Katie Wardrobe has put together 15 websites to help teach “Carnival of the Animals”

http://midnightmusic.com.au/index.php/2011/06/15-fantastic-free-carnival-of-the-animals-resources/

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.”

Go to resource: a3 Australian Arts Alive for schools is a program run by the Australian School of Performing Arts. Read more…

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”)

http://www.abc.net.au/learn/sing/

This is a listing of all songs printed in ABC "Sing" books from 1975 to
2006. It contains searchable database and links to the ABC shop.

Aboriginal stories about life and life-cycles revolve around 4 different natural elements.

Sun, Moon, Water, Land

Divide your class into 4 groups, each labelled Sun, Moon, Water or Land. In 15 minutes they will choose classroom instruments and/or sound sources to depict their label … Each group performs to the rest of the class … Discuss and decide upon a logical order for the soundscape sections … Perform all 4 sections in their order.

www.muurrbay.org.au/muurrbay-resources/

The Muurrbay Language Centre sells resources to support Indigenous language learning, which include a Song Book in Gumbaynggirr language. Gumbaynggirr land covers a large section of NSW Mid-North coast. Also for sale is Barriyala – a 3 part language work book, which includes songs from the Gumbaynggirr Song Book.

Barriyala: Let’s Work

ACCET Choral Conductor Summer School
Monday 16 – Thursday 19 January 2012 @ Xavier College, Kew VIC

Whether of advanced, intermediate or beginner standard conductors will have hands-on conducting tuition every day. In 4 stimulating days there will be opportunity for participants to increase knowledge of training the voice, of warm-ups, diction and rehearsal techniques, building musicality through body movement, and expressing emotion through singing. There will be repertoire sessions especially for primary/children’s choir; for secondary/youth choir; and for community and church choir. All full attendance participants will get a donated package of some 50 choral pieces.

Australian Choral Conductors Education and Training    www.choralconductors.org.au

Read about the ACO Schools’ Program for 2012

Go to resource: Brass Instruments and Pitch, Percussion Instruments and Pitch, String Instruments and Pitch, & Woodwind Instruments and Pitch are four lessons that cover how to make basic musical instruments. Read more…

Go to resource: The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is a professional orchestra, resident in South Australia.

Read more…

Go to resource: Adventures in Music with the Recorder was developed in 1997 by Ubisoft. Read more…

Go to resource: Ambient Orchestras (Vic) offer a disability program, consisting of creating and performing music, for those with an intellectual disability.

Read more…

Sample Units from Australian Music Educators Assoc (Vic) – under the heading “aMuse VELS Support Documents”

Amy Burns blog – a blog of ideas and links from Amy Burns – an American Primary Music teacher

Go to resource: An Integrated Expressive Arts Program: drama, dance, art, music was written by Wendy Schiller and Ann Veale. Published by the Australian Early Childhood Association, 1989.

Read more…

Go to resource: An Introduction to Music in Early Childhood Education by Joanne Greata is published by Thomson Delmar Learning, New York, 2006. Read more…

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.

17th Biennial ANCOS Conference - “Voices of the Swan” 8-13 January 2012
Hosted by WAOSA.

Creative Music & Movement education (Orff)

waosa.org.au/voices/Home.aspx

Go to resource: Approaches to Approaches to Learning and Teaching – The Arts (Music) Level 2 outlines music standards and activities that could be incorporated in lesson planning.

Read more…

Go to resource: Approaches to Learning and Teaching – The Arts (Music) Level 1 (Vic) outlines music standards and activities that could be incorporated in lesson planning.

Read more…

Go to resource: Approaches to Learning and Teaching – The Arts (Music) Level 3 (Vic) outlines music standards and activities that could be incorporated in lesson planning.

Read more…

Go to resource: The Artists in Residence program, is run by Arts Queensland and Education Queensland and funded by the Australia Council. Read more…

Go to resource: Artists in Schools (AiS) NT is a program run by Arts NT and the Department of Education and Training, NT.   Read more…

http://www.artmusfair.eu/education/

A European Network Conference on Education of Contemporary Music – from Kindergarten to Generation 50+ in the frame of the “Weimar Spring Festival of Contemporary Music”

That is the artmusfair.EDUCATION from 28 April until 01 May 2011 in Weimar

New Music for New Audiences, under this motto the European Composers’ Forum initiates the first special issue of the ARTMUSFAIR network conferences, named artmusfair.EDUCATION 2011, as part of the XII. Weimar Spring Festival of Contemporary Music. German and European actors and experts from the music scene (composers, musicians, etc.) and music education (teachers, university lecturers, audience developers, etc.) are invited to join together in the three-day networking conference from 28 April until 01 May 2011 in Weimar to take part in round tables, workshops, project presentations and concerts, to update each other on their skills, experiences and different backgrounds to consequently forward the important field of teaching contemporary music in a modern education context.

ArtPlay is an arts centre in Melbourne that provides school and holiday programs for children and youth. Read more…

Go to resource: arts action, published by the Department of Education and Training (NSW) is a CD-rom created to supplement the NSW K-6 Creative Arts Syllabus.  Read more…

Go to resource: Arts in Education is published by the Australia Council 2004. This document outlines arts curricula in each state, and provides links to the bodies who develop and monitor these.

Go to resource: Arts in Education provides links for information on arts education organisations and collaborations. The site is run by Arts Victoria, and includes information about artists placement in schools.

Go to resource: The Arts Learning Area (NT Curriculum Framework) provides the framework for teaching arts in Northern Territory schools. Read more…

Go to resource: The Arts Learning Framework outlines ideas and outcomes for the teaching of the Arts at all stages of learning according to the South Australian curriculum. Read more…

Go to resource: Arts Queensland is the governmental agency for arts in Queensland. Read more…

Go to resource: Arts Victoria is the government agency that supports arts in Victoria. Read more…

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.

Go to resource: arts2GO programs for school students are run by Regional Arts Victoria. Read more…

Go to resource: ArtsEdge (Western Australia) is a collaboration between the education, arts, and cultural sectors in WA. Read more…

Go to resource: ArtsEdge Kennedy Centre Music Lesson Plans (USA) offers dozens of music lesson plans, many of which are integrated with other subjects such as science and maths. Read more…

ArtsMmad page – after signing in (free) you will have free access to bundles of free Music posters, song sheets and MP3 recordings

Go to resource: artsmmadd.com is a site developed by Associate Professor Deirdre Russell-Bowie (UWS) and Dr Christopher Klopper (CSU). Read more…

Go to resource: Assessment for Learning has been developed by the Curriculum Corporation, and is a site that provides support for designing assessment tasks. Read more…

Go to resource: Auralia is a comprehensive ear-training software package, published by Sibelius. Read more…

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!

Go to resource: The Australian Curriculum Corporation is a one-stop site that provides online links to all Australian curricula. Read more…

Go to resource: The Australian National Council of Orff Schulwerk Inc (ANCOS) is the Australian organisation for Schulwerk music education methodology, and is linked to the Orff Institute in Salzburg. Read more…

Nominations for the 2011 Awards for Excellence in School Music Education are due to close on Friday, 1st April, 2011. The awards aim to recognise music teachers and school leaders for their exceptional contribution to enhancing the status and quality of music education in their schools.

There will be up to eleven teacher Awards and up to two school leader Awards. Each recipient of an Award will receive a certificate and a cheque for $5,000, which is intended to be used to further their professional learning related to music education.

All details about the 2011 Awards, including Guidelines, and nomination forms are available on the website at:

http://musicawards.asme.edu.au/

Go to resource: Boomerang Jam by Susie Davies-Splitter and Phil Splitter, is published by Two Up Music Education, 2000. Read more…

Brass Bedlam: A mad-cap, educational romp through history using brass instruments, song and verse.

Book now for 2012.

kaddis@melbpc.org.au

Bubble Harp draws bubbles around your fingertips, recording and replaying your movements while creating music. It’s a combination of drawing, animation, music, art, geometry and gaming.

$1.99 at iTunes store for iPad or iPhone

http://www.ipadsforeducation.vic.edu.au/education-apps/apps/78-bubble-harp

Go to resource: Catch a Song: a developmental music program by Deanna Hoermann and Doreen Bridges, illustrated by Bruce Treloar, was published by Holmes McDougall Australia-Dominie, Brookvale NSW, 1988. Read more…

Go to resource: The CEO Creative Arts Primary Curriculum (NSW) is the arts curriculum for NSW Catholic schools.

Read more…

www.charangamusic.com.au/site

Charanga is a digital learning community for music education – once paid up and subscribed, you have access to digital lesson materials and support.

Go to resource: Children, meaning-making and the arts, edited by Susan Wright, is published by Pearson Education, Frenchs Forest NSW, 2003. Read more…

free lesson ideas – cross-curricular ideas for teachings working with students after a natural disaster, particularly focused on ways to express feelings

Go to resource: The Childrens Music Portal (USA) is a free portal that offers links to resources for children’s music.

Read more…

Ideas for Primary choirs and how to choose music and repertoire.

Sydney Morning Herald Article

http://news.smh.com.au/national/choral-singing-makes-you-happy-survey-20080710-3cyg.html

Choral singing makes you happy: survey

Go to resource: Classic Kids (various) is a collection of Classical music recordings that are suitable for children. Read more…

Go to resource: The Classical Music Library is an online resource that gives subscribers access to most Western classical recorded pieces (over 450000 tracks). Read more…

YOUTUBE LINK HERE

Aston String Quartet plays a ‘classical interpretation’ of a Cold Play song

Play it to any age-group

Go to resource: Classics for Kids is a podcast station that streams classical music suitable for children.

Read more…

Go to resource: Classics for Kids Lesson Plans (USA) are classical music lesson plans designed for students aged 5 to 11 years of age.

Read more…

Go to resource: Clinical Applications of Music Therapy in Developmental Disability, Paediatrics and Neurology is edited by Tony Wigram and Jos De Backer, and published by J. Kingsley Publishers, 1999.

Read more…

http://cmer.arts.usf.edu/

Go to resource: Comparing Dalcroze, Orff and Kodaly: choosing your approach to teaching music by Gilles Comeau and published by CFORP, Vanier – Ontario, 1995, is translated from the 1995 thesis by Comeau. Read more…

Just for fun, watch Mr Bean conducting a Christmas band – a good introduction to rubato?!?

Go to resource: Conference notes by Katie Wardrobe (Midnight Music) on Music, technology and education. Includes presentations on Sibelius, Groovy, Audacity, Acid and podcasting.

Go to resource: ConnectEd Arts is a program run by Arts NSW that provides subsidies for school arts excursions, and funds education programs run by arts organisations. Read more…

Go to resource: Cool Cats cross arts adventures, published by Bushfire Press for primary students, is a four level series designed to teach integrated arts courses, including music, dance, drama, media, and visual art. Read more…

Go to resource: Cool Cats: the red hot recorder course by Jeff Mead and published by Bushfire Press, is a three level recorder course for primary students. Read more…

As part of the Australian Copyright Council’s national seminar program for 2011, they are holding a Copyright for Music Teachers (Ed Inst & Private Tuition) seminar.

The seminar will be an essential overview of key copyright issues associated with music teaching, including a comparison of the different provisions that apply when teaching within educational institutions and teaching privately.

Topics include:

*      How copyright applies to music
*      Identifying the circumstances where relevant exceptions apply
*      Copyright obligations and trouble-shooting
*      Using resources from the Internet

For dates, times, venue and how to book, please visit www.copyright.org.au/seminars

Lesson idea: Write songs, create a song book, and create illustrations.

Here’s an example from Pine Creek Primary School:

http://acmf.com.au/our-initiatives/indigenous-isolated-regions/

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

Go to resource: Creating Meaning Through Literature and the Arts by Claudia Cornett (2006) is a textbook specifically for classroom teachers. Read more…

Go to resource: The Creative Arts Syllabus K-6 (NSW) outlines the areas of the arts which are to be implemented in NSW schools. Read more…

Go to resource: Creative Musical Experiences, by Robert Smith, is published by RIC Publishing, WA, 2006. Read more…

Go to resource: Creative Resources for Primary Schools. This Dept of Education and Training (NSW) page has links to DET-published resources including Arts Action, Sync or Swing, and Vocal-Ease. Read more…

Go to resource: Cultural Infusion co-ordinates authentic multi-cultural performances, workshops and residencies in Australian schools.

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: The Curriculum Framework Learning Statement for the Arts is published by the Curriculum Council of WA, 1998. Read more…

Go to resource: Curriculum Press is run by the Curriculum Corporation and provides suitable resources (books, dvds, websites) for use in schools across a wide range of subject areas, including The Arts. Read more…

Go to resource: Curriculum Support – Creative Arts K-6 (NSW) is a site published by the NSW Department of Education and Training that offers extra resources for teaching creative arts in NSW schools. Read more…

Go to resource: Dalcroze Australia is the official Dalcroze association in Australia and offers courses for teachers. Read more…

Go to resource: Dalcroze Eurhythmics – Music Through Movement : Early Childhood Education Lessons and Ideas for Teachers in Music by Heather Gell and edited by Joan Pope, is published by the Heather Gell Dalcroze Foundation, Callaway International Resource Centre for Music Education, Nedlands WA, 2006. Read more…

Go to resource: Dalcroze Eurhythmics in Today’s Music Classroom by Virginia Hoge Mead, is published by Schott Music Corporation, New York, c1994. Read more…

Go to resource: Dalcroze Today: an education through and into music by Marie-Laure Bachmann is published by Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1991. Read more…

The ‘Music Count Us In’ Dance movie is now uploaded to the MCUI wiki. You can find it, with all the other teacher resources HERE.

See if your classes can dance along with these characters …. DANCE VIDEO LINK

Then play along with the JellyBeans-style ONLINE percussion score

Ask the class to invent new moves or actions for the song “We’ve Got the Music”

Watch the Auslan video and learn hand-signs for this year’s MUSIC: COUNT US IN SONG … AUSLAN VIDEO LINK

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/about-us/news-at-det/news/tuning-into-a-new-world

Matraville Soldiers’ Settlement School has seen improvement in NAPLAN results, thanks to Music in school. Read the article (above).

www.vosa.org/events/?action=detailed&ID=181

August 18-19, 2012 @ Kew

Go to resource: Early Stage 1 Music Resources are published by the Department of Education and Training (NSW).

Read more…

VOSA are pleased to present the 15th ECCPA conference in Melbourne (MLC, Kew).

ECCPA is geared to everyone who works with young children 0- 8 years.  The conference will:
Reinforce the benefits of music and the arts for a musical journey
Explore holistic education for young children
Over 42 ‘hands on’ workshops to choose from in one weekend
Be Ideal for anyone working with young children (0-8 years)
Provide outstanding professional development for participants
Boost your confidence and renew your enthusiasm in areas of creative expression such as singing, dancing, percussion instruments, language and play
Provide ways of integrating creative arts concepts into many aspects of daily activities
Provide outstanding opportunities to network with others in this special field
Provide the opportunity to view and buy a wonderful range of resources
For more information or to register online please visit the VOSA website at www.vosa.org or contact the VOSA office at admin@vosa.orgor call 61 3 9015 8350.

Go to resource: edna – music resources offers 128 resources for school music teachers and is published by the Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace Relations, Australian Government. Read more…

Go to resource: The ACO, through its national education program, aims to bring performances and musical experiences to students.

Read more…

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

Go to resource: ESL through music (Canada) is a site that offers links to resources suitable for integrating music activities with ESL objectives.

Read more…

Go to resource: Every Chance to Learn – Curriculum Framework for ACT Schools, published by the ACT Government, provides a framework for government and non-government schools to plan and implement curriculum. 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

2 hours of Marimba, wacky instruments and echo-cello playing: 20 November @ 2pm – 4pm @ Research, Vic

www.vosa.org/events/?action=detailed&ID=183

Go to resource: The Fanfare Series, written by Tim Cain and published by Cambridge UP, is suitable for primary school students. Read more…

http://www.mustechalley.com/rhhsmusictech/My_Blog/Entries/2012/1/26_Finger_Composing.html

A cute blog post which reminds us to allow young children be creative on their own terms.

Flame Award applications are due Monday 29th August – be part of the $15 000 prize pool. ALL Australian schools are invited to apply (Primary & Secondary).

Lesson idea: play some laid-back music, hand out paper and pencils, and ask students to write down and/or draw what they love about MUSIC at your school. Display some of the responses on school noticeboards / websites and around your music classroom  Copy some of their ideas into your Flame Award submission

ENTER FLAME AWARDS HERE

FLAME AWARDS: This year’s theme is: ‘creative and engaging ways of delivering music education’. Entries are open to Primary and Secondary schools across Australia in 2011.

Visit the Flame Awards website for entry information

http://www.musicplayforlife.org/index.php/campaigns/flames

Due 22nd August, 2011.

Go to resource: Fleximusic Kids Composer is a downloadable software program that introduces young students to music recording, mixing, sampling, and creating. Read more…

HERE is a FREE e-book of classroom games (Music) for anyone to use (from FunMusicCo). Mostly primary-oriented, but could stretch to Year 7. Create a lesson out of games … Enjoy!

http://www.alfred.com/SC/BandResources.aspx

Free fingering charts for band instruments are found here.

Teach long and short notes with flash-cards of rainbows and raindrops. Teacher claps a rhythm – student claps it back – student arranges rainbows and raindrops to create the rhythm. Follow link to game and flash-cards here.

www.ptn.org.au/latest-news/a-free-teaching-resource

A free IWB resource for primary teachers from PTN (Primary Teacher Network)

If you are looking for free online resources to help teach the Music Count Us In song, just follow this link.

http://musiccountusin2011.wikispaces.com

Keep checking- more resources added regularly!

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/>

HERE you can download Katie Wardrobe’s new e-book – it’s a book about free music resources on the internet. ENJOY!

Hello Music Land has uploaded FREE snap cards (with musical instruments) to print out for early childhood music.

There are also cartoon colouring-ins of instruments & a colourful poster on the Hello Music Land website.

jozzbeatinteractive.com/jellymusic-pilot

Jozzbeat is offering FREE access to its new online Music education software (for 5-13 year olds) from February to April 2012. Click on the above link to find out more information. The program suits classroom teachers without ANY musical background, as well as being fun for music specialists. It requires having a digital projector or interactive whiteboard in the classroom, and giving brief feedback after lessons.

THIS WEBSITE is a rich source of free (and paid for) music games on a computer. Just download and play. My favourites are Staff Wars 1.2 (teaching notation reading), JamaMambo (rhythm reading) and Rhythm Dictation. Put the games on a digital projector and teach concepts to the class as needed. ENJOY!

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!!!

FunMusicCo has provided us (free) with a weekly practice chart and printable sticker sheet to inspire students to practise this term

click here for free resource link

Go to resource: Free Primary School Lesson Plans & Education Resources is a general site that offers primary school resources submitted by site users. Read more…

LINK HERE

Browse through this up-to-date advice from Trafalgar Primary School. THANKS TPS!

www.funmusicco.com/rhythmclock/

FunMusicCo has prepared a video tutorial on how to prepare and use a rhythm clock (suits primary and perhaps Year 7). All the files you might need are also free on the website.

Free worksheets from Color in My Piano website. Topics include discovering the piano keyboard, making tetrachords, write scales and chords, applying barlines …

HERE are some free worksheets from makingmusicfun.net – naming notes and intervals in bass and treble clef. Make up a booklet for students to work through when they have a few spare minutes at a time.

Go to resource: Full Pitcher – Music for Special Needs (UK) provides links to information about implementing music programs and activities for students with disabilities.

Read more…

Interactive Whiteboard resource kits from FunMusicCo (suit primary classroom)

http://www.funmusicco.com/index.shtml?gclid=CM6c96fD-a8CFcNMpgod1w4hEw

www.essential-music-practice.com/learning-new-pieces.html

This website offers some free games for inspiring multiple repetitions when learning new pieces. Other parts of the webpage offer advice re. practising an instrument at home.

HERE is a free e-book re. how to practice.

The author has also written a book (for purchase).

Go to resource: Goran Bregovic – Tales & Songs for Weddings & Funerals education kit is provided through the Melbourne International Arts Festival site, and was performed at the festival in 2008. Read more…

GRAHAM ANSWERTH’S ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS

One of the most enjoyable means for introducing primary aged students to serious music is by them playing the full range of mallets instruments: vibraphone, xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, chromatic floor standing metallophone and more.

Graham’s program has been in play for 23 years. Frequent access to instruments is important and  children will have them playing and exploring the sounds, harmonies and melodies and rhythms on an almost daily basis.

www.showcaseyourmusic.com/marimbas

www.cdbaby.com/marimbabelles

The music is tuneful and full of joy.

For further information on this percussion program fro schools, contact Graham Answerth at  snailsdad@megalink.com.au or phone 03 59624682

Greasy Kid Stuff is a children’s music radio program which has also released albums of music. Read more…

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 …

Watch the Gruffalo film on YouTube (about 30 minutes long).

Discuss (or ask students to take notes on) the music which accompanies each new character. Discuss what instruments are used to make the audience feel scared or wary. Brainstorm the ways in which music has been used to turn a 5 minute picture-story book into a 30 minute film.

Go to resource: Hands on Music Outcomes: a practical teachers guide to implementing the curriculum framework curriculum guides & progress maps joyfully in the classroom, by Sue Noonan, is published by Rossendale Press, Exmouth WA, 2005. This volume is intended for primary teachers and comes with an accompanying disc. It contains music activities and guides for assessment.

‘Hearts in Harmony’ – a ‘fun’tastic community music day for all ages at ACU in Fitzroy, presented by the School of Education, Australian Catholic University (ACU).

This day is open to all ages, backgrounds and abilities – no musical experience is required. Join Jon Madin, Geelong’s local teacher/composer/instrument inventor and play some of his wonderful and wacky instruments such as marimbas, echo cellos, shaker rings and musical bikes.

Go to resource: Heather Gell’s Thoughts on Dalcroze Eurhythmics & Music Through Movement is edited by Joan Pope and published by CIRCME, University of Western Australia in association with the Heather Gell Dalcroze Foundation, Nedlands, WA, c1996. Read more…

Go to resource: Homemade Instruments is a site that gives instructions for the crafting of instruments from everyday materials.

Read more…

Go to resource: HotChalk (USA) is a site that offers lesson plans, grouped according to different disciplines and age ranges, including music. Read more…

Go to resource: I Can by Cathy Blair is a book of songs for early-childhood and infants students. Read more…

Go to resource: Improvisation and Conducting from a Dalcroze Workshop in Thailand 2008, run by Sandra Nash, demonstrates Dalcroze music and movement activities for music students of different stages. Read more…

Go to resource: in2arts is run by Arts Queensland, and is a search engine that provides links to arts for children in Queensland. Read more…

http://www.smh.com.au/national/aboriginal-anthem-a-truly-uplifting-experience-20110706-1h2el.html#ixzz1Rfy25DsN

This article in the Herald Sun describes the process for creating an indigenous translation for Advance Australia Fair (for NAIDOC week). Free teachers’ notes are found HERE.  A kit has also been released ($26) with advice on how to teach the song.

“This is about changing the way we teach and appreciate the language, culture and traditions of Aboriginal people,” Mr Garrett said.

A short example of the video teaching kit is found HERE along with ‘how to purchase the kit’ information.

Go to resource:  Instrumental Music Teaching Resource was written by Amanda R Watson and published by the Australian Society for Music Education.

Read more…

Go to resource: Integrating music into the classroom, by William Anderson and Joy Lawrence, is published by Wadsworth Publishing, California, 1991. Read more…

Go to resource: Phil Tulga presents a list of interactive activities and lesson plans which combine Music with Science, Language and Maths.

Go to resource: Integrating the arts: twelve school-based experiences, published by the Department for Education and Children’s Services, SA, 1997, gives twelve case best-practice case studies for the teaching of the arts in schools. Read more…

rampupblog.tumblr.com

This blog, set up by Jozzbeat to discuss the Ramp-Up project, shows what Australian teachers can achieve by sharing their musical questions / comments / videos via an online community.

blog link – a frequently updated blog of ideas on how to use iPad (and other technology) in Music Education

http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/central/computer-key-to-schools-music-future/story-fn8ygho7-1226088042117

Moorooka State School is using technology (such as iPads & GarageBand) to inspire composition and music education.

A few iPad apps which might contribute to an Orff type lesson (if you have a class set of iPads for Music)

http://wrightstuffmusic.com/2011/06/12/ipad-apps-for-orff-lessons/

Cavallo Capers – a newly released  CD BUONGIORNO SIGNORA, containing 13 original songs, a song book, lyric charts and an activity book for beginner Italian language (LOTE).

Part way down the page of Mustech Wiki you’ll find a long list of resources for Interactive Whiteboards in Music education.

Beginning in Term 1 201, Jozzbeat will be hosting a national project called ‘JellyMusic 2012′ that aims to have 500+ Primary Classrooms around Australia all working with a comprehensive library of quality P-7 music resources.

JellyMusic is an exciting new subscription service for Australian classrooms, including software that runs on Interactive Whiteboards and Digital Projectors and comes with a wide range of age appropriate repertoire and activities.

‘Music. Play For Life’ are supporting by hosting the ‘Community and Contact’ zone. This will be a blog-type zone where all participating schools and teachers can communicate and share teaching ideas. We aim to produce valuable research data on how music is being run in school classrooms across Australia, which we will tender to ACARA (the National Curriculum body).

We are looking at a number of 2-3 hour national ‘induction’ workshops to kick off the project. We could certainly look at putting one on in your area with a good number of schools represented.

You (or your schools) can sign up for the project at www.jozzbeat.com/jellymusic-signup

Schools can participate for FREE (that’s right…FREE!), or additionally you can choose to pay for a whole year’s content.

To kickstart the project Jozzbeat will be providing free induction workshops to help all teachers (Classroom and Specialist) get comfortable with both the technology and the teaching and material. These workshops will occur in key centres across Australia where school numbers warrant, and online.

Please send queries to: info@jozzbeat.com

Go to resource: Midnight Music and Katie Wardrobe run workshops for teachers who want to integrate computers with Music education.  She also offers workshops to students.

An entertaining article by a Primary Music teacher who entertains her students with bubbles, colourful hats and knock-knock jokes … in the interests of keeping students on task.

http://theapple.monster.com/training/articles/858-keeping-students-engaged-in-music

KET – this website provides free Music lesson plans for 5-18 year olds. NOTE: Some of the content requires additional KET resources (videos).

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.

Go to resource: Kiravanu is an opera written by James Humberstone and Mary Elizabeth, specifically designed for children and integrated with the curriculum. Read more…

Kita Performing Arts Company is an ensemble based in Melbourne and operates throughout Victoria to present traditional and contemporary Asian music and dance. Read more…

KMEIA Victoria is holding the “Autumn Seminar” early next term on Friday 6^th and Saturday 7^th May.  This year we have a variety of workshops which are specifically aimed at children in Kindergarten and early primary school – lots of ideas for music-making with little kids!  You can come to both days of the conference, or only one day if that suits you better.

At this year’s Autumn Seminar for the first time an Early Childhood Stream of workshops has been added. The sessions on offer are suitable for those working with children 0-8yrs. If you cannot attend both days it is possible to come for one day only.

Sessions on offer include:

Hushed Moments – Music & Spirituality in Early Childhood

Early Childhood Music Teaching Techniques

Sing Me Another Story – Picture Books for Children

Materials to Nurture Numeracy  and Literacy

Songs, Rhymes & Dances for  the Young and the Young at Heart!

FRIDAY 6 & SATURDAY 7 MAY 2011

Venue: Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre in Preston

Key presenters: Daniel Crump & Gail Godfrey (Queensland), Susan Searle, Robert Stewart & Julia Trifonov (Melbourne).

Early Childhood Presenters: Gail Godfrey, Melissa Dods, Anna Mlynek-Kalman

Website: www.kodaly.org – click on ‘Events’ and then ‘Victoria’.

Venue: Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre in Preston.

Now in its 7th year, KMEIA’s Autumn Seminar has established a reputation for providing outstanding professional development for music educators. The seminar is designed to enrich your music program by providing access to excellent practitioners and innovative resources adapted for Australian classrooms. The seminar supplements our Teacher Training Courses, which offer systematic training in pedagogy. The Autumn Seminar is a unique professional development opportunity for music educators with a selection of inspiring and practical sessions geared towards developing your skills and confidence. Key presenters are Daniel Crump & Gail Godfrey (Queensland), Susan Searle, Robert Stewart & Julia Trifonov (Melbourne).

For more details contact the Kodály Victoria office on 9535 7035 or check the website at: www.kodaly.org.au or reply to this email or by using this form tinyurl.com/29thefl

Kodaly Biennial National Conference will be held 2-5 October in Adelaide,
South Australia.

This is a 4-day conference for anyone interested in music education from birth
through to senior secondary, in classrooms and in choral and instrumental settings. 

Keynote presenters include: Helga Dietrich (Hungary), Cyrilla
Rowsell (UK), Richard Gill, Dr Deanna Hoermann and Professor Ann Brewer (all from
Australia).
Much more at www.kodaly2012.com 

Contact: Yvonne Tysoe ytysoe@gmail.com

www.kodaly.org.au/events/includes/attach/198-20110728213015.pdf

theme = TIME: The Importance of Music Education

Adelaide 2-5 October 2012

Tim Sherlock is a renowned choral conductor, composer and teacher in Brisbane. He regularly teaches at the January Kodaly Summer schools. His interest is in composing and arranging for choral ensembles and his works are in great demand by children’s, youth and adult choirs. There will be a choral reading session during the weekend of some of Tim’s music. He will also give a special workshop on composition for Year 11 students preparing for the HSC.

Enquiries can be directed to Inge Southcott via email: ingesinger@bigpond.com

wrightstuffmusic.com/in-the-classroom/making-music-fun/

Wright Stuff Music offers a list of links for fun online music activities (K-12)

Looking for trial Primary schools (Australia) to test-run a new Primary Music delivery system on Interactive Whiteboards – complete with lesson plans, audio clips, video instructions and music charts. Suits generalist classroom teachers with little or no music knowledge.

Please email me if you’re interested: schools.mpfl@mca.org.au

Go to resource: Make Music by TVO Kids is an online game about combining and editing musical instruments.

Read more…

CLICK HERE to make your own bingo cards (using musical instruments and/or symbols)

or CLICK HERE to print off a set of bingo cards, ready-to-go, using instrument pictures.

Lesson idea: the caller will mix up the actual names of the instruments / symbols with descriptions (eg. 1 beat note, saxophone, largest stringed instrument, triangle …)

Use foam blocks and toy monkeys to help teach music to young children. Read more here …

Free from ‘Color in My Piano’

Have you signed up yet to be part of Making Music Being Well?

This national initiative, which takes place from 16 – 22 May, is a collaboration between
Music: Play for Life and the Australian Music Therapy Association and it’s all about a grassroots celebration of the links between music making and wellbeing.

When you register to participate – it’s FREE – we’ll send you event posters, stickers and brochures and you’ll get access to lots of downloadable resources including event planning and promotional tips.

How you participate is up to you.  The best way to be involved is to take something you may already have planned for that week and hitch it to the national wagon of Making Music Being Well 2011. You don’t have to do something on every day during the week – one event is enough. Your event will be outlined on the MMBW website and you and your group members or students will be helping to shine the national spotlight on an important fact: music is good for you!

Here are a few ideas based on previous years:

• Open the doors to the community for your rehearsal that falls within the MMBW week and turn it into a free performance.
• Take your choir or group to a nursing home, hospital or school.
• Organise a big sing at your workplace.
• Turn a school assembly into a musical celebration and tell students and parents about the value and benefits of making music.
• Convene a drum circle in your school playground.
• Run an open mic session at your local pub or club.
• Organise a gathering of community music leaders and organisers in your area and discuss how you could pool resources and share skills.

Register to be part of it at www.makingmusicbeingwell.org.au

Don’t forget – registration for our biggest school music initiative, Music: Count Us In, opens soon too!

Have you signed up yet to be part of Making Music Being Well?

This national initiative, which takes place from 16 – 22 May, is a collaboration between Music: Play for Life and the Australian Music Therapy Association and it’s all about a grassroots celebration of the links between music making and wellbeing.

When you register to participate – it’s FREE – we’ll send you event posters, stickers and brochures and you’ll get access to lots of downloadable resources including event planning and promotional tips. How you participate is up to you.

The best way to be involved is to take something you may already have planned for that week and hitch it to the national wagon of Making Music Being Well 2011. You don’t have to do something on every day during the week – one event is enough. Your event will be outlined on the MMBW website and you and your group members or students will be helping to shine the national spotlight on an important fact: music is good for you!

Here are a few ideas based on previous years: Open the doors to the community for your rehearsal that falls within the MMBW week and turn it into a free performance. Take your choir or group to a nursing home, hospital or school. Organise a big sing at your workplace. Turn a school assembly into a musical celebration and tell students and parents about the value and benefits of making music. Convene a drum circle in your school playground. Run an open mic session at your local pub or club. Organise a gathering of community music leaders and organisers in your area and discuss how you could pool resources and share skills.

Register to be part of it at www.makingmusicbeingwell.org.au

AND … don’t forget – registration for our biggest school music initiative, Music: Count Us In, opens soon too!

This national initiative, which takes place from 16 – 22 May, is a collaboration between
Music: Play for Life and the Australian Music Therapy Association and it’s all about a grassroots celebration of the links between music making and wellbeing.

When you register to participate – it’s FREE – we’ll send you event posters, stickers and brochures and you’ll get access to lots of downloadable resources including event planning and promotional tips.

How you participate is up to you.  The best way to be involved is to take something you may already have planned for that week and hitch it to the national wagon of Making Music Being Well 2011. You don’t have to do something on every day during the week – one event is enough. Your event will be outlined on the MMBW website and you and your group members or students will be helping to shine the national spotlight on an important fact: music is good for you!

Here are a few ideas based on previous years:

• Open the doors to the community for your rehearsal that falls within the MMBW week and turn it into a free performance.
• Take your choir or group to a nursing home, hospital or school.
• Organise a big sing at your workplace.
• Turn a school assembly into a musical celebration and tell students and parents about the value and benefits of making music.
• Convene a drum circle in your school playground.
• Run an open mic session at your local pub or club.
• Organise a gathering of community music leaders and organisers in your area and discuss how you could pool resources and share skills.

Register to be part of it at www.makingmusicbeingwell.org.au

Marimba Music Making  WITH JON MADIN

Date    Thursday 2 June 2011
Time    9.30am – 3.30pm
Venue    150 Palmerston Street, CARLTON
Cost    $130 members/$190 non-members

An amazing smorgasbord of ideas for hands-on music making using marimbas and many other Jon Madin’s ingeniously created instruments. Suitable for any primary or lower secondary music teaching environment. Would be suitable for primary generalists. You will go away with a wealth of repertoire and activity ideas.

About Jon
Jon Madin is a trained classroom music teacher with a background in a wide variety of music-making. His experience includes playing in folk/rock bands, multi-cultural bands, orchestra and early music consorts. He also leads family music workshops and bush dances.

He has also worked extensively in musical instrument design – marimbas in particular, as well as many other experimental musical instruments.

For further information about Jon Madin, check out the Marimba Music website: www.marimbamusic.com.au

ENQUIRIES
Kevin Kelley
Executive Officer
Association of Music Educators (Vic) Inc
150 Palmerston Street
CARLTON Victoria 3053

Phone 03 9349 1048
Fax 03 9349 1052
kevin.kelley@amuse.vic.edu.au
www.amuse.vic.edu.au

Mark O’Leary and Young Voices of Melbourne publish high quality choral Music suitable for school choirs.

Mark O’Leary will be presenting three choral workshops in Melbourne this year.

Bookings are now open.

Primary Choirs for Beginners

Friday 16th March 2012

10am – 3pm

DC Bricker Social Room, Beech St, Caulfield South

$99.00 per person

Just (Choral) Conducting

Thursday 31st May 2012

Packer Park Hall, Leila Rd, Carnegie

$99.00 per person

How to Run a (Better) Primary School Choir

Friday 1st June 2012

10am – 3pm

DC Bricker social room, Beech St, Caulfield South

$99.00 per person

Further information or a workshop registration form, send an email or visit:

http://www.yvm.com.au/workshops_2012calendar.html

I will be presenting three major workshops for music teachers in Melbourne this year:

Primary Choirs for Beginners
Friday 20th May
10am – 3pm
Kingston Arts Centre

Just (Choral) Conducting
Thursday 2nd June
10am – 3pm
Kingston Arts Centre

How to run a (better) primary school choir
Friday 3rd June
10am – 3pm
Kingston Arts Centre

Cost is $95 per person, and bookings are now open.

More information can be found by visiting www.yvm.com.au/workshops, or by contacting me at mark@yvm.com.au or 95785459

Rhythm and Music Help Math Students (podcast & article)

Kids who learned fractions through a music-based curriculum outperformed peers in traditional math classes.

Click HERE to see more about the publication …

"Academic music: music instruction to engage third-grade students in learning basic fraction concepts"

FREE teacher workshops (Music: Count Us In) in Victoria:

Monday, August 8 – 4.00 – 5.15pm
Statewide Resources Centre
150 Palmerston Street, Carlton

Tuesday, August 9, 4.00 – 5.15pm
Gladstone Park Secondary College
Taylors Road, Gladstone Park

Thursday, August 11, 4.00 – 5.15pm
Ivanhoe Primary School
Waterdale Road, Ivanhoe
To book: mcui@amuse.vic.edu.au

AND JUST ADDED . . .
Saturday, August 13, 11.00 – 12.30
Australian Catholic University, Ballarat
1200 Mair Street, Ballarat
To book: Sarah.Maidlow@acu.edu.au

This June the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will open the doors of the Melbourne Town Hall to over 10,000 school students, parents and teachers for the Orchestra’s Education Week – a week solely dedicated to  sharing the joy of music-making through the first-hand experience of live orchestral music.

Across five days, the Orchestra will present 13 concerts for audiences of all ages, including a full spectrum of interactive and educational concerts for school students. From Classic Kids with best-selling children’s entertainer and movie star, Jay Laga’aia, right through to Ears Wide Open with eminent Music Educator, Richard Gill, there really is something for everyone.

Following his innovative concert presentations with the MSO in 2011, UK music educator, Paul Rissmann, will return to Melbourne to host Meet the Orchestra and Meet the Music, two stimulating age-specific programs which offer insight into great orchestral repertoire. Paul has devised and led projects for the BBC Proms, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Conducted by the MSO’s Associate Conductor, Benjamin Northey, Meet the Music, for secondary school students, will dissect some of the biggest symphonic scandals in history. It will also feature the 2011 ABC Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year, saxophonist, Nicholas Russoniello, who will be appearing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for the very first time.

Meet the Orchestra, for primary school students, will feature works themed around musical ‘Heroes and Rogues’ and include another of Paul’s signature audience participation pieces (for many, a highlight of last year’s program).

Comprehensive teaching resources have been created for Meet the Orchestra and Meet the Music, and are available for download on the MSO website. Additionally, primary school teachers booking into Meet the Orchestra are invited to join Paul Rissmann for a day of Professional Development – specially created to cater for primary school music teachers and generalist teachers with limited musical knowledge – on Friday 1 June 2012. Bookings for this VIT-registered PD can be made by calling 03 9626 1198.

Concert tickets for students are available for as little as $10 ($8 for Classic Kids) and teachers attend all Education Week concerts for free. For more information, please phone the MSO Education Department on 9626 1198 or visit www.mso.com.au and follow the tabs to Education Week.

Go to resource: The Melbourne International Arts Festival is held in October each year. Read more…

Go to resource: The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is a professional orchestra and offers education programs to schools. Read more…

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra offers a spectrum of concerts for school students, designed to inspire active participation in music. All the information is now available on the MSO’s website, along with downloadable booking forms and the 2012 concert diary; schools will also receive a MSO Education and Community Outreach brochure at the start of Term 1, 2012. If you have further questions please contact 03 9626 1198, or email education@mso.com.au

Go to resource: Melbourne Youth Music (MYM) offers programs and performances to children and young people. Read more…

Go to resource: MMADD about the Arts: an introduction to primary arts education, by Deirdre Russell-Bowie, is published by Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest NSW, 2nd edition 2009. Read more…

Monbulk Primary (Vic) has recently opened its new BER Arts Centre – in the shape of a guitar!

http://www.monbulkps.vic.edu.au/new-ber-arts-centre.htm

www.moorambilla.com/

Check out the great work being done with young voices in small towns around Western NSW!

More free lessons are available on musiccountusin2011.wikispaces.com

Try out the Boomwhackers playalong movie (played on glockenspeiel or boomwhackers) & Ukulele playalong movie

Some Queensland schools have recently unblocked the JellyBeans style online-percussion and singing videos, which are great fun! LINK IS HERE Most states have been enjoying this site for a few months now

Bring on September 1st @11.30am

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.

Go to resource: More Than Opera (Victoria) is a Melbourne-based ensemble that aims to provide accessibility to opera.

Read more…

Go to resource: Music Teacher Resource Site (UK) MTRS is a free website designed for UK Music teachers – lots of free lesson plans and online resources

http://www.pruewhoo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Bullying-Anti-Discrimination-July-2011.docx.pdf

This article talks about the connections between primary music and the mainstream curriculum (including anti-bullying). Prue has written a song with accompanying booklet called “It’s OK to be different”. You can view a sample HERE.

Go to resource: First Rhythmic Composition is a lesson plan written for 11 to 13 year olds, published by the Kennedy Center, US. Read more…

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.

Watch this space – the teaching kit for Music Count Us In 2011 is coming soon. It’s full of free ideas to enhance music education delivery in your school, including cross-curricular lesson ideas. Many free ensemble charts are already on the website www.musiccountusin.org.au . Don’t be scared of signing up – it’s really easy!

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

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

Go to resource: Music Education at About.com (USA) is a listing of lesson plans submitted by teachers and endorsed by academics. Read more…

Go to resource: Music Education in Primary Schools, written by Graeme Askew, published by Education Australia (1993), this resource is for students and teachers, and incorporates Kodaly and Orff methods. Read more…

Go to resource: Music Express: lesson plans, recordings, activities, photocopiables and videoclips, is compiled by Patricia Scott, Sheena Roberts, Maureen Hanke, Sue Nicholls, Alison Dexter, Helen MacGregor, and Emily Haward, and published by Blake Education, NSW, 2005. Read more…

Go to resource: Music Games by Inclusive Technology (UK) is a free downloadable music game aimed at students aged 5 to 8 years. Read more…

Go to resource: Music in Action is a magazine published by the Australian Music Association. Read more…

Go to resource: Music in childhood: from preschool through the elementary grades, written by Patricia Shehan Campbell and Carol Scott-Kassner. Read more…

Go to resource: Music in Education is a website established by Dr Bob Smith, a retired teacher and author of Creative Musical Experiences. Read more…

Go to resource: Music in Primary Schools, by Alan True and Wendy Fullerton, is published by Journey, WA, 2008. Read more…

Go to resource: Music Lifesavers by Nita Temmerman and Graeme Askew, was published by Ashton Scholastic, 1990. Read more…

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/03/21/drumskool-the-music-lesso_n_1369161.html?ref=tw

Read this article about how Drumskool in the UK (ages 5-18) is even reducing crime.

A cute 4 minute video to share with any year level.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAY1UoQYMHk

After watching the movie, ask your class to create some more musical artwork.

Go to resource: Music Rocks!, published by Noteable, is a book of classroom music lessons for primary students. Read more…

Go to resource: Music Room, by Rob Fairbairn, Mark Leehy, and Kevin O’Mara, and published by Bushfire Press, consists of six levels for primary students. Read more…

Go to resource: Music Skills for Classroom Teachers, by Robert Winslow, Shelley Wiest and Leon Dallin, is published by McGraw Hill, Boston, 2001. Read more…

http://sandradodd.com/music/

This website has some interesting ideas and websites re. primary music teaching (at home).

wiki link here

a list of social-networking sites and free interactive whiteboard (IWB) resources for music education

Go to resource: Music, movement and the young child, by Heather Gell, is published by Australasian Publishing Company, Sydney, 1973 (New Revised Edition). Read more…

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…

On April 12th 2011, a dozen talented teenage singer-songwriters were mentored by John Foreman, Claire Bowditch, Holly Throsby,  Rai Thistlethwayte (Thirsty Merc) and Kavyen Temperley (Eskimo Joe).

The result was the 2011 song for Music. Count Us In (1st September 2011).

Watch this space for free lesson plans, free MP3 material, free Professional Development (for teachers) and free instrumental arrangements. Let’s get more music in more Australian schools!! www.musiccountusin.org.au

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

Go to resource: Musica Viva provides around 2500 professional music concerts to venues across Australia.

Read more…

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.

Musical Picture Books
Monday 26 September

Award winning children’s books The Night Garden and The Rainbirds are brought to life at Melbourne Recital Centre these school holidays.

The Rainbirds
David Metzenthen (author)
Sally Rippin (illustrator)

The Night Garden
Elise Hurst (author / illustrator)

The illustrations of these wonderful books will come alive with animation on the big screen, with the stories told through the use of well known orchestral music, including Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

This concert is appropriate for primary school age children.

Read more at the website: www.melbournerecital.com.au/musicplay

MusicPlay is an exciting summer holiday music festival for children and families @ Melbourne Recital Centre. Over several days MusicPlay aims to encourage young music lovers and their families to immerse themselves in music through an array of interactive concerts and musical activities.

Our concerts on the big stage pack a big punch while our Pop Kids concerts feature popular music genres all providing a fun and interactive experience to inspire the child within everyone.

Melbourne Recital Centre’s foyers come alive with a range of free, fun and interactive experiences. Activities include amazing sound installations and face painting available all day!

MusicTechTeacher – free lesson plans for Primary Instrumental Music + Technology.

The National Folk Festival (Australia) is developing educational resources. These include a free CD of 2009 festival highlights & IWB resources about the fiddle.

http://forteachersforstudents.com.au/NFF/

Go to resource: The Naxos Music Library is an online library of over 550000 tracks of music including classical, jazz, world, nostalgia, Chinese music, rock and pop, and other genres of music. Read more…

Go to resource: The New York Philharmonic Orchestra Interactive Kid’s Site offers interactive online music games about orchestral instruments, composition, composers, musicians, and conductors.

Read more…

http://australianmusiceducators.ning.com/ is an Australian discussion forum for music educators.  It was set up with the intent of discussing ideas on classroom band programs, but it really is a forum for discussion on any aspect of Australian music teaching from P-12.  At present there is a small group of members, but I am hoping to build it up and draw on a wide range of professional knowledge and experience.

This group is completely FREE (in a monetary sense, not a moral or metaphysical sense).

Please come along and check it out.  The page is run as a ning, which is basically a social network with a particular focus.  It is great for online discussion, linking of video and photo and has facility for you to blog.  All you need to do is create an account.

Go to resource: Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy – School Projects: the Nordoff-Robbins Golden Stave Therapy Centre in Penrith, Sydney, New South Wales, runs a number of outreach programs in schools.

Read more…

New Zealand Curriculum Exemplars – several exemplar lessons for Primary and Secondary School Music (New Zealand)

http://www.flashmusicgames.com/
scroll down the screen, then try recording a simple song using the on-screen keyboard

Go to resource: Opera Australia is Australia’s national opera company.

Read more…

www.vosa.org/events/?action=detailed&ID=180

Go to resource: Orff NSW is a non-profit organisation that supports teachers in music education, and is the NSW branch of the national association for Schulwerk methodology.

Their site has links to membership details, workshops, conferences, and further professional learning.

Go to resource: The Orff Schulwerk Association of South Australia is a non-profit organisation that supports teachers in music education, and is the SA branch of the national association for Schulwerk methodology. Read more…

The first session of Musica Viva’s “Sound Safari” (Professional Development for teachers) takes place in Carlton VIC on April 1st 2011. The same session will be held around Australia in 2011.

For more information on the program, please visit the website at http://www.musicaviva.com.au/education/mvis/professionallearning/soundsafari.

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

Go to resource: Peter Leyden’s Australian percussion band and recorder series is published by Peter Leyden Publishing House, NSW, 1981, and is a series of charts for playing Australian songs. Read more…

A blog for studio piano teachers – lots of ideas for ’student practice incentives’

http://musicmattersblog.com/category/teaching-ideas/

Go to resource: Popcorn and other sweets is a percussion music teaching resource, published by the NSW Department of Education, 1981. Read more…

“Popcorn and Other Sweets” was a large-format, classroom percussion kit published by NSW DET many years ago, and has since gone out-of-printed. Now there are similar kits produced by Jozzbeat, called “JellyBeans and Other Suites”. Volume 1 and 2 are in big book + CD format, while Volume 3 is digitally produced for interactive whiteboard / digital projector. All are suitable for Primary and Middle School students, and include lesson ideas and Australian curriculum notes.

www.jozzbeat.com/JB1

The following ideas come from musicroomburns.net

Advocating in these following small ways will get you noticed by the parents and the community:

• Posting students’ works on websites
• Sending students’ musical creations home to parents via CDs
• Inviting parents into the music classroom to participate with their children
• Having your ensembles perform in the community
• Attending community events so parents see the music teacher participating in the community
• When your music students participate in community events or some sort of competitions, write a press release to the local newspaper
• Ask the Board if the students can perform at the beginning of the meeting
• And there are so many more ideas that would be more specific to your situation

Primary Choral repertoire ideas from AMAF

Go to resource: Primary Lesson Plans NSW is a site published by NSW Country Areas Program, and contains lesson plans grouped under subject areas and stages, including music. Read more…

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

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

Go to resource: The Primary School Music Education Package is designed to offer school students a concert experience, supported by education resources that tie in with the curriculum.

Read more…

As at the end of January, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), which is managing the creation of the National Curriculum, had received over 1,600 online consultation responses and 166 written submissions to the draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts. Respondents included classroom teachers, curriculum authorities, parents, industry groups and university lecturers.

The extensive feedback on the draft shape paper is being analysed and the resulting consultation report will be considered by the ACARA Curriculum Committee in April 2011. The consultation report will inform the revision of the draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: the Arts resulting in a final shape paper which will guide the writing of the Arts curriculum.

The curriculum development schedule from here on is:

• Final Shape of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts: published June 2011

• Broad outline of the arts curriculum; scope and sequence:  July – September 2011

• Content descriptions (and elaborations) and achievement standards: September – December 2011

• National consultation: 2012

http://pom.sagepub.com/

A free online publication – Psychology of Music

Designed specifically for P-3 classroom teachers, this is an opportunity to interact with leading researchers on brain based learning, and engage in discussions on effective
practice in arts education in the early years.

$120

Click here to find out more

create a rainstorm in the Music classroom – a free lesson idea for lower Primary students

@ Maryborough Music Conference:

Andrew Robertson presents on “Jellybeans #3″ & “Ramp Up” Primary Music lesson plans

12th July at 1.45pm

www.jozzbeat.com

Go to resource: Razzamajazz by Susie Davies-Splitter, with Phil Splitter, is published by Two Up Music Education, 1996. The publication contains songs in contemporary styles suitable for primary school students, and comes in a kit form that includes a teacher’s manual and CD.

THE REASONS WHY WE SING AND MAKE MUSIC

from Community Music Victoria’s ‘Music In Schools’ Statement

www.cmv.org.au

LEARNING CAPACITIES

Singing and music making together develops memory capacity, attentiveness, pattern recognition, rhythmic understanding and facility, body/mind coordination, volume control, connectedness, curiosity and creative initiatives.

Singing together is particularly good for learning literacy and numeracy. It develops language structure and grammar, playing with language (eg: rhyming, alliteration), pronunciation, accents and rhythm of language. Because there can be limited text and much repetition with singing, it helps to reinforce many of these concepts in an enjoyable way.

TEACHING METHODS

Singing and music making is an effective memorisation device and an engaging introduction to history and culture. It’s great for mood control, for example: facilitating relaxation and calm, focusing and energizing learners as well as content delivery, integration of play and instruction, and the enhancement of events and occasions.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Making music together brings an awareness of self and others, provides emotional expressions and outlet, and develops identity, confidence, self-esteem, a sense of achievement, expressiveness and health (mental and physical).

SOCIALISATION

Making music together fosters cooperation and interaction (together we can do more than we can alone), simultaneous listening and vocalisation, group awareness (bonding/sense of belonging), the direct experience of synergy (the sum is greater than the parts), and embodies the values of diversity and respect across gender, age, culture and skill level.

IN ADDITION!

Studying and practising music is valuable as an end in itself (not just as a way of becoming better at literacy, mathematics or personal development). It develops an understanding and appreciation of a beauty that is uniquely musical. We learn that by manipulating the elements of music we produce different results and can explore this unique and ephemeral art form.

WE BELIEVE THAT MUSICAL ACTIVITY SHOULD BE A DAILY EVENT IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

• The focus should be on inclusive practical music making with an emphasis on singing.

• Classroom teachers should feel empowered and equipped to lead or provide the opportunity for their students to engage in singing and music making activities.

• Music Specialists as well as providing more in depth musical experiences, including music literacy and instrumental experiences, should be helpful in resourcing the classroom teachers as well as sharing ideas and expertise with classroom teachers.

• The daily classroom music practice need only be a few minutes at the start or end of a session.

• It can be integrated into a current classroom theme or used as a teaching method or tool for other subject areas (see ‘Learning Capacities’ and ‘Teaching Methods’ above.)

• It is important to develop a culture of singing and music making and for it to feel like a normal classroom activity. Five minutes at the start of each day will be more effective for developing a culture than one half hour per week.

Go to resource: Resourcing the Curriculum – Arts (WA) is a government website offering support for the implementation of arts teaching in schools. Read more…

Go to resource: Rhythm, Music & Education by Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, published by the Dalcroze Society, London (originally in 1921) sets out the Dalcroze methodology for music education. Read more…

Go to resource: Rhythmic Workshop Part 1 from a Dalcroze Workshop in Thailand 2008, run by Sandra Nash, demonstrates Dalcroze music and movement activities for music students of different stages. Read more…

Go to resource: Rhythmic Workshop Part 2 from a Dalcroze Workshop in Thailand 2008, run by Sandra Nash, demonstrates Dalcroze music and movement activities for music students of different stages. Read more…

Go to resource: Roll over Beethoven was written by Donald Robertson and Gail Cork, 1987. Read more…

Salwal blog here

An inspiring primary music teacher’s blog from Boneo, Victoria. Includes a great list of recommended websites for Primary Music lessons.

Go to resource: The School of Instrumental Music (WA) offers instrumental music education to over 400 primary and secondary government schools in Western Australia, and is under the Department of Education, WA. Read more…

www.musicgames.us/

Hands-on learning about instruments of the orchestra, presented by San Francisco Symphony.

If you’d like to share your lesson ideas, lesson plans, term planners, great music ed. websites or anything else to do with Music Education for 0 – 18 year olds, please email schools.mpfl@mca.org.au

THANKS IN ADVANCE for helping out colleagues across Australia

Go to resource: ShoGo, run by Arts SA, is a government site funded by the Australia Council that sells tickets to arts events in South Australia.   Read more…

Go to resource: Sibelius Groovy Music is a software program that assists with teaching music to five to eleven year old students. Read more…

click here to see the sheet music of the “Silly Solfege Song”

… and here is a video to go with the song

Go to resource: Sing Along Midis and Lyrics is a site hosted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Services (USA) and features songs from well-known children’s movies. Read more…

Go to resource: Sing and Dance Around the World is written by Greg Gilpin and published by Heritage Music Press (2006). Read more…

aMuse will be launching the fabulous new project next week called ‘The Singing Classroom’, a workshop program for generalist primary teachers that aims to support, encourage, provide skills, resources and confidence for them to sing more regularly with their students. Please come and join the official launch: Wednesday, March 7, 5.00 – 6.00pm at BMW Edge. Speakers include Dr Ros McMillan, Lorraine Milne, Mandy Stefanakis, two PS choirs, all-in-sing with Susie Davies-Splitter and a lovely cup of tea!

For more details on the project visit the aMuse website: http://www.amuse.vic.edu.au/PL2012/singingclassroom2012.htm

http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/human-nature/happiness/singing-happy.htm#mkcpgn=tw1

This article confirms what many of us know – that singing (especially in groups) makes you happy.

“Singing, playing, moving: Ideas for primary school music”.

Free Music and Movement Education workshop - 4.00 -5.30 p.m., Thursday 7th April, 2011 presented by Heather McLaughlin and Susie Davies-Splitter.

For all general classroom teachers, music teachers, and arts specialists.

At Stella Maris Primary School, 54 -70 Innisfail Drive, West, Point Cook

Registration 3.45 p.m.

To register and for further information, contact Tess Righetti, trighetti@smpointcookwest.catholic.edu.au

Sistema Australia – A school music education system based on a Venezuelan model. Currently being trialled in Laverton (VIC), the model involves instrumental learning and high-quality performances at school.

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.

Look at this website from The Patch Primary School to get ideas of composition activities to do with your students.

songlinesproject.bandcamp.com

www.songlines.net.au/what-we-do/index.cfm?loadref=55

“Koorie Stories & Song” is an innovative and entertaining program that aims to educate and inform audiences of Indigenous Australia through the mediums of narrative and song. It creates a safe and intimate forum where listeners can further their understandings of Aboriginality and culture.

What is involved?

The session will showcase two to three musicians who discuss the background and inspirations of their material and how it integrates into modern Indigenous society. Guided by a master of ceremonies, the discussions are opened and audience members are invited to put forward any questions or queries to the performers that relate to any of the subjects presented.

Go to resource: Songs for Teaching is an American website that offers downloadable songs for teaching various non-music subjects, integrating music into learning tasks. Read more…

Essentials of Music – Sony Music has set up a music resource website which provides free information on 60 Classical composers, including 200+ free samples of their music.

Sounds Great – The Statewide Music Education Conference
Thursday 14 July – Sunday 17 July
Melbourne High School

www.soundsgreat.org.au

About Sounds Great 2011
Sounds Great is the Victorian statewide music education conference. Sounds Great is an extensive professional learning event that consists of inspiring keynote addresses, exemplary student performances, practical and theoretical breakout sessions, a trade exhibition and social activities. Sounds Great explores pedagogy, curriculum approaches, rehearsal and conducting techniques, repertoire, jazz and improvisation, music advocacy and technology. The expertise of the local and international presenters is rich and varied. The depth and breadth of professional learning opportunities at Sounds Great is extraordinary. Sounds Great is a meeting place for all music educators from Government, Catholic and Independent schools, a bringing together of instrumental and classroom music teachers from prep to VCE – for all methods and all philosophies of music education.

Go to resource: Spotlight on assessment in music education (USA) was published by MENC in 2001.

Read more…