media release For immediate release.
Monday 25 July 2011
MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM HITS THE RIGHT NOTE FOR CANBERRA SCHOOL KIDS School students from around the region will soon learn the difference between a clarinet and cello, timpani and tambourine, and the answer to the question on everyone’s lips - is the French horn really French? From 26-29 July 2011, the ANU’s Llewellyn Hall will open its doors to ACT schools with 9,300 attending as part of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra’s acclaimed Noteworthy music education program, generously funded by the Macquarie Group Foundation. Celebrating its fifth birthday this year and already ‘sold out’, Noteworthy is the only program of its kind in Australia, offering free, age-appropriate, interactive concerts, workshops and teaching resources for staff and students from almost half of the ACT’s schools. This year will see one of Australia’s leading music education conductors and Warwick Potter pick up the Noteworthy baton for the first time to direct the education program, and he is looking very forward to the opportunity. “I’m so excited to be involved in Noteworthy because it offers a real, tangible and practical experience to compliment classroom-based learning. It’s engaging and interesting, and it makes classical music very fun and enjoyable - as I believe it should be,” said Mr. Potter. “It’s also a very inclusive program. We have activities catering for children from three to 18 years of age, there’s also an outreach program for people with physical and intellectual disabilities - and incredibly, it’s all provided completely free of charge thanks to The Macquarie Group Foundation,” he said Canberra Symphony Orchestra Chief Executive Henry Laska said Noteworthy continues to be a great source of pride for the organization and will continue to grow over the coming years. “Noteworthy is a real highlight for us, because it is really at the core of our business: supporting and reaching out to the Canberra community, teaching people about the joy of music, and bringing classical music to new audiences,” he said. “It’s thanks to The Macquarie Group Foundation that we are able to develop and sustain such an inclusive program. They’re very generous with funding for the arts and we’re lucky to have them as an Education Partner,” he said. “We’re also delighted to have Warwick Potter involved for the first time this year and I have no doubt his presence, along with the hard work put in by the whole team, will ensure Noteworthy in 2011 is our most successful event yet,” said Mr Laska. For more information, visit www.cso.org.au ~ENDS ~ Members of the media are invited to attend Noteworthy– please contact Jane Speechley. Hi-res images from Noteworthy 2010 are available, and broadcast quality footage will be captured for use by the media. MEDIA CONTACT: Jane Speechley,
[email protected], 0414 354 928.