Empowering Futures Through Music: Cast Your Vote for the 2024 ARIA Music Teacher Award
Six hours southeast of Darwin is the remote Indigenous community of Bulman. A few weeks ago, ARIA award-winning singer-songwriter Jessica Mauboy showed up unannounced at the local school. Here’s why.
The local Bulman community school of around 80 children ranging from early primary to high school has seen a change these past two years: turnout has been particularly strong. The attendance rate coincides with the addition of a new music program run by local Elder, Nathaniel Miller, who has been working with the kids on guitar, helping them write new songs and reviving language through song.
Recently Nathaniel – and the community in general – was astonished to see a special guest arrive at the school. Singer-songwriter Jessica Mauboy was there to personally deliver the news that Nathaniel had been named one of four nominees for the 2024 ARIA Music Teacher Award.
“I’m proud of myself,” Nathaniel said on hearing the news. “Representing your community, your school, your people, it’s a big surprise, big surprise.”
“I’m proud of myself,” Nathaniel said of his nomination. “Representing your community, your school, your people, it’s a big surprise, big surprise.” (Image: Pat Tassone)
Set to be announced on November 20 during the annual televised ARIA Awards, the music industry’s night of nights, the winner of the Music Teacher Award is voted on by the public. The award highlights the crucial role music teachers play in not only fostering a love of music in their students, but forging a spirit of community and connectedness, improving students wellbeing, learning and attendance.
Now in its eighth year, the award was co-founded and is supported by The Song Room, an organisation that delivers quality arts programs of all disciplines to primary school students in metropolitan, regional and remote schools across Australia. Alberts, through the Tony Foundation, has been supporting their programs since 2019. Together with ARIA, The Song Room selects four finalists from teachers put forward by their local community. Each of the finalists is mentored by a music industry ambassador who works with them on a YouTube campaign the public then votes on, with 47,506 Australians casting their vote in 2023.
In addition to Jess, this year’s celebrity ambassadors include Emma Memma (Emma Watkins, a former Yellow Wiggle) and local singer-songwriters Meg Mac, and Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus).
The other three 2024 nominees are Seaview High School’s Hayley Wedding (South Australia), Petersham Public School’s Susan Sukkar (NSW), and Casey Allen from PLC Sydney.
Between them, the four nominees have built vibrant, inclusive musical programs and communities, and are changing lives as they go.
Singer-songwriter Jessica Mauboy was there to personally deliver the news that Bulman School's music teacher Nathaniel Miller had been named one of four nominees for the 2024 ARIA Music Teacher Award. (Image: Paz Tassone)
“Music isn’t just something we do, it’s who we are,” says Susan Sukkar, who works with students from kindergarten to year 6. “For many of my students, stepping onto that stage is a life-changing moment. It’s about proving to themselves they’re capable of greatness.”
She isn’t just speaking platitudes, as one of her students attests: “Mrs Sukkar believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, and because of her I want to keep playing music for the rest of my life.”
CEO of The Song Room, Alice Gerlach, has recently returned from Bulman and was astonished by what she witnessed.
“Nate has lived there his whole life, he’s got really strong family connections so has been able to lead the work in a really genuine way with and designed by the local community, which is super important,” says Alice. “He’s the only teacher ever involved in the awards who’s never had formal access to teacher training so for him to be nominated is an incredible achievement for him, but also an inspiration for other people in community who don’t have access to those kinds of tertiary or graduate education opportunities.”
In addition to the six or seven songs Nathaniel has created with the students, he’s now working on a local lullaby one of the Elders used to sing her children on Country around the campfire. It has now been interpreted into Dalabon, the local language, in addition to Creole, English and another local First Nations language.
“The kids are learning it in four language and singing it to the Elders and these songs are permeating the whole of their communities.”
Alice says the music program has led to a clear increase in confidence and well-being among the students, who recently performed in Darwin at the National Indigenous Music Awards, in addition to winning an award.
“We’re seeing Nate’s work strengthen the school’s relationship with community and parents, which is really important for engagement with school and for getting First Nations kids to school.”
The awards come at a time when a national call for all children to have access to a quality, sequential and ongoing music education is gaining traction, not only through a national collaborative initiative led by Alberts I The Tony Foundation, Music Education: Right from the Start, but through the current NSW parliamentary inquiry into arts and music education and training.
Music Education: Right from the Start aims to ensure every child in Australia has access to a quality, sequential and ongoing music education. Stories like Nathaniel’s demonstrate the profound impact music can have on children’s confidence, well-being, and sense of community and cultural pride—particularly in remote and Indigenous areas. In particular it highlights the important role played by confident, competent and inspiring teachers. By advocating for a guaranteed 60 minutes of music education per week for all primary school students by a suitably qualified teacher, we’re committed to creating opportunities for the next generation to thrive through music.
2024 ARIA Music Teacher of the Year nominees (from left): Susan Sukkar, Hayley Wedding, Casey Allen, and Nathaniel Miller. (Image: ARIA)
In addition, NSW Arts Minister John Graham and Education Minister Prue Car committed to conducting a survey of music education in NSW public primary schools. This is currently underway, led by Music Education: Right from the Start and implemented by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER); while South Australia and Victoria have in the past five years each committed millions of dollars to improving music education in public schools.
“A lot of people remember their music teacher as someone who was really special in their education and provided them with a really important learning experience,” Alice says. “The ARIA Music Teacher Award is a really well-supported category by the industry, by labels, artists and is the heart and soul of the ARIAs. Last year it was the only award where there was a full standing ovation in the room. It’s a powerful and exciting moment.”
The ARIA Awards will be broadcast on Channel Nine and Stan on Wednesday November 20. Click here to cast your vote.
