Celebrating 18 months of Music Education: Right from the Start
This month marks 18 months since the official launch of Music Education: Right from the Start!
It’s a poignant chance to reflect on our progress, and reaffirm our commitment to striving towards quality, sequential and ongoing music education for all Australian primary school students.
Our launch event at The White House in Melbourne’s St Kilda in September 2022 brought together an array of stakeholders and partners, including educators, researchers, advocates, philanthropists, musicians, policymakers, and music industry bodies – showcasing the widespread support behind the national initiative. Kicking off with a moving performance from First Nations singer-songwriter, Robbie Bundle, the event featured inspiring keynotes from Peter Garrett AM, Susan Templeman MP, and neuromusical educator Dr. Anita Collins in her role as senior advisor to Music Education: Right from the Start.
“There is no secret agenda here: sequential and ongoing music education is just that,” said Alberts executive director, Emily Albert, the driving force behind the initiative, which focuses on the place and purpose of music within a quality education, and how to ensure access for all Australian primary school children.
“The problem we face is complex,” said neuromusical educator and senior advisor to the initiative, Dr Anita Collins.
Launching off the back of two years of research, consultation and planning with key individuals and organisations spanning the music industry, education, research, and philanthropy, the event sought to spotlight the collective commitment of all involved to address Australia’s rising inequity in access to learning and uneven educational outcomes. Noted Emily, “Collaboration is at the heart.”
Special guest speaker Peter Garrett AM highlighted the urgency of establishing a clear path forward. Drawing from his unique background as both a musician and former Federal Minister for the Arts and Education portfolios, he urged governments to prioritise, and fund, the necessary changes: “Really, the main game here is to ensure the integrity of what was intended in the national curriculum: the provision of a fully rounded arts education, which includes music right in the middle of it.”
It was wonderful to have so many of our collaborators at our launch event.
Progress in motion
Empowered by the dynamic energy of our launch event, we've surged forward with significant progress in the 18 months since.
In 2023, we focused our advocacy efforts on face-to-face discussions at Federal Parliament, including key figures like Anne Stanley, the Government Whip, and Josh Wilson, Member for Fremantle.
State-level talks in South Australia and Queensland highlight a growing interest in improving primary music education, with Queensland pledging half an hour per week of music learning for every primary school student.
In Victoria, discussions with Katie Hall, Parliamentary Secretary for Creative Industries, and the state Australian Education Union branch, indicate a commitment to advancing quality music education. Additionally, in NSW we’re encouraged by recent commitments from the Labor Government, supported by Education Minister, Prue Carr, and Arts Minister, John Graham, and we’ve forged a close collaboration with the NSW Teachers’ Federation.
“We have a huge opportunity to improve the educational, social, and wellbeing outcomes for students with the formal, science-based approach to music education,” said Susan Templeman MP (centre), at the launch event with Alberts CEO, David Albert, and executive director, Emily Albert.
Next on the agenda?
With a keen eye on the evolution of South Australia's decade-long music education strategy, we've partnered with the South Australian Department for Education and the Day Family Foundation to survey primary school teachers in an effort to capture their key characteristics and the current landscape of music education delivery in SA.
Administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), the forthcoming report – part of our extensive research pipeline – will aim to inform future initiatives, with plans to extend these efforts to NSW and beyond to establish a national picture.
As we celebrate 18 months of progress, our team of expert collaborators remain committed to strengthening partnerships and advocating for positive change. Our vision is clear: to foster a future where every Australian child receives the invaluable gift of a quality, sequential, and continuous music education, as both a necessity and a fundamental right.
