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Media Releases & Clippings |
18th March, 2017
Dear Members and Friends,
My sincere thanks to all who gathered at the Athenian Greek Restaurant (near Wynyard) on a very wet Sydney Saturday, 18th of March.
As well as an opportunity to meet old friends once again and to discuss the work of CSME,
It was decided unanimously that CSME will continue with two very clear purposes:
Dear Members and Friends,
My sincere thanks to all who gathered at the Athenian Greek Restaurant (near Wynyard) on a very wet Sydney Saturday, 18th of March.
As well as an opportunity to meet old friends once again and to discuss the work of CSME,
It was decided unanimously that CSME will continue with two very clear purposes:
- 1. Maintain a strong voice of advocacy for a quality music education for all children.
We recognize that music education, particularly in our government primary schools, is either delivered poorly or not at all. This is not surprising, given that university graduates in Primary Education receive little or no preparation to teach music. It is common in the private system that primary music delivered by specialists, but rare in public schools. We also find strong evidence of music in Secondary schools being increasingly taught by totally inadequate “specialists” who, in the worst cases, can neither read nor write music.
CSME, given the vast experience and music education expertise of its membership, has valuable credibility to bring to discussion and advocacy for effective music education}
2. Continue to present “Celebration Sing Out,” the annual concert annnually
The concert is held in Sydney Town Hall and brings together hundreds of primary and secondary singers, as well as adult singers from community choirs: Over 800 took part in 2016. Together they sing great choral repertoire.
Over the pastr 24 years the concert has raised $400,000 for various children's medical causes. In the past five years over $80,000 rhas been raised for Music Therapy at Westmead Children's Hospital.
With the all-but disappearance of the former and great combined schools choral festivals, such important contributions to the formative school experiences of so many of our members, Celebration Sing Out! continues the tradition of offering a unique musical and personal opportunity to school students and adults.
Check out the 2017 program here
There are many ways in which you may be involved.
I am grateful to the steering committee: Rosalind Carlson, Pamela Herring, Ruth Hales, John Hibbard, Lawrence Lau and Warwick McEwan, with whom I will liaise by email as we plan the year’s program. John Hibbard has a special role in media and co-ordination through our website and Facebook, Lawrence Lau holds the important role of Treasurer – thank you Lawrence!
I encourage you all to maintain your membership so that we can maintain the work of the Collegiate, and we hope that you may encourage others to join.
Click here for membership application and renewal
Best wishes,
Mal Hewitt,
President
18th October 2016
SINGERS OF ALL AGES COME TOGETHER TO RAISE FUNDS FOR MUSIC THERAPY IN CELEBRATION SING OUT!
600 singers (ages 7 to 70+) will join forces in Sydney Town Hall at 7pm on Sunday 30th October to sing great choral music, with an orchestra of 80 and the mighty Town Hall organ, raising funds for the Music Therapy Unit at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Today, music therapy is a vital component in the recovery of very sick children, especially those under long-term treatment in oncology wards, but receives no government funding in NSW. All performers are giving their time and talent as musicians because they recognize the healing power of music.
Primary and Secondary students from schools as far afield as Coonabarabran and Armidale will be joined by singers from adult community choirs in music by Haydn (The Heavens are Telling from The Creation), Parry (I Was Glad and Jerusalem), Puccini (Nessun Dorma and the Finale from Turandot, performed on Sydney Harbour in January), Bernstein (favourites from West Side Story including Tonight, Somewhere and America), and O Come All Ye Faithful, in which the audience will be invited to join with the choir. The orchestra comprises professional players as well as teachers and students, and the organ will be played by Peter Kneeshaw AM, one of Australia’s finest organists.
Celebration Sing Out has been an annual event since 1993, and in 23 concerts has raised over $400,000 for various children’s medical programs across NSW, but for the past 5 years the focus has been on Music Therapy at Westmead in recognition of the enormous value of therapy in recovery and rehabilitation.
SINGERS OF ALL AGES COME TOGETHER TO RAISE FUNDS FOR MUSIC THERAPY IN CELEBRATION SING OUT!
600 singers (ages 7 to 70+) will join forces in Sydney Town Hall at 7pm on Sunday 30th October to sing great choral music, with an orchestra of 80 and the mighty Town Hall organ, raising funds for the Music Therapy Unit at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Today, music therapy is a vital component in the recovery of very sick children, especially those under long-term treatment in oncology wards, but receives no government funding in NSW. All performers are giving their time and talent as musicians because they recognize the healing power of music.
Primary and Secondary students from schools as far afield as Coonabarabran and Armidale will be joined by singers from adult community choirs in music by Haydn (The Heavens are Telling from The Creation), Parry (I Was Glad and Jerusalem), Puccini (Nessun Dorma and the Finale from Turandot, performed on Sydney Harbour in January), Bernstein (favourites from West Side Story including Tonight, Somewhere and America), and O Come All Ye Faithful, in which the audience will be invited to join with the choir. The orchestra comprises professional players as well as teachers and students, and the organ will be played by Peter Kneeshaw AM, one of Australia’s finest organists.
Celebration Sing Out has been an annual event since 1993, and in 23 concerts has raised over $400,000 for various children’s medical programs across NSW, but for the past 5 years the focus has been on Music Therapy at Westmead in recognition of the enormous value of therapy in recovery and rehabilitation.