Here are the 23 Finalists for 2011 Flame Awards – rewarding engaging and creative school music departments:

St Christopher’s Primary School NSW  - a primary school embracing technology in so many ways, from composition to creating their own video hits segments

Guardian Angels Primary School  QLD – recording studio used to compose music for weekly school news, parents co-learn at their child’s music lesson, 10 generalist staff involved in school instrumental ensembles

Henbury School NT –  amazing special needs and music therapy program which uses research to inform its practice

Harrison School ACT – research-based music program = Music for Happiness … happy students perform better in all areas, studying quality music to inspire high achievement, teachers teach other teachers to lead music groups, lunchtime music clubs, Glee Club

Ernabella Anangu School  NT – new indigenous school music program based on communication; features song-writing, music from many cultures, use of computers & student-initiated content; 100% involvement in choir with lots of time allocation as well

Girraween Primary School NT – early years music features innovative visual aids & games, across the Primary years music features in other subject areas, music hut for play-time, music games and technology used to teach notation and theory

Merri Creek Primary School VIC – composition from Year 1 with a biennial CD burned of student compositions, creativity and composition leads to performances of their own works & discussion of each other’s compositions

St Andrew’s Catholic College  QLD – webpage for music activities, emails to parents re. music news, connections with indigenous owners of the school land, parents fundraise to bring renowned guests/composers/performers to the school, lots of music IT – which is available to students at lunchtime, strong community connections

MLC Burwood NSW – all girls are involved in annual Opera House concerts, guest composers and performance workshops, outreach to other schools, use of technology to enhance learning

Killara Primary School VIC – jam sessions with parents, composition from Year 1, student-run music events at lunchtime, cross-arts activities, Ultranet for sharing musical opinions

Footscray City Primary School  VIC – Steiner / mainstream school with music as a fundamental element, massive variety of ensembles, innovation and engagement are core school-wide values

North Lake Senior Campus WA – 3 campuses use the internet to create a virtual music classroom, Moodle allows online tutorials at home and uploading videos of student performances, also collaborative online performances, video tutorials allow refugees and ESL to re-play lessons slowly as needed

Cowper Public School NSW – tiny school with amazing engagement, cows and chickens are an innovative feature of music performance and composition, ‘Opera with the Cows’ brings 1000 audience to the town and students sing with professional opera singers, award-winning choir

Boggabilla Central NSW – a low socio-economic school re-writing musical resources to bypass low literacy and confidence levels … inspiring achievements in 12 months, use 2-note power chords on guitar and compose music specifically to match student skills, wrote a new school song based on schools’ social values program

Boneo Primary School VIC – Glee Club, boomwhackers, djembes, ukuleles, instrumental lessons @$10, Music Matters PLN (Professional Learning Network) to unite isolated teachers, sharing music lessons online with other countries – the world is our classroom

The Patch Primary School VIC – music is integral to school & community, music features in many cross-arts activities, musical activity feeds off cultural community, Orff and Musical Futures methodologies, class sets of marimbe/ukulel/recorder/djembe, Music spreads to other KLA, creative music grant – composition results are shown on website, song-writing

Ferny Grove State High School  QLD – composition, community involvement, YouTube presence, 24 ensembles, aim to create a sense of belonging which promotes student creativity and experimentation

Croxton School  VIC – special needs school employs a music therapist, creativity within a structured environment, song-writing project, DRUMBEATS, emphasis on learning social skills & self-esteem through music, use visual cues and repetition to maintain student focus

Smith’s Hill High School NSW – boys only guitar + vocal group, offers single semester elective subjects which are cross age (year 8-10), 3 day music camp, overnight busking ensemble trip to Sydney, variety of large ensembles

St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School QLD – Year K, 1, 2, 3, 8 have 20 mins of music EVERY day (Kodaly-based), community choir, staff outreach to refugee school

Spring Gully Primary School VIC – assisted by 20 years of composer-in-residence – original song-writing is integral to learning and sharing at this school … ‘Big Book’ style songbooks are created, to share with other classes

Parkhurst State Primary QLD – technology used to engage middle years (digital composition & podcasts), integrates music with other subject areas, students create multimedia projects which are music-rich, invite other schools to use their facilities

Resurrection Primary School VIC – a Song Room school, great work by Song Room staff, including training up non-specalist staff; school radio station; plans to take on ukulele ensemble across school