The music teacher changing lives in the NT: 2024 ARIA winner Nathaniel Miller
Australia’s top musical talent came together last night to honour some of our most gifted performers and educators, and the NT’s Nathaniel Miller was among them
It’s a long way from the small, remote Indigenous community of Bulman in the Northern Territory to the much-loved stage of Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, where the stars of Australia’s music industry gathered last night to celebrate the ARIA Awards.
But that’s where Bulman Public School music teacher and educator Nathaniel Miller found himself, and where he was named ARIA Music Teacher of the Year on 20 November in recognition of the groundbreaking work he is doing in reviving and preserving endangered local languages, through music.
“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: ARIA Awards / The Song Room)
Accepting the prestigious award before an enthusiastic crowd, the humble Elder, who taught himself to play guitar explained that the classes he runs with the local school children, who range from early primary to high school, have a deeper impact than simply learning an instrument.
“It’s about more than just playing instruments. It’s about keeping our culture alive, building confidence and creating a platform for self-expression,” he said.
“It’s about more than just playing instruments,” said Nathaniel of the classes he runs with local school children in Bulman, NT. “It’s about keeping our culture alive, building confidence and creating a platform for self-expression.” (Image: Pat Tassone)
Now in its eighth year, the Music Teacher Award was established by ARIA in partnership with The Song Room, a national organisation that delivers quality arts programs of all disciplines to primary school students in metropolitan, regional and remote schools across Australia. Alberts has long been a proud supporter of The Song Room through The Tony Foundation.
The Song Room has been working alongside Nathaniel for a number of years. CEO Alice Gerlach has visited Bulman and seen firsthand the profound effect Nathaniel is having, not just on the children, but the community as a whole.
“Working alongside Nathaniel over the years and having seen his transformative work, we are ecstatic to see his outstanding contributions to music education being celebrated,” Alice says.
With the close support of the local Elders, Nathaniel uses music to teach the endangered languages of Dalabon and Rembarrnga – the children learning to write, sing and perform the songs that are then recorded for posterity. The program has gone on to reconnect families with language, while maintaining and building culture and confidence among the children.
Nathaniel Miller with fellow music educators and ARIA Music Teacher of the Year nominees (from left) Hayley Wedding, Casey Allen and Susan Sukkar at the 2024 ARIA Awards in Sydney on 20 November.
The work Nathaniel does highlights the crucial role of music education, in all its forms, and the widespread positive impact it can have, as Alberts knows well through its longstanding and ongoing national initiative Music Education: Right from the Start.
Nathaniel was one of four nominees for the Music Teacher of the Year award, alongside Seaview High School’s Hayley Wedding (South Australia), Petersham Public School’s Susan Sukkar (NSW) and Casey Allen from PLC Sydney.
When the 2024 nominees were announced, ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd commended them as an exceptional group, recognising their role in highlighting the diversity and transformative impact of music education across Australia:
“From fostering inclusivity in high-performing academic environments to reviving Indigenous languages through song, these educators have gone above and beyond to ensure that music is accessible, meaningful, and transformative for all their students,” she said.
In August, singer-songwriter Jessica Mauboy visited the remote Indigenous community of Bulman, NT, 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)
As a nominee, Nathaniel was mentored by ARIA award-winning singer-songwriter Jessica Mauboy, who performed at the ARIA awards, later posting a congratulatory message to Nathaniel and adding her voice in support of music education:
“I can’t speak for everyone but I know I wouldn’t be where I am now without the love, support and encouragement from my music teachers back in school,” shared Jess. “Here’s to them and the new generation of artists and musicians they’re currently sharing their knowledge and wisdom with.”
