Music education – other

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Contents

Studio music teaching in Australia (Anne Lierse)

Music examination boards (HHG)

Instrumental music education (HHG)

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Studio Music Teaching in Australia
By Dr Anne Lierse (Director of Music, Melbourne High School; private studio teacher).
Last updated: 19 September 2007

• Overview
• Role of the Music Teachers’ Associations
• Cooperative national work
• State and Territory MTAs
• Summary of some courses available for private music teachers

Overview

The studio music teacher has played a pivotal role in the training of instrumentalists and voice students in Australia for over a century. Most professional musicians were initially taught by a studio music teacher and many studio teachers also teach at schools, music conservatoriums, and tertiary institutions. Studio teachers have practices in all States and Territories, both in cities and country areas.

The teaching of music at home or in a private studio is a cottage industry and unregulated. Anyone can set themselves up as a studio music teacher regardless of their personal training and competence. Consequently the quality of their work is variable, ranging from outstanding to very poor.

There are a number of associations which support the studio music teacher. They include specific instrument associations such as:

• Accompanists’ Guilds (NSW and South Australia)
• ANATS –Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing
• AUSTA – Australian Strings Association
• Flute Societies – see directory under The Australian Flute Society
• Reed and double reed associations
• Brass associations.

The Suzuki Association also caters for the training and professional development of Suzuki teachers.

Role of the Music Teachers Associations

The studio music teacher has also had the support of Music Teachers Associations (MTAs) in each State and in the Northern Territory (see details in the next section). The associations in the five mainland States date back to between 1911 and 1930.

The MTAs are made up of dedicated volunteer studio teachers who provide an important role in improving the quality and status of the profession. They offer:

• Membership accreditation based on qualifications, experience and referees
• Recommended fees
• The provision of professional development
• The provision of teacher training in the various institutions
• A registry of accredited teachers
• Cooperative national work

The websites of the five mainland State MTAs provide directory information on how to search for teachers, information for members, accreditation information, events and courses, and references to MTA journals, newsletters and directories. Three MTAs show approximate number of members: Victoria currently 950, Queensland almost 800, and South Australia 330.

The statistical knowledge base paper on Musicians in the Census provides some perspective on these numbers. Long-term, the number of private music teachers has increased at a faster rate than the number of musicians, but their average income is lower (try searching for ‘music teachers’ in the statistical paper to gain a quick impression).

Comparison with the number of MTA members above at first glance suggests that they comprise roughly 40-50% of all private music teachers counted in the Census (see Table 1.2.10 in the statistics appended to Musicians in the Census). This partly reflects the difference between accredited studio teachers and all those calling themselves private music teachers, but definitional issues in the Census (‘main occupation last week’), and because not all MTA members are practising studio music teachers.

If further research could identify those accredited members that are, we would get closer to a true comparison with Census data. Furthermore, the 1996 Census results are starting to emerge.

Cooperative national work

In the past attempts have been made to form a national association which would register and accredit studio teachers. The National Institute of Music Teachers was formed but no longer exists. Since 2004 the MTAs have met to discuss issues pertinent to their associations. They have elected not to support the development of another national institute but to share information and identify issues relevant to each of the MTAs. Current issues include:

1. The development of standards. The Australian Society for Music Education (ASME) has been developing standards for music teachers in schools and it has been proposed that work commence on standards for studio teachers
2. Introduction of police checks / Working with Children permits
3. The variable quality of some practising teachers in each State
4. Differences from State to State in relation to accreditation and fees
5. Issues in the provision of tertiary training for the studio music teacher.

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State and Territory MTAs

Information regarding each of the Music Teachers Associations is provided below. Summarising what is available on mainland State MTA websites, each shows current key contact, welcome, history and objectives (‘about us’ web pages), number of branches, teacher search facilities and/or teacher directories, information on membership and accreditation, relevant events and courses, and references to a newsletters and journals for members. Most mainland State websites also have lists of potentially useful links to other organisations.

Compared to the five mainland States, the website for the Tasmanian MTA is less detailed, while the Australian Capital Territory is represented as a branch of the NSW MTA, and only an email address is available for the Northern Territory MTA. Music. Play for Life notes: “There are yet very few online resources for finding music teachers in the Northern Territory. Hopefully this will improve!” The MPFL pages also contain comprehensive references on how to find music teachers in each State and Territory.

The following information, including current activities in 2007, was supplied for this article by each MTA (two of them supplied mission or general purpose statements which are illustrative of other MTAs as well). The information also listed current office holders and addresses but it is more appropriate to consult each MTA website for up-to-date contact details and main identities.

New South Wales

The Music Teachers Association of New South Wales has eight membership categories:

• Full Membership
• Full Membership (Country)
• Associate Membership
• Associate Membership (Country)
• Contemporary Membership
• Student Membership
• Mailing List Subscription
• International Membership.

Accreditation: Membership is available for performers and teachers. Evidence of music qualifications and successful teaching is required. The category of contemporary/jazz and popular music requirements is more flexible.

Publications: The Studio gives details of all events held in NSW including the Junior Music Festivals, various workshops and social events.

Sponsorship: MTA NSW is sponsoring two awards totalling $2,000 in the 2008 Sydney International Piano Competition ($500 for commissioned work, $1500 for encouragement award).

Professional Development:

• Two-day Conference: Empower Your Teaching (2007)
• Junior Music Festivals held in various locations throughout Sydney and Country New South Wales
• Improvisation for classically trained pianists.

Benevolent fund: Fees paid for country teachers to attend Empower your Teaching, to support country members affected by drought.

Advanced Diploma of Music: The Wollongong Conservatorium of Music and MTA NSW have reached an agreement regarding the Advanced Diploma in Music offered by the Wollongong Conservatorium and especially designed for private music teachers to gain a qualification in pedagogy.

Victoria

The mission of the Victorian Music Teachers Association (Inc) is to “foster excellence in the teaching of instrumental and vocal music in the State of Victoria through the provision of Registration standards; attendance at high level professional development opportunities provided by the Association; collegial support from the Association; the publication of Journals and Newsletters; and the public listings of registered teachers.”

Membership categories: Fully Accredited, Provisional, Associate Teacher, and Student. Register of members available on website.

Publications: Journal – Music and The Teacher (twice a year), Newsletter five each year.

Professional development (recitals/lectures/masterclasses/seminars):

• Bi-annual Summer School (4 days)
• Diploma Masterclasses (4)
• Visiting artists (Jean-Paul Sevilla)
• Clifford lecture, masterclass, and recital
• Victorian Certificate of Education Seminar and masterclass
• Piano Day: “The Integration of Musicality and Technique for AMEB Level 1”
• November: End of year celebration

Queensland

The Queensland Music Teachers Association has six membership categories: New teaching member, Teaching member, Friend member, Student member, and Journal only.

In addition to the Brisbane head office, there are eight Queensland branches ranging from Cairns in the north to Gold Coast in the south, reflecting the decentralised nature of the State.

Publication: Circulation of three Bravura magazines a year (800 printed)

Activities:

• Queensland Vocal Competition 2007 – 7th Annual Competition in May held at Lourdes Hill College (84 entrants)
• Queensland Piano Competition 2007 – 15th Annual Competition in September to be held at the Queensland Conservatorium
• QPC Toowoomba Heats to be held once again in this region in September 2007
• Student Performance Society Concert. Three planned per year
• Allan Lane Memorial weekend, 29th and 30th June 2008 to be held in Townsville
• Professional development workshops (free to members)
• Piano Play, November 2006 (John Colwill)
• Music Games, February 2007 (Sue Thompson)
• Theory – Melody Writing, February 2007 (Ken Campbell)
• Accompanying Workshop – ‘Am I too Loud’ July 2007 (Rita Miles)
• General care and maintenance of the piano, September 2007
• Taubman Approach, October 2007 (Therese Milanovic)
• 85th Anniversary dinner in June 2006.

South Australia

The South Australian Music Teachers Association, with a membership of 330 and rising, has four membership categories: Full, General, Associate, and Student.

Professional Development Days 2007:

• Summer School January 16/17/18
• First Aid April 16 at CEASA (Council of Educational Associations of South Australia) – Full
• Kingston SE Country Workshop
• Wilmington Flinders Ranges Country
• Technology for the Studio Teacher July 20 Woodville High School
• “Together We Learn” – October 9 (emphasis on young students & young teachers – MTASA Chorale.

Performance opportunities include Concert Performance days and SACE (years 11 and 12) performances

Competitions (at Home Studio 35a Orlando Ave, Hampstead Gardens; details on website):

• Miriam Hyde Awards – Junior & Open
• George Pearce Prize – Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB)
• Reimann-Robinson Scholarship
• Norman Sellick Prize
• MTASA/Grace Barbara Turner Awards for Keyboard, Strings, Wind & Voice at the Adelaide Eisteddfod.

Publications:

• The Music Stand (newsletter/journal; six issues per annum) which has radically improved over the past few years – including at least one solid article in each issue
• MTASA Directory of Music Teachers (annual).

Lobbying/Advocacy on behalf of Music Education – in particular studio teaching re:

• Equitable fees
• Music education in general in schools
• Training for Studio Teachers in SA (none since Flinders Street School of Music was absorbed into the Conservatorium in 2002)
• Training for Lower Primary School Music teaching- classroom teachers & music specialists (classroom music not compulsory in SA schools)

MTASA Affiliates (Societies of performers/teachers who advertise in the MTASA Handbook). Sponsors – 19 including affiliates.

Western Australia

The West Australian Music Teachers Association (Inc) is the oldest professional association of private music teachers in Australia. It exists solely for the benefit of members and endeavours to safeguard conditions and general aspects of studio music teaching. It provides services for teachers and the general public and is a non-profit organisation, run by a council of volunteers, including metropolitan, country and student representatives. See WAMTA’s ‘welcome’ page for a summary of membership benefits and other activities.

Newsletter: Monthly Music Teachers’ Bulletin, informing teachers of events.

Protection of children: The Working with Children check is now compulsory, endorsed by the Government as law. Teachers are required to have their WWC number registered with the Association.

Membership categories: Not ascertained.

Accreditation courses by correspondence: The Association runs courses which cover teaching principles, aural training, rudiments and elementary harmony, history of music.

Events/professional development/performances:

• Recital and Concerto Competition
• WA Piano Pedagogy Convention (3 days)

Professional Development: For a 2007 list of professional seminars organised by WAMTA, see AMEB WA’s Music Teachers’ Handbook, p 13.

• The road less travelled with Valerie Lang (AMEB Manual Lists were presented and discussed)
• Dalcroze workshop with Joan Pope (2006)
• Piano masterclass/workshop for the early grades 1-3, with Valerie Lang
• Hear and play with Heather Brittan
• Music craft: Let’s do it together, with Heather Brittan
• Music technology workshop with Rupert Sherwood.

Student Forum:
Performance opportunities for young students (of MTA teachers) to play in public. Held from March to November, first Saturday of month.

Sponsorship:
Keyed Up - four piano recitals organised by the University of WA School of Music. The biennial event is also funded by the WA Piano Pedagogy Convention, briefly described here, page 8.

Tasmania

The Tasmanian Music Teachers Association provides a range of worthwhile musical experiences and opportunities for its members. The Association seeks to assist its members through:

• professional development activities
• practical demonstrations
• product information workshops
• instrumental and vocal master classes for all levels.

TMTA has three branches: Southern Tasmania, Northern Tasmania, and North West Tasmania. It maintains a register of qualified members, and offers a referral service to the public. Teachers must meet strict criteria in order to become a member of the Association.

There are three levels of membership: Senior Registered, Registered, and Associate.

Students of members are eligible for TMTA Awards, and are able to participate in many music-making activities organised by the Association including workshops, master classes, competitions and concerts.

Publications: Annual journal, and newsletters.

Professional Development and performance:

• Dalcroze day joined with AGM
• Outside the square – looking at not the usual repertoire
• Technology – look at ‘YouTube’ in particular Rachmaninoff Prelude in C sharp minor
• Jean-Paul Sevilla lecture demonstration
• Pedagogy – Listen to your hands (Will Coyle)
• TMTA Piano competitions
• TMTA awards – AMEB and music stores supply sponsorship.

Northern Territory

Contact President Jill Kuhn for information.

Summary of some courses available for private music teachers

Listed in the attached pdf file.

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Music examination boards

By Hans Hoegh-Guldberg (Economic Strategies)
Last updated: 29 December 2007.

• List of boards

There are two linked levels of music examinations, one going through eight grades and catering for all age groups, the other providing tertiary qualifications. Most or all examining boards operating in Australia do both, and similarities probably outweigh the differences though website descriptions naturally emphasise what they conceive as competitive strengths, such as quality of teaching standards, syllabuses, geographical coverage and emphasis on particular musical genres.

Tertiary qualifications are of course also provided through universities and colleges (to be covered in the previous section on tertiary music education). Lists of music teachers such as this show that many have both types of qualifications.  

Six organisations or boards provide full courses of graded music examinations in Australia. Each organisation is described briefly with an agreed description, except one described from its website (ABRSM). The reader is referred to their respective websites for detail:

• Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB)
• Australian and New Zealand Cultural Arts (ANZCA)
• Trinity Guildhall Examinations
• Australian Guild of Music Education
• St Cecilia’s School of Music (SCSM)
• Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM)

Two other organisations seem to have a more modest presence in Australia (if incorrect, please advise the editor or use the comment box below). They are the International Music Examinations Board (IMEB) and the London College of Music Examinations, now part of Thames Valley University.

Australian Music Examinations Board

AMEB examines in excess of 100,000 candidates each year and was the first Australian-based music examination body to offer its services in Australia. It started in 1887 at the Universities of Adelaide and Melbourne, became a national body in 1918, and became an incorporated body in 2002. Like most other boards, it subsequently added speech and drama examinations to its repertoire.

AMEB is a federated structure. The federal office (in Melbourne) operates in the following areas:

• development of syllabuses in instrumental performance and music theory
• development and production of publications supporting the syllabuses
• the setting of examinations for all written papers, and
• examining of practical Diplomas, of which by far the most numerous in the music area are Associate of Music Australia (AMusA) and Licentiate of Music Australia (LMusA). The highest examination level is Fellowship in Music Australia (FMusA).

The State Offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart administer all aspects of the examinations. Each mainland State office has its own website accessible here.

Today AMEB is the most widely-used Australian assessment system in music, speech and drama. It is also the only examination body with formal links to major Australian universities and Ministers for Education: through its corporate structure, ownership of the AMEB is vested in each of the Universities of Adelaide, Melbourne and Western Australia; and the Ministers of Education (who also in some cases hold related portfolios) in New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania. Each of these bodies provides a representative to the Board of Directors of the AMEB.

The AMEB national and State websites provide great detail about syllabuses, examinations, the quality and number of examiners, and the large number of course-related publications published. In summary, AMEB provides the only formal links to major Australian universities and education departments, is the most widely used music assessment system in Australia, and offers an assessment system from primary to diploma level using highly trained examiners who are specialists in their instrument.

Like other music examination boards, AMEB keeps extending its coverage of musical genres. For example:

• Its Contemporary Popular Music program (CPM) encourages students to study jazz through keyboard, bass, drum kit, guitar and vocal music syllabuses;
• Its newly released (2006) syllabus in Music Craft maps to world’s best practice in contemporary music theory, and provides a full suite of support materials to support students learning and teachers delivery of the subject matter.

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ANZCA

Formed in 1983 in response to a growing need amongst private music teachers for an examination system catering for a greater diversity of musical styles, Australian and New Zealand Cultural Arts Limited (ANZCA) is a non-profit examining body of the performing arts.   Examinations are conducted throughout Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong. Modern and classical syllabuses are currently available for pianoforte, organ, guitar, singing, trumpet and flute, as well as contemporary syllabuses for digital keyboard-piano, bass, drum set, trombone, euphonium, baritone, clarinet, saxophone, accordion, recorder, strings and theory of music. The classical syllabuses have been compiled around interesting musical compositions, especially at the junior levels, but a free choice list from Grade two allows students of most instruments to perform a modern piece if they choose. Similarly, in the modern syllabuses students from Grade Two can elect to play a classical piece from the free choice section. 

Levels range from Introductory through to Associate, Licentiate and Fellowship Diplomas. 

Its website states: “ANZCA has been at the forefront in developing modern stream exami-nations in all instruments, and will continue to work on improving and extending both the classical and modern syllabi.” In the modern syllabuses, students are encouraged to improvise and arrange pieces.

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Trinity Guildhall Examinations

“Trinity Guildhall’s range of qualifications in Music is extensive with syllabuses covering a range of styles from contemporary, jazz, popular and commercial musics as well as classical. As an organisation which is working in around 50 countries, we welcome and embrace cultures from all over the world.” (Quoted from website.)

Trinity Guildhall is part of the broader structure of Trinity College London. It focuses on the performing arts in music and drama. It has a long-standing presence in Australia, dating back to the early 1880s “when music examiners would set off from England on long voy-ages to the Australian centres of Sydney and Melbourne. We were the first board to examine candidates in music in Australia and now we examine thousands of candidates every year in music and drama.”

Similar to other music examination boards such as AMEB, the tiered program of graded examinations ranges up to Associate, Licentiate and Fellowship Diplomas. Fellowship is commensurate with a Masters Degree.

The Australian operation works through State managers, responsible for running their own centres, for working closely with their representative State teams to promote Trinity Guildhall examinations, and to provide support to all teachers and candidates, schools and colleges. “We are also keen to promote the work of Australian composers, writers and drama-tists by including them in its syllabuses.”

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Australian Guild of Music Education Inc

By Rodney Cox, AGME (6 June 2007)

The Australian Guild of Music and Speech was founded in 1969 as a continuation of the London Guild of Music and Speech (Australia). In 2002 all its operations were assumed by the Australian Guild of Music Education, Public Examination Division. It remains a non-profit public educational institution, constituted to provide private Music and Speech Teachers and students of Music and Speech (including Drama) with a comprehensive set of syllabi and Australia-wide examinations in both Music and Speech.

The Guild is essentially an association of private music and speech teachers set up to foster interest in these arts and provide the teachers with a standard structure for teaching and examining students. Teachers throughout Australia register with the Guild and once registered receive updates and discounts. In addition, the Guild has branches in Singapore and Malaysia and examinations are starting to be conducted in Indonesia and China. The Guild is run by Music and Speech Teachers for Music and Speech Teachers.

Classical, modern and jazz syllabi are all available for most popular instruments, with three step examinations available as a lead-in to Grade 1, and culminating in the Fellowship Diploma, awarded for outstanding contributions in the fields of Music or Speech.

The syllabi cover:

• Music Performance – concentrates on the presentation aspects of actual performance
• Practical Music – all styles and instruments plus Music Theory
• Speech – Speech and Drama, Oral communication, Spoken Language Development, Language and Choric Speaking
• Musical Theatre – combines Music, Drama and Movement

In addition, courses are run to train experienced, specialist teachers in the above disciplines as examiners.

The Tertiary Course Division is authorised to award Certificate 4, Diploma, Advanced Diploma and the Bachelor Degree. All these courses are accredited and the degree program is supported by the Federal Government’s Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) Fee Help scheme. The courses are by attendance or distance education, so they are suitable for students who wish to continue after doing the public examinations anywhere in Australia, especially as the Guild is recognised for Fee Help.

All technical aspects of the Public Examination Division, are overseen by the members of the Tertiary music faculty, ensuring the highest of standards.

The Guild website provides information and application forms for all aspects of its Public Examination Division and resource material for students enrolled in the Tertiary Course Division.

The highlight of each year is the combined Public and Tertiary, Graduation Ceremony and Concert where Guild students from all over Australia are given recognition for their excellence.

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St Cecilia School of Music

Based in Launceston, Tasmania, St. Cecilia has been operating successfully in Australia since 1974. Thousands of musicians have received their training and qualifications through the St Cecilia teaching and examination systems. Many of these musicians have continued professionally as teachers and performers all over the world.

The Australian-based St Cecilia Examinations (SCSM) system was developed 35 years ago by its current director Matthews Tyson and has since grown to become a major music assessment organisation throughout Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and India, and most recently Malaysia and Indonesia.

The syllabus covers all instruments and voice from three elementary levels through eight grades and numerous professional teaching and performing diplomas. Diplomas are signified by the letters A.Dip.SCSM Dip.SCSM and F.Dip.SCSM. Diplomas may be awarded with Honours.

47 highly qualified and experienced examiners currently examine for St Cecilia. Training is conducted on an annual basis.

SCSM examinations have been accredited by the Tasmanian, South Australian, Northern Territory and Western Australian government agencies for the purpose of students’ education certificates. In 2007, the Queensland State Studies Authority agreed to accept St Cecilia examinations for the recognition and listing on the Queensland Certificate of Education.

St Cecilia Teaching Diplomas are accredited by the New South Wales, South Australian and Western Australian Music Teachers’ Associations for the purpose of membership.

St. Cecilia offers up to seven examination periods throughout the year in most centres. Teachers and schools who enter large numbers of students may opt for examination sessions outside of the normal exam periods.

St Cecilia examination fees remain competitive with other boards and because of low overheads, St Cecilia claims that it is able to operate in a more flexible and user-friendly manner. St Cecilia is growing rapidly and new centres in Canada, Pacific Islands, Thailand and the UK will be opening progressively throughout 2008 and 2009.

Full current details for each syllabus are available here. SCSM examinations are suitable for both private studio as well as school teaching programs.

Launceston’s St. Cecilia Chamber Orchestra has a reputation as one of Tasmania’s finest orchestral groups. Established in 1978 by its present conductor, Matthews Tyson, the orchestra has performed to many thousands of people throughout Tasmania. In recent times the orchestra has taken to the road and performed in Auckland, Darwin, Melbourne, Alice Springs and Perth.

The standards set for entry to the orchestra are high. Each of the orchestra’s 40 string players has attained the high grade and diploma qualifications.

The orchestra’s repertoire is diverse and varies from classical to light classical music. It has performed all the major baroque and classical works and also has many contemporary works in its current repertoire.

The orchestra regularly features in concerts at the Princess Theatre and the Albert Hall in Launceston, and undertakes community and commercial performances throughout the year.

The St. Cecilia School of Music also manages the Sonore String Orchestra, Da Capo String Orchestra, St. Cecilia Junior Strings and beginner and adult ensembles. St. Cecilia works in conjunction with various choral groups in Launceston including the international SingElon Choir.

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The Associated Board

Great Britain has traditionally been influential in developing the musical skills of Australians, going back to the 19th century. The Associated Board of the Royal Music Schools (ABRMS) is an example of British institutions still playing a role in Australia today. The Associated Board claims to be the world’s leading music examination board, with over 600,000 persons taking its music examinations each year in 90 different countries. The examinations cover more than 35 instruments, singing, jazz, music theory and practical musicianship.

The conservatoires represented by the Associated Board are the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. More information about each can be obtained here.

The main program of ABRMS is similar to AMEB’s and other boards in that “practical exams provide a progressive system of assessments beginning with the Prep Test and moving up through 8 grades to diplomas. They are designed to motivate pupils and students at all levels by providing clear attainable goals. The ‘grades’ are recognised as international benchmarks and are valued by teachers and institutions all over the world.” Like other boards, it recognises jazz as one of the most important genres of the 20th century and has introduced jazz examination in eight countries including Australia, starting with jazz piano in 1999 and adding clarinet, alto and tenor sax, trumpet, trombone, and horn between 1999 and 2003.

ABRSM has a network of teachers and examination centres in Australia, as explained through the Australian extension of the central website.

The ABRSM website provides an insight into the number of students taking examinations at each of the eight practical and theory levels, and the number taking diplomas. The statistics are summarised in Table 4.3.2 in the statistics section of the knowledge base, covering the UK only. In 2004, there were almost 285,000 practical examinations in the eight grades, falling away heavily between Grades 1 (26.9% of the total number) and 8 (3.4%).

This compared with 45,000 examinations in theory, heavily concentrated on Grade 5, because ABRMS “encourages the development of theory and musicianship skills from the earliest stages of instrumental learning. As instrumental skills progress, development in music theory and musicianship becomes increasingly important in helping students to perform with sensitivity, understanding and confidence. Candidates are required to pass Grade 5 Theory or Grade 5 Practical Musicianship or Grade 5 Jazz in order to progress to practical exams at Grades 6, 7 and 8”.

The number of diploma examinations (945 in 2004) is tiny compared with the graded examinations, totalling some 330,000 in the same year. Table 4.3.1 shows that AMEB passed 544 AmusA and LMusA examinations in the same year, suggesting that if similar relationships exist as in the UK, AMEB’s statement that it examines more than 100,000 persons per annum is realistic and perhaps conservative.

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Instrumental music education

By Hans Hoegh-Guldberg (Economic Strategies Pty Ltd).
Last updated: 30 May 2006

• National Review of Music Education
• Local community music schools

This subject is treated separately from general music education to fit in with the section on school orchestras in the Orchestras section of the knowledge base.

Two recent reports have broadened the knowledge of music education, including performance of school orchestras, bands and ensembles. The MCA in cooperation with the Australian Society for Music Education (ASME) and the Australian Music Association (AMA) commissioned a study headed by Professor Robin Stevens, attempting to answer eleven questions relating to music education. It was followed by a National Review of Music Education in Australia for the Federal Minister of Education, Science and Training, published in 2005.

Despite these major research efforts, the general knowledge of the extent of instrumental music performance in schools remains patchy, mainly because of the diverse nature of school education systems with different rules in the eight States and Territories and among the three main sectors: Government, Independent and Catholic schools. This compounds the difficulties already existing in capturing changes in music teaching as students progress from pre-school to final year; different schools respond in different ways to these changing needs. The lack of training facilities through local community music schools has also been debated, as briefly summarised at the end of this section.

Question 9 of the Stevens report concerns “extra-curricular” activities, including instrumental music whether or not school-based (co-curricular). The best that could be done in most States was to report on the range of extra-curricular school music activities, without any indication of time involved or trends over time. Some examples are given below; refer Question 9 for full detail relating to each State and Territory.

Extra-curricular activities involving instrumental music vary widely from State to State. In NSW, for example, activities undertaken in secondary schools include school-based ensembles ranging from symphony orchestras to choral groups, and regular musical events such as annual school concerts or musicals, and music performances associated with the religious calendar. In Victoria, Melbourne Youth Music (MYM) provides an Extension Education Service. It administers the Saturday Music School that caters for over 450 students aged 7-23 years in eleven different ensembles, and also the January Music Camp, a non-residential summer school for instrumentalists and vocalists.

Schools across Australia with a specialist music teacher on staff take on a variety of extra-curricular musical activities, including choir and band rehearsals in public primary schools, music camps, school musicals, school ensembles, annual school concerts and other official events. Some States have special programs to promote musical excellence among young people, such as Queensland’s MOST (Musically Outstanding Students) program, which provides a biennial two-week residential program for 77 students who participate in a variety of musical ensembles. Another Queensland program, FANFARE, is a biennial festival of State school bands. In Western Australia, the Department of Education, through the School of Instrumental Music (SIM), supports a number of music festivals and showcase events, and special concerts promote and involve young musicians. The principal extra-curricular activity in Tasmanian schools is the Primary Schools Band Program that involves 550 students learning brass and woodwind instruments and 160 students learning string instruments.

National review of music education

The National Review of Music Education in Australia is too complex a document to deal with comprehensively here. The executive summary and associated recommendations should be read in full to just begin understanding the issues involved. The following quotes relating to instrumental music highlight the inequities involved in funding these activities and providing teaching resources, and therefore in developing school orchestras and ensembles (pp xi-xii):

Support for instrumental and vocal music is provided centrally for government schools in four of the States and Territories: Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. These services include low cost instrument hire schemes and music libraries. In the other States and in the independent schools sector, instrumental and vocal tuition is most often provided at an individual school level and on a user pays basis. This again highlights that those who play music are those who can pay for music.

The costs of providing these services are also cited as reasons for inequitable access to music programmes particularly instrumental and vocal programmes. Associated with these costs are shortages of suitably qualified instrumental and vocal teachers aligned with contemporary curriculum.

Only a small proportion of schools have designated programmes for gifted and talented students as opposed to activities catering for talented students. Similarly, only a small proportion of schools have designated instrumental or vocal programmes.

The key message of the National Review (page v) is that:

• Music education is valuable and essential for all Australian school students. International and national research shows that music education uniquely contributes to the emotional, physical, social and cognitive growth of all students. Music in schools contributes to both instrumental and aesthetic learning outcomes; transmission of cultural heritage and values; and, students’ creativity, identity and capacity for self-expression and satisfaction.
• Students miss out on effective music education. While there are examples of excellent music education in schools, many Australian students miss out on effective music education because of the lack of equity of access; lack of quality of provision; and the poor status of music in many schools.

The review therefore identifies a need for immediate priority on improving and sustaining the quality and status of music education. The first three actions listed are (our emphasis):

• Improve the equity of access, participation and engagement in school music for all students;
• Improve teacher pre-service and in-service education;
• Improve curriculum support services (advisory, instrumental music, vocal music and music technology).

The key message does not specify a perennial result of the “tyranny of distance”, the inequities caused by location. However, the review contains numerous references to this problem, for example (p 20):

In asserting the importance of student engagement in multiple musical ensemble activities as a mode for enhancing the development of musical talent, [Felicia Chadwick at the 1999 ASME Conference noted] that ‘residents in rural communities and children from less socio-economically advantaged families do not enjoy equal access to opportunities for development of their musical potential’ (p. 34). Chadwick indicates that State ensembles such as the NSW State Schools’ Performing Ensembles provide complementary opportunities for musically talented students to extend their skills, repertoire and commitment to musical excellence but these have geographical and numerical limitations on their membership. In larger metropolitan and regional centres community-based bands, orchestras and other ensembles may supplement school-based offerings.

The Review goes on to note that State education departments do organise music camps which enable geographically isolated students to join musically gifted peers in instrumental ensemble activities (which would benefit a small number of students only).

Commenting on the large number of submissions received by the Review, the authors noted (p 107):

Of particular note in submissions was the suggestion that geography and the tyranny of distance hinder staffing and teaching of music in many rural and remote schools. Children in cities, larger regional centres and higher socio-economic circumstances are more likely to be able to access music programmes.

Local community music schools

Dick Letts several years ago raised the question: Why doesn’t your town have its own music school? “If Australia were in Europe, it would have 600 publicly supported music schools offering instruction to all comers. Including the external programs of the conservatoria, it actually has about 25 or 30. Could the community music school be the solution to our endless problem in making music education universally accessible?”

Sweden is a prime example of a European country benefiting from extra-curricular music schools, set up since the 1960s in almost all municipalities in the country. It is claimed to have transformed musical activity and appreciation, and to have made Sweden one of the very few countries in the world with a positive trade balance in music.

To date, the main community music schools in Australia have been established in New South Wales, where they are known as regional conservatoria. There are currently 15 established centres in NSW country areas. They were initially established under the umbrella of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with tiny grants from the NSW Government. Five are associated with provincial universities, which provide substantial support. The ten others depend crucially on local community support, plus public funding.

Jane Robertson, head of Tamworth Regional Conservatorium of Music and chair of the Association of Regional Music Conservatoria in NSW, noted in a Music Forum article in 2002 that the community-based conservatoria eventually received increased support after their first struggling years. The imbalance with the university-based conservatoria was partially addressed in the 1980s when a base grant was introduced (supplemented with support based on hours taught). However, the conservatoria remained floundering until they were transferred to the NSW Department of Education and Training in 1997. Robertson commented on this move:

Since it has always been my understanding that regional conservatoriums in NSW were established to provide instrumental and vocal tuition not available in NSW state schools, one can only wonder why it took so long!

She also noted that even after substantial State government funding increases in 2001-02, the conservatoria would remain dependent on active and substantial local support, including Friends’ organisations:

Given the conservatoriums’ history … it would come as no surprise that the increased funds will, in the short term anyway, serve only to lift them above the poverty line. There is much catching up to do.

The general aim, as expressed by Orange Regional Conservatorium, is “to provide musical education and performance opportunities for all members of our region.” This particular conservatorium stages about 40 public concerts in which over 300 amateur, student and professional musicians play. Fourteen weekly in-house ensembles range from the Orange Symphony Orchestra and the Orange Youth Orchestra to an Adult Concert Band, Junior String Ensembles, Conservatorium Brass Ensembles, the Orange Beat Percussion Ensemble, and Orange Conservatorium Flute and Wind Ensembles.

In and around the centres where regional conservatoria are located, their existence has a significant impact on local musical life and appreciation. There is still a great gap to fill (including metropolitan suburbs), even in NSW where they are mainly located.

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