Presentation - ASME 25th National Conference
I look forward to presenting two sessions at the AUSTA Golden Jubilee National Conference 2025.
Session: Music Ahead- with the Australian Music Centre
Saturday, September 27, 2025
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
2.14 Lecture Room
Description
The Australian Music Centre (AMC) is the national service organisation dedicated to the promotion and support of art music in Australia. At the heart of the AMC’s mission is a commitment to the representation, advocacy, promotion and support of Australian creators and their music. This important work covers contemporary classical, contemporary jazz and improvised music, experimental music and sound art.
The Australian Music Centre celebrates its 50th year in 2025. A key part of the celebrations is an opportunity for reflection and renewal. It is vital that we give recognition to the study and teaching of Australian art music from the past as well as acknowledge new initiatives practiced in curricula and co-curricular programs of today.
The focus of this workshop/discussion is to demonstrate ways that educators can include more Australian music within their programs. It will include repertoire that celebrates our cultural diversity as well as acknowledging a deep commitment to promoting a wide range of music genres.
Attention will be given to the music of Nigel Westlake through his ground- breaking composition Ngapa William Cooper. The workshop will include the music of Australian jazz artists Judy Bailey and Sandy Evans, Australian music for concert band by Catherine Likhuta and Martin Cheney and other repertoire suitable for the secondary music classroom. There will also be an overview of material for the primary music specialist that includes music from the Ngarra-Burria, First Peoples Composers’ program and musical stories that will inspire the child in us all.
It is hoped that the activities offered in this presentation will inspire an appreciation of Australian art music and encourage a culture of creativity in the practices of Listening, Performing and Composing within our Australian context.