STUDENTS from Orange schools joined half a million others across Australia in song for Music: Count Us In on Thursday.
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Bowen Public School, Catherine McAuley Catholic Primary School and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School connected to the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra via a live stream, where program ambassador John Foreman led the nation to sing Paint You A Song at 12.30pm.
While the song only lasted a few minutes, Orange students participated with gusto, not only through singing, but playing instruments and performing actions as well.
“I liked the chorus, ‘You will paint a melody, I will paint the harmony, singing colours all around, every city, every town’,” Catherine McAuley year 3 student Kaitlyn Edwards said.
“I like playing the instruments, the drums and percussion. I thought it was cool,” Callan Arden, a Catherine McAuley year 5 student, said.
Watch our video of the Catherine McAuley Primary School students singing:
Created by Music Australia (formerly known as the Music Council of Australia), Music: Count Us In began in 2007 to support teachers to deliver music in the classroom and address a lack of training and experience in this specialist area.
This year the song was written by five talented high school students from NSW, South Australia and Tasmania, with guidance from John Foreman and mentor Harry James Angus.
Catherine McAuley music teacher Anne Allan hoped the program would encourage more children to participate in music.
“They are incredibly excited about getting together with children from other schools around Australia. There’s no barrier whatsoever to participate,” Mrs Allan said.
“Most children inherently love to sing, but as they get older they lose their confidence and it’s not ‘cool’ anymore.
“It’s about joining in to the best of your ability. It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfect.”
alexandra.king@fairfaxmedia.com.au