Australian Childrens Music Foundation

Day 19 of 50in50 tour

mona — Tue, 21 May 2013 02:51:38 +0000

James Johnson is at Day 19 of his 50 gigs in 50 days tour and reports that on the exhausted scale of 10 he’s already about a 5!

Not surprising though when you hear about some of the experiences he and his band The Drift have had to endure so far…. last night while driving in the dark to Uluru, a freak storm hit the outback and trapped them in the middle of the road with the water rising all around them! So they just had to sit tight in the van during the night and wait for the water to subside. When it finally did a few hours ago they were able to head off again and are now sitting overlookingAyers Rock

It’a turning into the journey of a lifetime for James and the boys and the ACMF is so proud to be a part of it. We are going to courier snorkles to them immediately – just in case!

May 2013 Community Cabinet, Taree

mona — Tue, 21 May 2013 01:57:10 +0000

A lesson of playing in parts

mona — Wed, 08 May 2013 02:23:38 +0000

Year 5 at OLMC Waterloo were learning about playing in parts this week.

As part of their lesson, they learned a little chimebar piece that ACMF teacher Rachel had written for them – developing fine motor skills, music reading skills and listening skills. Then they learned another part that would fit with the piece. Everyone was learning so quickly, and enjoying themselves so much that Rachel and their teacher, Miss Hopper, decided to film it.

These children couldn’t play any of this fifteen minutes before filming started – Rachel and Miss Hopper were completely amazed!

If you listen closely, you can see that they swap parts halfway through the piece.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here for more ACMF videos.

What’s on with George Ellis

mona — Fri, 03 May 2013 05:28:20 +0000

ACMF Ambassador and Conductor, George Ellis will be presenting two symphony orchestra concerts this Month of May.

On 5 May, the Ryde Hunters Hill Symphony Orchestra are presenting a program featuring an unknown piece in Australia by Armenian composer, Arno Babajanian and a piece of George’s will be performed and there will be the welcoming of a new concertmaster, Ursula Nelius who plays with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra.

And on 18 May, George will be conducting a concert with the Sydney University Symphony Orchestra featuring a piano concerto by Australian composer, Daniel Rojas and the magnificent Polovtsian Dances by Borodin.

To buy tickets and to see more details visit websites here:

www.rhhso.org.au

www.suso.org.au

50 Reasons to Follow James Johnston

mona — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:31:23 +0000

Paul Simon once famously came up with 50 ways to leave your lover and now singer/songwriter James Johnston has come up with 50 ways in 50 days to raise funds for the ACMF!

This coming Sunday, May 5^th James will start one of the most ambitious journeys in Australian entertainment touring history.

With Josh McCartney and Matt Graham, who make up The Drift, James will set off from Brisbane’s iconic Caxton Street Festival to play 50 shows over 50 consecutive days – across 5 states with proceeds going to the Australian Children’s Music Foundation.

Along the way, they will visit schools and Juvenile Justice Centres, especially those that the ACMF provides with free music programs.

James has come a long way since his Australian Idol success in 2009 having toured and written and recorded extensively during the intervening years as well as supporting iconic live acts such as Jimmy Barnes and Gangajang.

After crisscrossing Queensland, the Northern Territory, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, James will return to Brisbane for the 50th and final show.

Fans can find out when James Johnston and The Drift will be in their town and follow the tour at:

www.jamesjohnston.com.au

facebook.com/50in50tour

Everyday Hero

mona — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:55:37 +0000

Hannah Smith and David Lee Langley are entrants in City2Surf, August 11 2013. They have chosen to raise money for the ACMF and have supporter pages on Everyday Hero.

Please show your support by giving through Hannah and David’s Everyday Hero Supporter pages by clicking the links below. Share their links to spread the word about Australian Children’s Music Foundation.

Click to see and donate to David Langley’s supporter page!

Click to see and donate to Hannah Smith’s supporter page!

Natasha DuartÉ

mona — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:08:48 +0000

If you missed our wonderful Ambassador, Natasha Duarté on the Today Show on Good Friday, click here watch. Checkout the latest live clip of Natasha and her band, filmed at Sacred Heart Girls College in Geelong late last month – Loud At Lunchtime Tour.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A celebration concert continues- Seaford Park Primary School in the media!

mona — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 03:54:00 +0000

Seaford Park’s principal received this kind email from a gentleman who attended ‘A Celebration Concert in Melbourne recently. We had to share!

Seaford Park Choir and all teachers involved

I was fortunate enough to be in the crowd to see your school stand proudly. As with many in the crowd, I was with a close friend and supporting his daughter who is Dance Captain on ‘Chitty Chitty’ and sang behind your group toward the end of your act.

My wife – a class-room primary school teacher,(and ex-music teacher and school concert organiser) – agreed this was an “as good as it gets” performance on stage from a Primary Group. It completely blew me away!

Your lead singer was outstanding and all 5 principal singers looked so excited to be on stage, it enhanced an already great performance to see them enjoying themselves so much.

Congratulations to all involved.

Have a look at Seaford Park Primary School’s Newsletter for pictures and a message from the Principal.

and the band played on

mona — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 01:59:40 +0000

The band from the Royal Australian Navy (RANB) came to visit Our Lady of Mount Carmel Primary School, in Waterloo late last month as part of the ACMF music program.

Some of the students got a chance to perform with the band in their concert (drumming on their classroom chairs!) and then the whole school was treated to a concert by these fabulous musicians, being introduced to different musical instruments like the flute and tuba. Then the band went into full concert mode which had everyone, including the teachers (much to the kids amusement) dancing around the school assembly area. Who can stay seated when “Nutbush City Limits” is playing live? Teachers are only human after all!

In fact, the RANB had such a good time that the rock band contingent have offered to come back another time to play for the school’s first ever disco! They were blown away by the engagement of both the children and the teachers – not just their listening skills, but also their grooving!

After the event, the children were asked to draw pictures and write “reviews” of the RANB visit.

Joy For soldiers’ settlement public school

mona — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:12:37 +0000

Earlier last week, as part of the ACMF music program at Soldiers’ Settlement Public School in Matraville, Sydney, members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra visited to perform for the children. It was a terrific experience and the children loved it. There has been a string program running at the school for 14 months, and these children were lucky enough to open the concert with an arrangement of ‘Ode to Joy’. Many of the kids have only been learning string instruments for a short time and one of their challenges was reading and following the sheet music while they played along with the ACO players. Click here to watch the wonderful concentration on their faces!

Click here to view the embedded video.