April 2010
Welcome to the Music. Play for Life campaign newsletter, issued to campaign supporters on a regular basis to bring new achievements, updates and stories from around the country. More about the campaign at www.musicplayforlife.org
In this Issue
Upcoming events:
- Record Store Day Australia
- APRA Song Summit
- Rhythmical Alchemy: facilitation workshop 4-6 June
- Accessible Arts Forum, 23 April, Sydney
Song set gets primary schoolers singing
Making Music Being Well May 17-23
Believe that making music makes you healthier and happier? Have you hitched your wagon to this yet?! Find out more and register today. Plenty have already:
- The ACT's Music For Everyone will host a day of free hands-on music activities - 'Drum Circle/Big Guitar Gig/Rock Academy' on 22 May. Among other things they're shooting for the biggest ever classical acoustic guitar gig! Insert pic of MFE
- The Glorious MUDsingers, a community choir in regional NSW will turn their rehearsal on 19 May into a free public performance. All locals - and out-of-towners! - welcome.
- Coast Acoustics from Nerang, QLD will host an open-mic session on 18 May.
- Community Music Victoria, the Victorian Orff Schulwerk Assc and The Recorder Guild are banding together to run 'The Big Play Weekend', 22 - 23 May at Kew Primary School, VIC
- The campaign's own Music in Communities Network is running a full-day conference on Friday 21st May in Wollongong under the MMBW banner, designed to help people in and around the region to share their skills and experiences in running community music programs. More here.
After a nationwide call for would-be songwriters in years 9 and above to join the co-writing teams to come up with this year's theme song, we are pleased to announce the following students will be taking part in the mentored workshop on 4th May.
- Anthony Barnhill, Yarra Valley Grammar, VIC
- Henry Beale, The Essington School, NT
- Madeleine Brenner, Scotch College, Adelaide, SA
- Clinton Cave, Cairns State High, QLD
- Shekinah Moye, Toormina High, NSW
- Olivia O'Brien, Santa Maria College, VIC
- Taylor Pomery, Albany Senior HIgh, WA
- Lauren 'Lolly' Tarver, Wanneroo Senior High, WA
- Alissa Williams, Fairvale High, NSW
We'll keep you posted on more news about the workshop and the final song. We hope to have it ready for participating schools by mid May.
Don't forget this year's culminating performances around Australia take place on Thursday September 2nd at 11.30am.
More at www.musiccountusin.org.au
Go for a spin at your local store, this Saturday April 17th
What's on the verge of extinction around the world, but there's still plenty of 'em in Australia? Record Stores! Record Store Day Australia is happening this Saturday 17 April and from Broome to Brisbane stores are putting on live music showcases, giving away prizes and generally getting behind the celebration of old and new music.
"Record Store Day Australia is about celebrating the great music and musicians we have in this country," says organiser, Sara Hood, with the Australian Music Retailers' Association, AMRA. "We're so fortunate because around the world record stores are disappearing, but here in Australia we still have lots. We can go there to browse and find new music and we're still a nation of CD collectors. In many towns and cities elsewhere in the world there is no specialist record store left and the only way to buy music is online or at a discount department store."
Check out what's happening near you at www.recordstoreday.com.au and throw your weight behind the support of live and local music.
APRA Song Summit, Sydney, June 19- 21
Speaking of live and local musicians...the list of songwriting stars and music industry names grows longer and more impressive by the week as APRA's Song Summit 2010 gets closer. If you're an aspiring songwriter, you're sure to absorb all sorts of useful tips from the June event. Lior, Julian Hamilton (The Presets), Rai Thistlethwayte (Thirsty Merc), Brendan Gallagher (Karma County), Dave Faulkner (The Hoodoo Gurus) and the campaign's own John Foreman join a host of business and creative heavyweights at the Summit. Check it out, including the early bird registration details, at http://www.songsummit.com.au/speakers.htm
Rhythmical Alchemy Playshop, Sydney Jun 4-6, MLC School, Burwood
Music therapist Bek Wermut has been in touch to let us know about an upcoming workshop by UK drum maestro, Arthur Hull.
"Arthur Hull is widely considered to be the 'Father of the Drum Circle Movement' and is coming from the USA for this event," says Bek. "This weekend playshop teaches participants to facilitate rhythm games and activities using drums, percussion, voice, movement, body percussion, found sounds and other toys." Bek says workshop activities can be utilised and adapted to suit any population, age group and group size and you don't need any experience or a background in music or music therapy to take part. "This is a not to be missed opportunity if you are interested in facilitating rhythm activities with any school or community group!" Cost is $395 with discounts available for early bird bookings before April 22nd, student/concessions, and group bookings of more than 6 people.
For more information visit the links below or email sydneyrap2010@gmail.com or phone Bek on 0408 865 309:
https://sites.google.com/site/sydneyrap2010/home
https://sites.google.com/site/sydneyrap2010/playshop
www.drumcircle.com
Accessible Music Pathways 2010
Accessible Arts NSW is hosting a forum later this month to consider new directions for investing in and training young musicians with disability in NSW. Among the guest speakers are long-time music educator and advocate, Richard Gill and campaign stalwart and Music in Communities Award winner (2008), Pat Rix, Founder and Artistic Director of SA's ground-breaking Tutti Ensemble.
Friday 23 April 2010
Sydney Opera House, Utzon Room.
Another Music in Communities Award-winning organisation is the ANU's Music Education Program, under the sterling leadership of Dr Susan West. Susan West and her team are well known to campaign supporters because, among other things, they teach, direct and marshall the 2000+ young singers outside Parliament House each year as part of the culmination of Music Count Us In. This month sees the national launch of the MEP's Seventy Over Seven (70/7) series. 70/7 represents over 10 years of research in the development of a new approach to music in education known as the Music Outreach Principle.
"The 70/7 series is a 'Base-Line' approach to music making at the primary school level that consists of a set of ten songs for each year of primary school, Kindergarten to Year 6," says Susan. "Each set of songs is designed to be taught in five to ten minutes a day across the school year by general primary school classroom teachers with or without specialist assistance. There is one principle outcome: that every student leaves school willing and able to sing, in a group and alone, at least seventy songs."
That'll be music to all MPFL supporters' ears! For more on the program, contact Susan at the ANU on mep@anu.edu.au or 02 61258978.
ASME Music Education Awards 2010: nominations close today
MEP teacher, Nicole Mengel, was one of the winners of ASME Awards for Excellence in School Music Education last year. Did you know nominations for the 2010 Awards close this Friday 16th April? Recognising music teachers and school leaders for exceptional contributions to 'enhancing the status and quality of music education in their schools' there are up to 13 Awards of $5000 to go towards professional development.
Music. Play for Life
Tel: 02 4454 3887
admin.mpfl@mca.org.au
www.musicplayforlife.org
'Music. Play for Life', the Music Council of Australia's grassroots campaign to get more Australians making music: in schools, communities, everywhere.
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