Championing music for every child: NSW Parliament event amplifies the call for equal access to music education
During an event hosted by the Australian Children's Music Foundation, Music Education: Right from the Start presented to cross-party MPs, highlighting urgent inequities in music education access across NSW schools and calling for systemic reforms to ensure every child benefits from the power of music in their education
Music Education: Right from the Start participated in a vibrant celebration of music at NSW Parliament House last night, hosted by the Australian Children's Music Foundation (ACMF) and The Hon. Ben Franklin, MLC, President of the Legislative Council. Cellist and music educator Rachel Scott welcomed the audience with an inspiring reflection on the transformative power of music: "Every day I walk into class, I watch kids change during their music lessons. I’ve seen kids giggle who haven’t smiled for days. A child once spoke their first word in a music lesson after two years of silence. This is the power of music—it translates into better learning beyond the music room."
Building on this powerful message, Emily Albert, executive director at Alberts and head of this initiative, delivered a compelling speech addressing urgent inequities in access to music education in the state. She highlighted the need for systemic support, trained teachers, and clear policy recommendations to ensure music education is recognized as a vital contributor to academic success.
“At its core, ACMF is about providing music education to children who would otherwise miss out,” said The Hon. Ben Franklin, MLC, in his opening address. “But it’s not just about music—it’s about helping kids develop critical skills for life.”
The night, hosted by musician and ACMF ambassador Rob Mills, with ACMF founder Don Spencer OAM in attendance, brought together cross-party MPs, educators, and advocates to spotlight the critical role of music education in Australian children’s lives, especially as the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Arts and Music Education approaches a pivotal moment. It featured engaging performances ACMF ambassador Bailey Pickles performing an impromptu composition on keyboard, as well as an energised rendition of ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ from the students of Lalor Park Public School's Star Band, accompanied by guitarist Peter Northcott – painting a clear picture of the impact a quality music education can have.
Building on this momentum, "Music belongs to us all. Music is liberating. It is not bounded by culture or tradition or geography or age,” Emily stated. While acknowledging there are pockets of excellence in NSW, significant barriers prevent many students from experiencing the benefits of music education: “Music is liberating, yes,” she added, “but the benefits it delivers for students can be limited, or even denied, by the lack of opportunity that depends on equity of access, appreciative school leadership and modest resources. It depends on competent and confident teachers, and concerningly our research has shown that we are failing our teachers in building this skillset.”
Drawing attention to the current landscape in NSW, Emily highlighted the inequity between public, independent and catholic schools: "We know there is great inequity, between public, independent and Catholic schools, with those most in need of its benefits too often the least likely to receive it,” she expressed. “We also know within the public system, that we have examples of schools with excellent classroom music and an accompanying suite of musical opportunities, while a few blocks down the road the next public primary school may have close to nothing.”
Don Spencer performed with students from Lalor Park Public School’s Star Band, who delivered a rousing rendition of Tears for Fears’ ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’. “My original motivation was to help with mental health,” said Don of founding ACMF, “but music inspires the imagination.”
One of the most impactful stories Emily shared involved an ACMF program in a NSW public primary school, supported through The Tony Foundation. She revealed that this program was the only classroom music available at the school, underscoring the dire situation for many students. "Essentially, if our Foundation’s funding was not there, then those students would not have had any music program, despite music being on the curriculum," she noted, reflecting on how this reality sparked the inception of Music Education: Right from the Start.
“A world without music? I can’t even imagine it,” said the night’s host and ACMF Ambassador, Rob Mills. “There are so many schools across the country without musical instruments. I can walk past three grand pianos in 20 minutes at a private school, while others have none.”
In her address, Emily identified critical factors for successful music programs, including knowledgeable school leaders, qualified teachers, supportive parents, and government policy that prioritises the place of music learning within a well-rounded curriculum - highlighting our submission to the NSW Inquiry, which advocates for a minimum of 60 minutes of music education per week for every primary school child.
Emily emphasised that music learning should not be viewed as detracting from literacy and numeracy; rather, it enhances overall educational outcomes.:"We believe there’s a misconception that somehow by having an hour of music a week, you're robbing literacy and numeracy," Emily stated. "Music is a net contributor to numeracy and literacy and many other aspects of the curriculum."
With the Joint Select Committee into Arts and Music Education and Training in NSW due to report on its findings on 13 December, Emily expressed hope that it will seize this critical moment to provide the NSW Government with robust recommendations aimed at delivering on the promise of quality, sequential and ongoing music education for all Australian primary school students.
As she asserted: "It is a huge opportunity.”
Feature image: ACMF General Manager Frances Georgeson with Music Education: Right from the Start’s Emily Albert, Don Spencer OAM and Ingrid Albert, head of The Tony Foundation.
