HERE you will find the new 2011 Lobby Kit for more music in Australian schools. The current version (just uploaded) has no photos … look out for the pictorial version, coming soon.

NOW is the time to lobby school Principals and Parent/Teacher Committees to get MORE and meaningful music into your school. Use the new Lobby Kit for ideas, statistics, models, quotes and inspiration.

www.moremusictoolkit.org.au/advocacy-tools/62

READ ARTICLE HERE

Victoria is looking for 25 schools to specialise in a particular field. Let’s hope some of them become MUSIC specialists

In September 2011, NAMM created an 8-page “music education advocacy” lift-out included for the Washington Post!

www.namm.org/files/WashPostInsert.pdf

ABC Keys to Music – listen to a 4-part series of audio podcasts from May 2009. Richard Gill and Graham Abbott discuss the importance of quality school Music Education for all Australian children.

(Scroll down the webpage to the heading “Music Education Series”)

read article here

ARTICLE: Unlocking Kids’ Musical Gifts

DO all children have the ability to be musical? Read all about it!

ministers.deewr.gov.au/garrett/arts-curriculum-can-boost-student-school-experience

22nd March 2011 – Peter Garrett Media Release

search.informit.com.au/browsePublication;isbn=0959630481;res=IELHSS

Available for purchase is this 1999 research paper by ASME.

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!

http://www.acer.edu.au/documents/AER-58.pdf

A research project conducted  through ACER with input from John O’Toole, very much advocating the importance of The Arts in education (and part of the National Curriculum).

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/focus-on-national-tests-robs-children-of-true-learning-20110208-1alk7.html

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

Go to resource: Beethoven or Brittany? The great divide in music education by Associate Professor Robert Walker, UNSW, is a discussion on the current music education crisis in Australian schools. Read more…

read blog post here

Technology use in the classroom attracts political interest … but this article suggests that “technology in music” should be used to promote creativity. Read more …

http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a0074209/education-secretary-pledges-825m-for-music-education

UK Education secretary pledges 82.5 million pounds for Music Education (Feb 2011)

http://m.smh.com.au/national/education/schools-band-together-and-tune-in-to-underprivileged-students-needs-20111204-1odff.html

a must read

HERE is a link to an Open University course on using music to aid children in multiple ways.

Use the 3 main notes from the chorus of this year’s MUSIC: COUNT US IN program song “We’ve Got the Music” to create a 3-tone drum melody.

(1) Group your classroom drums or classroom percussion or junk percussion into three different groups (high, middle and low)

(2) Allocate the lowest drums to B-flat, the middle drums to C and the highest drums to E-flat.

(3) Re-create the chorus melody on 3 different drums: “Get on your feet, feel your heartbeat, we’ve got the music. We’re not too proud to sing it out loud, we’re not afraid to use it.”

Try the activity aurally, playing along with the MP3 found at www.musiccountusin.org.au

(4) Write the drum tune on the board using letters: L = low drums, M = medium drums, H = high drums

LM  LM  L MM M      M  M  LH  M

ML  M  M ML   LM   M            MMMM   LH    M

(5) If your school has signed up for “Music: Count Us In”, then you can access the free backing-track (‘For Teachers’ section) and play the drum melody along with the chorus.

This lesson was inspired by “Izo Beat” from Islington Public School

THIS IS SO COOL!!

An Orff-inspired plastic cup dance to go with “We’ve Got the Music” MCUI 2011. Thanks to Kristie Fudge (SA) for the free offering. The document also includes lesson plans for teaching the song.

click here for download link

Go to resource: Education and the Arts Strategy was published by the Australia Council, following community consulation in 2004. Read more…

Go to resource: Ensemble is a music bulletin published by ACSSO (the parents and citizens organisations representative). Read more…

Go to resource: EQ Australia (Education Quarterly Australia) is a print/online magazine for teachers, published by the Curriculum Corporation. Read more…

A UK education program which trains primary school students to lead singing games in the playground – with cross-curricular results!

http://www.youthmusic.org.uk/case_studies/Ex_Cathedra_singing_playgrounds.html

READ HERE for information on the winners of 2011 Flame Awards – inspiring Australian school music programs. You can read more detailed summaries on the More Music Toolkit www.moremusictoolkit.org.au/faq-case-studies/case-studies

One Song. One Day. Your School, More Music.
Thursday September 1, 11.30 am

Have you registered you school for Music. Count Us In yet? Visit the websitewww.musiccountusin.org.au <http://www.musiccountusin.org.au/> to register and access recordings of the song as well as FREE choral, band and classroom arrangements!

FREE teacher workshops will run early next term to introduce teachers to the song and all of resources and support material available.

Geelong, Mt Waverley, Bendigo, Swan Hill, South Gippsland,
Mornington Peninsula, Mitcham, Mildura, Cheltenham,
South Melbourne, Lilydale, Caulfield, Carlton,
Ivanhoe and Wangaratta

For details visit the aMuse website: http://www.amuse.vic.edu.au <http://www.amuse.vic.edu.au/>

Or

Order FREE teaching kits for your school
by emailing Sue Arney MCUI@amuse.vic.edu.au <mailto:MCUI@amuse.vic.edu.au>

To download ‘We’ve Got The Music’, and to register your school, go to www.musiccountusin.org.au<http://www.musiccountusin.org.au/> or check out the wiki http://musiccountusin2011.wikispaces.com<http://musiccountusin2011.wikispaces.com/>

www.jozzbeat.com/MCUI2011/home

This is a fun way to learn / teach the Music: Count Us In song for 2011 (We’ve Got the Music). In fact, the song will teach itself, all ready for the massed-music-making MCUI event on 1st September, 2011.

If you don’t yet have a free login, and have registered for Music: Count Us In, please send an email to mcui.admin@mca.org.au requesting a Jozzbeat login.

ENJOY!!!

BAM Radio Network offers free podcasts on Music education.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/music4education-podcast/id447641351#

One Song. One Day. Your School, More Music.
Music. Count Us In, 2011
Thursday September 1, 11.30 am

‘Music. Count Us In’, run by ‘Music Play for Life’, is on again encouraging teachers and students to sing! Each year the project sees more than 250,000 students, teachers and parents throughout Australia come together to sing and play the same song. It is Australia’s biggest ever simultaneous school music event, and we want to make this year’s event even bigger.

We have a fabulous new song for this year. The title is: ‘We’ve got the Music’. It emerged from a songwriting workshop day involving secondary students which was mentored by some of Australia’s best songwriters: Clare Bowditch, Rai Thistlethwayte (Thirsty Merc), Kav Temperley (Eskimo Joe) and Holly Throsby.

Music. Count Us In is encouraging all teachers to participate by offering FREE professional development online and/or face-to-face teacher workshops to primary schools throughout Victoria. We want to encourage all generalist primary school teachers to participate in this event by giving some simple music teaching ideas to assist in teaching the song.

We invite you and your staff to attend free workshops that will run in the following areas across Victoria:

Geelong, Mt Waverley, Bendigo, Swan Hill, South Gippsland,
Mornington Peninsula, Mitcham, Mildura, Cheltenham,
South Melbourne, Lilydale, Caulfield, Carlton,
Ivanhoe and Wangaratta

For details visit the aMuse website: http://www.amuse.vic.edu.au
Or
Order FREE teaching kits for your school
by emailing Sue Arney MCUI@amuse.vic.edu.au

To download ‘We’ve Got The Music’, and to register your school, go to www.musiccountusin.org.au or check out the wiki http://musiccountusin2011.wikispaces.com

FREE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AVAILABLE IN ALL STATES OF AUSTRALIA – open to Generalist and Specialist teachers. Contact schools.mpfl@mca.org.au

www.funmusicco.com/musicteachersblog/2011/11/top-10-ted-talks-for-music-education/

10 great TED videos (free) re. music education

We are working hard to secure repeat funding for MCUI 2012 … if it proceeds again, it will be Thusrday 6^th Sept, 2012.

Join with us in crossing fingers re. repeat support from the Australian Government.

How does one find authentic creativity? In his last talk before passing away, Malcolm McLaren tells remarkable stories from his own life, from failing school to managing the Sex Pistols. He argues that we’re living in a karaoke culture, with false promises of instant success, and that messiness and failure are the key to true learning.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

Go to resource: Making the Progression: Report of the National Music Workshop, published 2007, follows on from the National Review of School Music Education. Read more…

March 2011 Newsletter from Music. Play for Life:

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=c1f6cd5eedcfc179f2fbf0c0a&id=48151e0899&e=5c175b5519

Resound, Count Yourself In (Sept 1st, 2011), Community Music Leaders Awards, Music Network for community musicians, Music and health, Musicians with disability, Stickers & posters

Knowledge Base – a searchable treasure chest of articles and information on all topics to do with the Music Sector in Australia. Use the search bottom in the far left column to search (ie. type ‘education’ in the search box).

Music-related topics include education & training, copyright, funding, venues, research and information services.

Greg Thwaites has supported the cause of Music: Count Us In by creating a free app for iPhone, iPod &iPad. By downloading this free program, students / staff / parents can learn the song from just about anywhere. Ask kids to download the app and leave them to learn the song in their own way!

LINK TO THE FREE MCUI APP

A FREE online tool to help teachers/parents get MORE music in Australian schools.

http://moremusictoolkit.org.au/

Just launched – check it out!

Includes case studies from award-winning Australian schools, as well as practical advice on overcoming potential hurdles.

More content added to the ‘More Music Toolkit’ this week (more case studies on exemplary music programs around Australia)

moremusic.musicplayforlife.org

Feel free to email me with feedback: schools.mpfl@mca.org.au

There are now 50 schools written up on the More Music Toolkit. Browse away! Be inspired!!

Let us know if you like what you see … schools.mpfl@mca.org.au

We’ve added more Australian school Case Studies to the More Music Toolkit. Come and take a look — be inspired! We want to see more & meaningful music in Aussie schools … http://www.moremusictoolkit.org.au

Article in Sydney Morning Herald …

m.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/music-the-most-abstract-of-the-arts-is-mathematics-on-the-move-20100514-v4ck.html

http://www.musiccountusin.org.au/remository?func=select&id=45

The 2011 (free) Teaching Kit for “We’ve Got the Music” just went online. It features free lesson ideas and teaching resources for Primary and Middle School classes, as well as brilliant ideas for inclusion and special needs. It is designed for generalist classroom teachers and music teachers alike.

All feedback welcome. Bring on 1st September 2011!!

If you haven’t signed up, please do, then you’ll be able to view the Teaching Kit.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505083421.htm

ScienceDaily (May 5, 2011) — New research shows that musicians’ brains are highly developed in a way that makes the musicians alert, interested in learning, disposed to see the whole picture, calm, and playful. The same traits have previously been found among world-class athletes, top-level managers, and individuals who practice transcendental meditation.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art46397.asp

an article illustrating the great work done by music therapists with school-age students

Go to resource:  The Music Education Advocacy Kit has been published by the Music Council of Australia and Music. Play for Life. Read more…

Go to resource: The Music Education Advocacy Resources kit, as published by the Music Council of Australia and Music. Play for Life, gives further links to research into the importance of music in a child’s education. Read more…

Go to resource: The Childrens Music Workshop provides instrumental education programs to schools in the Los Angeles area using CMW curricula.

Read more…

read article here

Venezuelan prisons have half of their inmates playing in orchestra or singing in choir. Read more …

Go to resource: ‘Music Makes the Difference’ is an advocacy kit for parents who are considering music lessons for their children. Read more…

http://www.psychologytoday.com/print/46048

Music Training Helps Learning & Memory

An article by William R Klemm from Psychology Today

Go to resource: Music. Count Us In is a music advocacy event that draws attention to the value of music education in schools. Read more…

Go to resource: Music. Play for Life is a program established by the Music Council of Australia, in partnership with the Australian Music Association and the Australian Society for Music Education. Read more…

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/

This year’s wiki site for ‘Music Count Us In’ is up and running. So far there are lyrics, scores, mp3’s, a sing-along movie and  a karaoke movie. Keep looking because more resources will be added over the next weeks. Just follow this free link:

http://musiccountusin2011.wikispaces.com

Hope you enjoy it, Sally

free podcasts – Musica Viva held a discussion forum in February 2011 on the topic of Arts Education in Australia. They recorded the sessions and have made them available online as a 4-part podcast. Click on the arrow on the far right of each clip to download it (for later listening) OR listen online to each podcast.

http://www.musicalfutures.org.uk/resource/27646

Half of the students who took part in  Musical Futures agreed that they felt better about school as a result. Read more on the above link.

Lesson Idea: In the spirit of “Musical Futures”, give your students access to the MP3 of “We’ve Got the Music” … divide them into groups of 4-6 with drums / guitars / keyboards / ukuleles / percussion, etc  … ask them to come up with their OWN version of “We’ve Got the Music” (about 30 mins) simply by using their ears, playing along with the MP3, experimenting and supporting each other … share their performance attempt with the class.

The key factor is that the student performance SHOULD sound different from the original MP3, reflecting the group’s creative interpretation.

“We’ve Got the Music” is the 2011 program song for MUSIC: COUNT US IN

www.musiccountusin.org.au

Go to resource: MusTech (USA) is a music education website that specifically focuses on music technology. It was established in 2006 by Professor Joseph Pisano.

Read more…

Go to resource: The National Review of School Music Education, published 2005, is a 279-page report on the issues facing music education in Australian schools. Read more…

The new and fresh 2011 Lobby Kit has just been uploaded to the More Music Toolkit (free). Feedback always welcome.

www.moremusictoolkit.org.au/images/stories/documents/mpfl-lobby-kit-2011.pdf

www.moremusictoolkit.org.au/advocacy-tools

New PowerPoint just uploaded – please check out the latest music advocacy tool – helping to get more music into more Australian schools.

If you test run it on School Executives and/or Parent & Teacher Committees, please let us know how you go! schools.mpfl@mca.org.au

Visual arts are often left behind, to the detriment of education, says Ainslie MacGibbon.

Australia seems to be ignoring a global move towards understanding the significance of art in education, the president of Art Education Australia, Marian Strong, says.

read more …

Dick Letts (MCA) has just published an open letter to the Australian community – calling for more Music education and more teacher training (in music) for Australian schools and teachers. Read it here (top link). Distribute it to newspapers, P&C committees, school executives, blogs …

Go to resource: Pop focus in music education panned, written by Justine Ferrari and published in The Australian April 13 2009, the article outlines criticism of the inclusion of pop music in school music education programs.

Read more…

WA: 30 November to 3 December 2011

http://www.music.uwa.edu.au/research/power-of-music/icme

http://crescendo.com.au/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=91&Itemid=32

The first powerpoint has some examples of early childhood / lower primary songs and teaching ideas. It starts with a cute tree which illustrates how music fits into the various components of a child.

The second powerpoint on this site is an advocacy presentation for music education in schools.

ARTICLE: premature babies, brain and music – what’s the relationship?

An American Music Education advocacy video clip on YouTube.

advocacy video

http://tedxsydney.com/site/item.cfm?item=17373783BE511B3C5870DE26F37EE989

Free online video – a must watch!

‘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

free online magazine for School Band and Orchestra teachers – an American publication – free online

Includes advocacy material, interviews with successful teachers, product reviews (and lots of advertising)

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

description of TV show here

ABC aired a TV show highlighting the choral direction of 91-year old Jessie Carmichael.

smag-schoolmusicactiongroup.blogspot.com

SMAG is a Victorian-based advocacy group, pushing for more music in Australian schools. This website contains blogs about their latest activities, and links to policy documents.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/spreading-the-sound-of-music-with-a-10m-violin-20110525-1f34z.html#ixzz1NnD1Fx4F

Richard Tognetti and members of the ACO played for students at Matraville Soldiers Settlement Public School (thanks to the support of the Australian Children’s Music Foundation). The article’s content includes advocacy for music education in schools.

Benjamin Zander has two infectious passions: classical music, and helping us all realize our untapped love for it — and by extension, our untapped love for all new possibilities, new experiences, new connections.

Watch the video here

If you are an Australian school / campus wanting to get more music into your school / program, please surf around the following website and email me with feedback (as to how useful the site was or was not!) www.moremusictoolkit.org.au

Emails to schools.mpfl@mca.org.au

THANKS!

SMH article by Richard Gill here from 2009

It is a national disgrace that music education is not a central part of every child’s schooling, writes Richard Gill.

National Library of Australia has a new online catalog called TROVE – research for books, journal, video, audio, websites, pictures and more. You can even click through the website to purchase many of the items, if you wish.

read article here

How to enliven and save high school music

“Instead of trying to defend traditional band, choir and orchestra classes, music educators would do well to embrace the craft as a way to teach creativity, problem-solving and cultural harmony — truly 21st century skills, for artists and engineers alike. If we do so, the demand for music will return stronger than ever.”

article in themusic.com.au

A recent report reflects on the positive impact on Victoria’s budget, thanks to LIVE music.

We’ve got the Music & Music: Count Us In online resources are up and going, Jozzbeat-style. They are accessed via this page:

www.jozzbeat.com/MCUI2011/home

Jozzbeat will give each school a free log-in (after the school has registered for Music: Count Us In at www.musiccountusin.org.au)

OR

Existing customers of Jozzbeat that come through as MCUI registrees can just use their existing JozzBeat website password/username to access the resources.

Grab a group of kids, log on, learn the song, add some percussion, and have a fun lesson