW Edge @ Fed Square

Cost: $300 per choir or $75 per individual

• Professional Development Stream

Presenters: Ron Morris (Speech Pathologist, Audiologist and Counter

Tenor), and Anna Connolly (Senior Lecturer in Voice at the Melbourne Conservatorium of

Music)

Venue: To be advised

Cost: $150 per participant (includes BOTH days)

REGISTRATION & MORE INFORMATION

To download a brochure go to

http://anca.org.au/vic-news-view/sing-in-the-city-209

Online registrations can be made via the link http://tinyurl.com/5szumhe

Registration closes 1 August 2011.

http://www.mca.org.au/research/research-reports/research-reports/16764-strategic-utilisation-of-the-national-broadband-network-to-expand-opportunities-in-music-education

Cultural infusion together with Reservoir Views Primary School will work in partnership on a one year arts project that explores and celebrates the cultural diversity of the school community thanks to Arts Victoria.

A series of artists and artistic personnel from Cultural Infusion will work collaboratively throughout the year with students, teachers and parents at Reservoir Views Primary School in various art-forms (including physical theatre, dancing, song writing/singing, visual art, puppetry and multimedia) with the end result being a performing arts production that will feature at the school’s end of Term 3 Concert.

Components of the production will also feature alongside the work of professional artists at the 2012 Australia Day Concert that is viewed by an audience of over 10,000 people. We will keep you posted as this exciting project progresses.

Australian
Clarinet & Saxophone
Festival

3-6 July, 2011 (Vic)

For further details, please visit: www.clasax.org

International artists: Ao Kun (China), Li Yusheng (China), Charles West (USA), Jeremy W. Reynolds (USA), Noah Getz (USA), Philippe Cuper (France) & Philippe Geiss (France).

Australian artists: Alan Vivian, Andy Firth, Barega Saxophone Quartet, Barry Cockcroft, Christina Leonard, Clarion214, Clarity, Continuum Sax, David Griffiths, David Thomas, Floyd Williams, Heather Monkhouse, Irit Silver, Jabra Latham, James Nightingale, Jess Voigt, Joseph Lallo, Katia Beaugeais, Lawrence Dobell, Margery Smith, Martin Kay, Matthew Styles, Michael Duke, Nicholas Russoniello, Peter Jenkin, Philip Arkinstall, Richard Haynes, Robert Schubert, Ros Dunlop & Sue Newsome.

Register your school in Australia’s biggest music program

Our program song has been recorded and is now up on the website for your listening pleasure. There are already 500 schools registered to take part in this year’s program which will unite more than half a million students in the performance of ‘We’ve Got The Music’ on Thursday, 1^st September at 11.30am. Don’t forget participation in the program is FREE. The audio files, arrangements, lyric sheet and classroom activity kit: it’s all downloadable once you register your school.

So listen to the song, register now and get your school community on board!

Moorambilla Voices and the Moorambilla Festival has won the inaugural NSW State award for excellence for an organisation at the 2011 APRA/AMCOS Australian Music Centre Art Music Awards at a Gala Event held in Sydney.

The event held at the Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay on Tuesday May 3rd honoured winners across nine national categories and seven State awards, spanning performance, composition, outstanding contributions to Australian music by individuals and organisations, music education and regional music. Julian Morrow of ABC TV’s The Chaser hosted the Awards.

In New South Wales, the State Award honoured Excellence by an Organisation – “Over the past five years Moorambilla Voices and the associated festival event held in Coonamble, has given hundreds of children from regional and remote New South Wales the opportunity to take part in the festival and participate in music workshops in their local areas.”

This is truly an extraordinary achievement for such a small arts organization deeply committed to equity and musical excellence whilst serving the most remote communities in NSW.

For more information on the choirs of Moorambilla Voices and the Festival itself visit www.moorambilla.com

Ben Northey is the conductor clinician for a seminar, master class and video workshop for school band directors. We are proud to be able to celebrate Ben’s appointment as Associate Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. This special event is presented by The Grainger Wind Symphony in partnership with the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association (Victoria branch). Ben’s services is provided by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the event is assisted with sponsorship from Allans Music + Billy Hydes.

On Wednesday 8 June, at 5.30pm the public Seminar has Ben talking and answering questions about Exploring the Art of Conducting. At 6.30pm, the full participants have a public Conducting Master Class with Ben as clinician but without piano or any instrumentalists. At 7.30pm finger food is provides free. From 8.30pm each full participant in turn conducts The Grainger Wind Symphony in a public Video Workshop with maestro Northey as clinician.

All three sessions are open to the public. You are all encouraged to come to congratulate Ben for his appointment and learn from his experiences in music and conducting from his youth in Ballarat to his studies at University of Melbourne with John Hopkins and at the Sibelius Academy in Finland.  Entry fee includes membership of the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association (Victoria). Apply to come by the due date so catering can be arranged for you

Full participants will conduct in the one hour Master Class a concert band work of their choice, and conduct the same in front of The Grainger Wind Symphony with about 12 minutes of podium time. There is a strict limit of 8 full participants. The first eight places will go to the suitable applicants who pay their fee first. Applications for full participants will close on Friday 1 June.

The venue is the De Young Performing Arts Centre at Carey Baptist Grammar School, 349 Barkers Road, Kew.

Application form, fees and more information can be download from the GWS website, www.graingerwindsymphony.asn.au.

Community music-making groups are interested in bartering music workshops, tutoring or free tickets in return for reduced / free rent of new BER school halls.

Email    schools.mpfl@mca.org.au    for further information.

If you just taught a brilliant lesson, PLEASE send an email description of what/how you did it! Then we can share your inspiration freely on www.musiceducation.edu.au

THANKS!       schools.mpfl@mca.org.au

http://www.artscareer.com.au/node/6281

Held annually as part of the Alice Springs Desert Festival - and the Alice Springs iNTune Music Conference presented by Music NT - the Bush Bands Bash concert is fast-becoming one of Australia’s pre-eminent emerging Indigenous music showcases.

Successful bands not only have the opportunity to perform their music to a national festival and music industry crowd, they also participate inBush Bands Business.

Bush Bands Business is a  5-day intensive mentoring and professional development program which happens in the lead up to the Concert.

Nationally-renowned arts fund The Seed has also partnered withMusic NT, to provide three mentors from the national music industry to be a part of the 2011 Bush Bands Business program.

Bush Bands Bash is a great opportunity for emerging desert bands to take their music and skills to a new level.

Download the  2011 Application Form, or visit the Bush Bands Business website for more information. Applications close June 3rd, 2011!

Read more about the Bush Bands Bash here and at this link, and view the photo gallery from last year’s Bash on the Music NT Forum.

La Seconda Prattica with Latitude 37

Following on from the success of last year’s workshop on French  Baroque Music, the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, in association with Latitude 37, is excited to present a 3-day winter school focussing on the performance practices of early-17th Century Italy – the turning point that created the baroque period.

Over three days participants will closely examine the repertoire,  treatises and documentation of early-17th Century Italian music performance. Special attention in masterclasses and lectures will be  given to the practice of improvising and interpretation of the score,  focussing on the the implementation of various techniques which are  lacking on the printed score but can be recovered from the many extant  sources of the period.

The members of Latitude 37 are recognised as exceptional performers  of this repertoire and will be joined by two guest artists; bassoonist  Simon Rickard, who will return to discuss the diverse and exotic wealth  of instruments in use in the early 17th Century, and Melbourne  Conservatorium Convenor of Voice, Stephen Grant, as vocal coach.

Dates
Friday 15, Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 July
10:00am – 6:00pm  Friday and Saturday
10:00am – 8:30pm Sunday (inc evening concert)
Enrolments close Friday 8 July

Full program details and enrolment forms: http://www.conservatorium.unimelb.edu.au/programs/short/earlymusic.

www.emiratesmusicaljourney.com

Visit the above website, click on “View Emirates Musical Journey” and show students the animated video clip. It shows cartoons of global cities, which are created out of musical symbols.

Show students a page of musical symbols (or write many symbols on the whiteboard), and ask them to create pictures from musical symbols.

The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music would like to invite your students and their parents to our Focus on Melbourne Conservatorium event.

The evening is an opportunity for students in Year 11 and 12 who are considering tertiary music study to find out about our undergraduate Bachelor of Music. It will be presented by our senior instrumental teachers and academics who will be able to provide important information about course content, specialisations, performance opportunities and auditions.

The event will be held from 7:00 until 8.30pm on Wednesday 8 June at Melba Hall, Royal Parade, University of Melbourne, Parkville.

To register please visit: http://futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/explore/events/archive/victoria/focus_on_music

http://www.generationsinjazz.com.au/

Music, Competitions and James Morrison – in South Australia

http://grooveshark.com/

A free service (blocked to many students, but usually available to teachers) whereby you can listen to and playlist thousands of songs for free, while you are online.

Download is not possible (nor would it be ethical!).

Not a complete repertoire as yet – for instance you won’t find music of the recent Royal Wedding, or anything from the “Black Arm Band”.

You WILL find many indigenous / Aboriginal artists on GrooveShark: Gurrumul Yunupingu, Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, didgeridoo music, “Rough Guide to Australia Aboriginal Music”, Saltwater Band, Yothu Yindi …

Indigenous Musicians get to POP!

Thanks to funding received through Arts Victoria’s Community Partnerships, Cultural Infusion is proud to present I.P.O.P. (Indigenous People Out Performing). An exciting new initiative for Melbourne’s emerging Indigenous musicians there will be three sets of workshops delivered during this year focusing on exciting public outcomes.

Up and coming Indigenous musicians who are selected for the program will be given a special opportunity to explore their creative ideas and develop them into polished, recordable tracks. Participants are encouraged to make the most of the free recording sessions and performance opportunities, where they will be able to showcase their song to a wider audience. Guiding them through musical elements ranging from song writing, music production to performance skills is acclaimed Indigenous musician, Joe Geia.

Joe Geia is a renowned singer-songwriter who composed the iconic album Yil Lull from which songs have been re-recorded by the likes of Paul Kelly, Archie Roach and Jimmy Barnes. Hailing from North Queensland, Geia is of Murri Aboriginal heritage. His first album Yil Lull, released in 1988, received widespread critical acclaim and speaks volumes on our national identity.

Places in these workshop series are based on the merit of applicants. Applications are still open for the next series of workshops starting Tuesday 17th May 2011 from 6pm – 8pm. These workshops are running with the support of The Gathering Place in Maribrynong and will be delivered at the phoenix youth Centre in Footscray with the final performance being part of the Indigenous Youth Forum at The Gathering Place on the 24th June.

For more information and an application form please:
Email: info@culturalinfusion.org.au

A team of Music staff at Carey Baptist Grammar School, Junior School Kew, is conducting a review of our music instrumental report format.

We are seeking expressions of interest from schools that have developed an effective instrumental reporting template. We would appreciate any relevant material that you feel may contribute to our review process, such as rubrics, templates or other assessment tools. We are particularly interested in designing a format which caters for beginner, intermediate and advanced Junior School students (P-6). We are happy to share the results of this project with all interested schools.

Please email Pauline Thomson, Coordinator of Orchestral Strings, Carey Grammar, Kew, by Friday 20th May.
pauline.thomson@carey.com.au

The Jacam Manricks Quartet (New York and Aus) in Masterclass is on this Monday the 30th of May starting at 6pm.

If you have any BASS, DRUMS, PIANO and SAXOPHONE students who might be interested in playing jazz and traveling the world for gigs and study, or you yourself would be interested, this is an evening not to be missed!

The masterclasses will not only be a source of great information but also of great inspiration, as some of the finest players in the world take the stage to explain and demonstrate how they do what they do, give you some food for thought, tips on practice & playing and wow you with their musicianship and skill.

There are still some spots available so please email Nick Wilkins to book your place

More details can be found on www.wilkomusic.com

Community Music SA has invited MiCN to host a meeting in McLaren Vale. Along with Pat Rix (founder and artistic director of Tutti Ensemble and winner of 2008 MiCN Awards) MiCN mentors will present on a range of music leadership topics including music and wellbeing.

Email: tony.micn@mca.org.au

June 25th, 2011 from 10.30am

McLaren Vale, South Australia

http://musicincommunities.org.au/register/coming-events/mclaren-vale

Dandenong Ranges Music Council Choral Directors’ Workshop with Rhonda Davidson-Irwin
Date:           Wednesday 27 July 2011.  09.30am Registration – 03.00pm
Venue:  Dandenong Ranges Music Council, Upwey High School
1451 Burwood Hwy, Upwey  3158
Cost:           $35 includes lunch
Bookings:       Karen Noonan Karen@drmc.org.au ph 9754 6566

The Kidzsongs Professional Development Conductor Workshop is open to all musical directors, music teachers and conductors.

You do not have to have a choir to attend. You may be interested in the project or conduct a community choir and feel you need more information, experience or confidence.  The session will involve: Warm up techniques, repertoire choices for your choir, choralography, conducting technique, voice training, choir management, massed item repertoire, hints and tips in teaching repertoire.

The Sydney Symphony, in association with Credit Suisse would like to extend a special invitation to schools to attend

Lang Lang Piano Masterclass
Thursday 9 June, 2011 5:30 p.m.
Sydney Opera House , Concert Hall

Experience and learn from the phenomenal and prodigious Lang Lang as he guides three talented young musicians during this one hour master class.

Information

Ideal for young pianists and elective music students.

www.lenmus.org

LenMus is a FREE music education software that you can use to practice your music reading skills, improve your aural recognition abilities, or just learn the fundamental principles of music theory and language. It also includes a score editor, so you can write your own basic scores.

This software is already installed on NSW DET DERvices (little student laptops).

Introductory Keyboard Lesson for Middle School

Turn off the keyboards, and explain how to make a chord – play one, miss one, play one, miss one, play one. If a scale is like flowing water, then a chord is a block of ice!

Write up the chord progressions for The Beatles’ song “Let It Be” (which uses only C major, F major, G major and A minor).

Ask students to create chords (sound off!) with one or two hands. The teacher moves around the room, asking students to make the chords of C, F, G and A minor (explaining that the right hand thumb goes on the chord’s name) after which each student (int turn) may turn on the power and practise making chords (out loud this time).

Work through the chords of “Let It Be” as a class of keyboards, with the teacher singing (calling out chords) & playing piano / guitar to accompany.

Ask students to look for patterns in the chord progressions (ie. repeated lines and the fact that every phrases moves to G major in the 2nd chord), then memorise the song chords. Ask for a small group of students to test out their memory and play the whole song as a small ensemble.

To end the lesson, students might have a few free minutes to create their own chord progressions.

ENJOY!

www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/printerfriendlyonebeat.html

The inaugural Melbourne Conservatorium Guitar Day is open to secondary school students.

Featuring:

• masterclass opportunities
• ensemble practice
• tuition from staff and top students from the Conservatorium
• a special workshop on Brazilian guitar music
• the opportunity to perform in a twilight concert in Melba Hall

This is a day not to be missed for the serious guitar student!

WHEN: Saturday 18 June, 2:00pm – 7:30pm (twilight concert commences at 6:30)
WHERE: Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Gate 12, Royal Parade, The University of Melbourne VIC 3010
HOW MUCH: $40 per student (teachers $20 to observe)
PRE-REQUISITES: AMEB Grade 4 standard or above (or equivalent). Music reading ability essential.

INFORMATION & ENROLMENTS: http://www.conservatorium.unimelb.edu.au/programs/youth/guitar

http://soundhouse.org.au/packagepop/subscribe.pdf

SoundHouse is an Australian resource-writer, student workshop and Professional Development provider, specialising in multi-media.

The above link will give you more information about on-line resources to help teach classroom guitar, percussion/drum, keyboard and practical theory ($199 per year) or email    info@soundhouse.org.au

MiCN (Music in Communities Network) is coming to Wollongong for a jam packed day of networking, professional development and music making! Tour the newly referbished Town Hall and discuss performance opportunities with venue management, join in a marketing workshop, learn how to get your group onto the front page, hear from inspirational community music leaders and learn the strategies and methods behind their success.

Email: tony.micn@mca.org.au

When: May 14th, 2011 9:30 am to 4:30 pm

http://musicincommunities.org.au/register/coming-events/wollongong

http://www.musiccountusin.org.au/

This year’s program song is about to hit the air-waves. Registration is being accepted by schools for the 2011 massed singing event on September 1st, 2011 @ 11.30am (AEST).

Associated free lesson plans, teaching kits, free MP3, sheet music, and instrumental arrangements will soon be available via the website.

Signing up via the website is free and easy!! http://www.musiccountusin.org.au/

www.musicalfutures.org.uk Musical Futures is a fairly new approach to teaching instrumental music to Middle School students.  This website gives you pedagogy ideas, background info, repertoire suggestions (including lyrics and tab), marking criteria, powerpoint presentations to show students about the process of rehearsing, etc. The basic idea is to create class “rock bands” and encourage students to teach / assist each other with a common goal – making contemporary music.

Here are some examples of the free resources shared by teachers who engage in Musical Futures programs:

Let It Be – includes marking / achievement checklist

http://www.musicalfutures.org.uk/media/resources/musicalfutures_live/documents/resource/27536/Beatles_let%20it%20be.pdf

Scouting for Girls – This ain’t a love song …

http://www.musicalfutures.org.uk/media/resources/musicalfutures_live/documents/resource/27536/Scouting%20for%20girls%20This%20ain’t%20a%20love%20song.pdf

Scouting for Girls – She’s so Lovely

http://www.musicalfutures.org.uk/media/resources/musicalfutures_live/documents/resource/27536/Scouting%20for%20girls_she’s%20so%20lovely.pdf

Beat It

http://www.musicalfutures.org.uk/media/resources/musicalfutures_live/documents/resource/27536/michael%20jackson_Beat_it.pdf

Beat It with tab

http://www.musicalfutures.org.uk/media/resources/musicalfutures_live/documents/resource/27536/michael%20jackson_Beat%20it-%20guitar%20specific.pdf

www.musicatschool.co.uk is a free website of Secondary Music teaching ideas, lesson plans and worksheets from UK Music teachers.

For example, here is a worksheet for Year 7’s learning about how orchestral players are seated:

http://www.musicatschool.co.uk/year_7/Instruments_sheets/layout_worksheet.PDF

MELBOURNE FESTIVAL OF CHOIRS Youth/School Choir Program

Friday 10th June 2011 9.30am – 3.30pm

Dr Jonathon Welch AM (best known as the Founding Director of the ARIA, Helpmann and Logie winning Choir of Hard Knocks, ABC TV’s Jail Birds and Channel 7’s Battle of the Choirs), is inviting schools and students to participate in the first National Melbourne Festival of Choirs to be held on the Queen’s Birthday weekend of 10 – 13 June 2011.

Following the stunning success of the inaugural 2010 Melbourne Festival of Choirs, with over 400 participants, we are conducting a dedicated Youth/Schools Festival Program on Friday 10th June offering the opportunity for students from Grade 4 upwards to collaborate and workshop with some of Australia’s best music directors, and to perform in the magnificent BMW Edge Theatre in Federation Square.

For all the latest information on the festival, including program outline and registration – Email Jan Hamilton, Manager, Melbourne Festival of choirs - choirfest@hotmail.com or www.festivalofchoirs.com.au

MUSIC MATTERS online session – for teachers and students

Enthusiastic and aspiring musicians and music teacher are invited to register for Orchestra Victoria’s free intensive two day workshops in Werribee, Bendigo and Hamilton.

Students will be mentored by professional musicians to improving their ensemble playing and technique. Under the baton of a professional conductor, the workshop will conclude with an evening concert where the students will play alongside Orchestra Victoria and showcase their new skills to the community.

Music teachers, ensemble leaders or local conductors are also invited to register for the two day Professional Development workshop. This unique education model is led by a professional conductor with national and international experience and will help you extend your skills. Register now to take part in these personalised, free workshops.

For registrations forms dates and locations please visit http://orchestravictoria.com.au/education

If you require more information, please contact Orchestra Victoria on 03 9694 3600.

http://www.peterandthewolffilm.co.uk/Peter%20and%20the%20Wolf%20-%20Family%20resource%20pack%20draft%204.pdf

A free resource booklet (online) to accompany “Peter and the Wolf” – a puppet animation of the famous Prokofiev work. The original music was written over 100 years ago to inspire school students to enjoy music!

Online game – match the music themes to their animated characters.

Link to the animated movie website

www.petercousens.com/masterclass_peter_cousens.html

Peter Cousens is available for student masterclasses.

In a joint Masterclass for students and lovers of musical theatre, Peter Cousens and Anne-Maree McDonald (soprano, pianist and music director) bring to you their passion and skill in interpreting a song, communicating to an audience, finding character, addressing technical issues and becoming emotionally connected through text and music.

These master classes are tailored to suit students of HSC Performance, students of Singing, students of Acting and students of Musical Theatre.

http://www.musiceducationmadness.com/contributions.shtml

Dozens of primary music teaching ideas (free) from US teachers.

Percussion from the Podium: Strategies and Techniques for Non-Percussionist Conductors
Friday 27 May, 2011
2:00 – 5:00pm @ Camberwell High School
Presented by Trent Hutchinson, Trinity College, Kew

What does that marking mean on the percussion parts? How can I get THAT sound out of a cymbal? How do I know what sound I am looking for? What strategies can I use to keep my percussion section involved in the rehearsal whilst I work on intonation? How can I involve the percussion section in the warm-up exercises?

This clinic is designed to answer these questions and many more for the non- percussionist conductor.

Visit the site at ripmusic.com.au and take a look around – RIP stands for Record, Inspire, Publish.

It has a wealth of royalty free and creative commons audio files completely free for download. Also polls, original music uploading, a guitar (and banjo, and mandolin, and ukulele, and bass) chord chart tool, as well as providing a dynamic online forum for registered teacher, student and professional users.

Listen to the first minute or so of each track from the recent Royal Wedding (soundtrack available from iTunes).

For each piece of music, discuss the time signature (how many beats per bar) and the instrumentation (which instruments and voices are heard).

Discuss the sound of hymns – organ introduction & massed voices singing throughout (rarely changing colour or texture). Decide which tracks from the Royal Wedding are hymns.

Discuss the process of commissioning a new piece of music. John Rutter was commissioned to compose “This is the Day” to be sung as an anthem for this wedding (performed 29/4/2011).

‘Saxophony’ – NSW, Australia – Saturday 11 June, 2011

This year the Darling Harbour Jazz Festival is attempting to break the world record for the largest saxophone ensemble ever with 900+ saxophones! They will be playing an arrangement of ‘Waltzing Matilda – Happy Birthday’ (as it’s the Festival’s 21st Birthday). Additionally JozzBeat has built interactive teaching tools for all of the performers so that they can learn their parts and play from memory on the day. It is being delivered online!

There is more info at www.darlingharbour.com/saxophony

The intention of the kit is to provide arguments and methods for school parents and school music teachers to establish music programs in schools where there are none, and gain greater support for music programs in schools where they already exist.

CLICK HERE http://www.musicplayforlife.org/index.php/resources/lobby

Sibelius Scanning and MIDI files
Friday 27 May

presented by Katie Wardrobe

Do you have a shelf full of scores that you’d like to arrange for your students to play? With Photoscore Lite (which comes free with Sibelius), you can scan scores directly into Sibelius where you can rearrange them.  For instance, take a Bach chorale and rearrange it for brass ensemble, or transform a viola part into a 3rd violin part.  Or perhaps you have a MIDI file of a favourite song you’ve downloaded that you would like to use as a basis for band arrangement?  Sibelius allows you to open MIDI files directly and will interpret each instrumental part as a separate stave.  Scanning music or opening MIDI files are great ways to get notes into Sibelius quickly – once you know a few tricks.  This hands-on workshop will cover tips for importing the song, cleaning up the notation, changing instrumentation and transposing parts to create quick arrangements in Sibelius.

Although this session is designed for both new and experienced users, a basic knowledge of Sibelius will help you get the most out of the day.

Things you MUST bring:

• Your laptop with any version of Sibelius (or you can download the demo version here: http://www.sibelius.com/cgi-bin/download/get.pl?com=sh&prod=sibdemo
• A Full-size computer keyboard (with numerical keypad) that plugs into your laptop’s USB port.  Borrow one from your school for the day or purchase one for around $20 from places like Dick Smith, Harvey Norman or Officeworks
• A mouse

MIDI keyboards will be available to use on the day.
COST
$130.00 (members)
$190.00 (non-members)
TIME
9.30am – 3.30pm
VENUE
Statewide Resources Centre
150 Palmerston Street, Carlton
Melway reference — Map 2B:H6

Booking essential
Lunch is provided
http://amuse.vic.edu.au/2009_PL/katie%20wardrobe.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oatiGFBkz1Q

A UK project of training students singing mentors, who then teach playground singing games!

Top Gear’s “Middle East episode” sees the 3 Top Gear presenters driving up some Iraqi hills (towards the start of the episode) with sinister music in the background. Soon after, they have an epiphany that the region is much safer than they had imagined. As they drive back down the Iraqi hills, the scenery is the same but the background music is fun and light.

LESSON IDEA: Watch the Top Gear episode up until the Iraqi hills re-appear. Pause each time music is played and discuss the mood and instrumentation of the background music. Finally, discuss the effect that music has on our perception of TV images.

On Sunday 20 February 2011, Damon Gameau took out first prize for the 19th annual Movie Extra Tropfest in front of crowds of 150,000 nationwide. The film was titled “ANIMAL BEATBOX”. It creates a type of beat-box using only animal words – verbal percussion of sorts!

Watch the YouTube clip of Animal Beatbox (giggle and smile) then ask students to come up with a list of animals with 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 syllables. Next, they can form groups to create a poem, rap, beat-box or verse. Finally, practise saying the animal beat-box creation over a djembe beat, drum-kit beat or electronic loop. ENJOY!!

Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School – AUDITIONS FOR ENTRY 2012

Music Audition applications are now open for Victoria’s premier school for young dancers and musicians. Up to six years professional training in dance or music, at a government school, integrated with a full academic education years 7 to 12. For detailed information and audition application forms go to our website www.vcass.vic.edu.au <http://www.vcass.vic.edu.au>

Our focus is on classical and/or jazz repertoire. We teach all orchestral String instruments, plus all  Brass, Woodwinds, Percussion, Harp, Voice (singing), Piano, Guitar (classical or contemporary), Electric Guitar, Saxophone, Electric Bass, Drum Kit, and other instruments (subject to approval).

We are always looking for the best musicians,  and this year we’re keen to expand a number of ensembles. We’re particularly interested in hearing Brass players, Double Reed players, Lower Strings, Male Singers, and Improvisers.

Entry to the school for dance or music students is by competitive audition, which is held in August each year. The mission of our school is to help identify, and assist, children with exceptional potential, regardless of their personal circumstances, to benefit from world-class specialist training as part of a broad and balanced education, which will enable them, if they choose, to proceed towards self-sustaining careers in music or dance.

Music Auditions will be held in August 2011. Applications close on Monday 25th July 2011.

All successful applicants will fully participate in a range of studies we consider essential for musical training; including solo and ensemble performance, choir, aural training, music theory, keyboard skills and analysis of music styles.

Any specific music enquires should be directed to our Music Administrator, Mr. Kim Beissel at music@vcass.vic.edu.au

Do you have students who are anxious about the analysis section in the Unit 4 exam? Students who need additional help to prepare and master the material? Students who need a confidence boost or extension?

Designed for VCE Music Performance students, this 2.5-hour workshop will give students tools and strategies to assist them with the Analysis component of the Unit 4 study design.

Conducted by Adam Yee, composer, oboist and teacher, this workshop promises to be fun, informative and will provide VCE music students with invaluable insights into the process of listening and analysing musical works.

When: Monday 4 July, 10:00-12:30 or 1:30-4:00

Where: Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Royal Parade, Parkville

How Much: $50

Full details and enrolments: http://www.conservatorium.unimelb.edu.au/programs/youth/analysis

The renowned State Music Camp of Victoria turns 50.

For fifty years SMC has provided outstanding orchestral experiences for young musicians.  The camp offers a rare learning opportunity for students to play music and be tutored by expert musicians and conductors.

• Ideal opportunity to extend advanced students
• Players learn from some of Australia’s finest  conductors and tutors,  including, to date, Prof John Hopkins OBE, Graham Abbot, Keith Crellin OAM, Andrew Wailles, John Curro OBE
• Specially designed for primary and secondary aged students
• 2 full symphony orchestras
• 2 junior string orchestras
• non-residential  (billeting available for country students)
• engaging and inspiring classical music experience in a friendly and fun atmosphere
• Moderate fees
• supported by the Academy of Performing Arts, Monash University.

Dates: 4 – 9 July (term 2 holidays) Saturday evening gala birthday concert

Rehearsal venue: Huntingtower School, Mt Waverley

Concert venue: Robert Blackwood Hall

We are also keen to hear from past campers who would like to perform in an orchestra as part of the 50-year celebration.

For details visit our website:  http://www.statemusiccamp.com.au

The Victorian Music Teachers’ Association will be holding our first Diploma
Piano Masterclass for the year on Sunday, June 5.  It will be presented by
Elizabeth Mitchell.

Date: Sunday June 5, 2011
Venue: Richmond Uniting Church, 314 Church St, Richmond
Time: 1.30 – 4.45pm

For more information, please visit our website
www.victorianmusicteachersassociation.org.au or contact the office
vmta@vmta.org.au 03 9415 1314.

The research showed that changes in timing were more important than changes in volume in making music sound emotionally expressive to listeners.

Read more about it here

http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/Article/254537,classical-music-a-history-according-to-youtube.aspx

The history of music from Medieval to post WW II. Presented as text and related YouTube video/audio clips. A series of lessons, in effect!