Music Education At Melbourne

24/06/2026

24/06/2026

We were delighted to welcome 85 teachers and musicians to Studio 5 for the Musical Futures International Big Gig Conference! This was the 10 year anniversary of the first Big Gig that was held in our arts studios just after we moved to this award-winning purpose-designed s.p.a.c.e. "Arrive as delegates, leave as friends" says Anna Gower and it was so wonderful to see people who have been living this for over 10 years! 2 days of music making across all our arts spaces was a powerful reminder of the significance of the The Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne Studio 5 s.p.a.c.e's which are recognised locally, nationally and internationally not only for the innovative and engaging pedagogies that they support but the communities of teachers, artists, researchers that have built professional connections here since it's inception. Huge congratulations to Chris Koelma and Anna Gower for such a successful conference. Huge thankyou to the brilliant Marcel Pusey for coming all the way from London via Singapore for an inspiring keynote and workshops.

10/06/2026

Sound Connections: Victorian State Music Education Conference 2026, brings together 23 conference partner organisations with more to come. Join music educators, practitioners and organisations from across Victoria and beyond.

📍 Scotch College Melbourne 📅 Wednesday 30 September – Thursday 1 October 2026

Join us for two days of practical, hands‑on, engaging professional learning workshops across a wide range of streams, including Instrumental, Ensemble, Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary, Community Music, Choral, and Music Technology.

Early bird registration closes June 30 — don’t miss your chance to be part of Victoria’s leading music education gathering.
👉 Early bird registration 👉 Conference overview

soundconnectionsvic.com

08/06/2026

Congratulations to former Head of Music Education at Melbourne State College, Geoffrey D'Ombrain, on being recognised in today's King's Birthday honours with the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to Music and Music Education.

Geoffrey established the Bachelor of Education (Secondary Music) course in the late 1960s and was its dynamic leader throughout the 1970s and 1980s. His inspirational musicianship, encouragement and collegiality resulted in a program designed to prepare music teachers to be creative in the classroom, proficient and versatile performers, and confident ensemble leaders.

At 95, Geoffrey continues to compose, perform and generally enthuse all those around him.

Huge congratulations, Geoffrey.

At 95, Wendouree’s Geoffrey D'Ombrain receives an OAM for his lifelong service to music and education, inspiring generations to find joy in creation..

08/06/2026

Sound Connections 2026 is a professional development conference for all music educators from around Victoria to participate in workshops, meet, and learn.

04/06/2026

First Nations Music for Australian Classrooms is a fantastic and comprehensive list of First Nations songs, carefully chosen for school-aged children. Put together by Jordyn Green, Wiradjuri, Ngemba and Paakantji woman, primary teacher and founder of The Yulang Effect, this resource teachers you and your students about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and languages.
Find out more here: https://www.theyulangeffect.com.au/product/first-nations-music-list-for-australian-classrooms

04/06/2026

Brilliant Mabo Day concert at Fed Square last night! Such a great event, loved loved loved the big singalong at the end. Huge congratulations to The Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne and Indigenous Knowledges Institute PhD candidate Jessie Lloyd and all the performers.

01/06/2026

We had a lovely afternoon in our final class for the Semester in Music A1 (classroom music). We explored gamelan, principles for working with culturally diverse musics in a respectful, meaningful and appropriate way and the curriculum including the cross-curriculum priority Asia and Australia's Engagement with Asia. A huge well done to our students who always engage in deeply relational conversations and reflections in a thoughtful and insightful way. And it was wonderful to welcome two inspiring colleagues from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney A/P James Humberstone and Dr Brad Fuller who popped in to see our music studio in action and joined in our discussions.

This year we celebrate 10 years of arts education in Studio 5. We are so proud of the pedagogy that is afforded by these spaces which has been refined over many years of research and practice by current The Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne arts academics and the wonderful colleagues who came before us.

29/05/2026

Sue Arney and Emily Wilson had a fantastic evening yesterday at the The Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne student awards evening. Huge congratulations to all the pre-service and graduate teachers who received awards. We were so proud to see so many students from the music learning areas receiving awards. All these students are outstanding music educators and we were so pleased to see their hard work and dedication acknowledged! Many many congratulations to: Ellen Block received the ASME Victoria Award, this was presented by Matthew Liam who is current chair of ASME Victoria, MTeach graduate and current MEd (Reseach) student, and a previous recipient of this award himself! Daniel Light received the Indigenous Knowledge and Community Award. Jayden Galbraith received the George Bryce McIndoe Prize. Sarah McDiarmid was awarded the Manuel Gelman Award and also shared a beautiful performance on flute of a Telemann Fantasia. Graduate of the MTeach Internship Secondary, Rex Sutton received the Alumni Early Career Award and gave an inspiring and uplifting speech of his work at Saltwater P-9 College. And Jake Campbell who received the Freda Cohen Prize for his MEd (Research) thesis.

27/05/2026

Yesterday was WOODWIND DAY in our Music B class! We were joined by special guests Sam Ford from Polygon, who lend us class sets of brass, woodwind and orchestral stringed instruments each week for students to experience for the first time, and Stuart Brownley from D'Addario, who came to give everyone their very first lesson on flute, clarinet and alto sax!
We’re so grateful for the vital partnerships.