Helping Our Local Communities

28 October 2009

Bringing music back to Middle Kinglake Primary School - one of the schools destroyed in the Black Saturday bushfires.

Last week I was fortunate to witness the joy that music brings to the students of one of the schools destroyed in the Black Saturday bushfires.  Four members of The Australian Youth Orchestra, Rebecca Adler, Rhianwen Bramble, Fiona Doig, and Rebecca Proietto performed a collection of pieces in this lunchtime playground concert at Middle Kinglake Primary School which culminated with an impromptu display of dancing by the children to Molly on the Shore by Percy Grainger.

The Accenture Australia Foundation and the Managing Director of Accenture Australia, Jack Percy, made this delivery of new instruments and equipment including trumpets, saxophones, percussion, music stands, and teaching books possible. I was delighted to have Jack Percy travel with the AYO members and myself to Kinglake for this first stage resulting from the innovative partnership between AYO and our Principal Sponsor, Accenture. We will also be delivering instruments and making music at Strathewen and Marysville Primary Schools over the coming months and into the new year. The schools have had many guests visiting this year and the teachers are well aware that they will continue to need the opportunities such visits provide as the first anniversary of Black Saturday approaches next February.

During our visit we had a tour of the current temporary school buildings where we were amazed at the way the staff and students manage. In one classroom a teacher was taking a reading class whilst a student had a drum lesson in a partitioned part of the same room. The reading teacher was delighted to see muted drum pads amongst the instruments and equipment donated by Accenture, allowing such lessons to happen in relative silence.  Following our visit last week the AYO was invited to join with the children of Middle Kinglake Primary to perform at the official opening of their new school next June.

On behalf of the AYO and the school communities affected my most sincere thanks to Jack Percy and the Accenture Australia Foundation for making this project a reality. Thank you also to George Proos at AVIS for his ongoing support and providing a vehicle for this visit.

With best wishes,
Colin

Colin Cornish
Chief Executive Officer
The Australian Youth Orchestra