Executive Principal 

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Burnie Eisteddfod and saw the Leighland Burnie Choir perform. The students presented well and performed well under the excellent direction of Mrs Del Polden, who somehow managed to accompany and direct at the same time. At the time of this Newsletter being prepared, I am in Hobart to engage with and watch the Leighland Ulverstone Choir perform in the Festival of Voices. The question can legitimately be asked whether that is the best use of my time. 

The truth of the matter is that I value music very highly and music education even more. My own musical background is quite limited. Back in the day when I attended primary school, I learnt to play the recorder (a bit); it did help me develop a basic understanding of musical notation which I have always valued and, to this day, I enjoy recorder music. My Primary school teacher, however, did more in that he was quite passionate about Christian hymns and to this day, the knowledge and appreciation of Christian hymns is still with me.

Today some 60 years on, music education has become much more sophisticated and resourced than it was in my day, but the key dynamics are still the same. Music is a real gift to mankind. It’s a medium to promote positive messages and when that happens, praise and honour is reflected back to the great musician. Did you know that JS Bach wrote the words Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God) under each of his compositions? Music helps to express deep feeling and emotion in a way that prose and even poetry cannot do. It helps to embed deep learning, learning that engages the heart and not just the head and that makes it such an important medium for teaching and learning. 

If music is a gift, then music education is an even greater gift. Music education, together with some other areas of learning, is unique in that children learn skills which they get to apply in performances. Performances demand the best of the students, and this helps students to learn skills to a high level of competence. I think that other learning areas should take a leaf out of the book of music education and create authentic ways for students to apply the skills they learn.  

Music education is quite demanding, but in a good way. Learning happens in so many ways and the sense of joy that comes with success is very powerful. 

That’s why adults should support children who engage in music and provide them with all the support that they crave in this pursuit. 

That’s why music teachers should be encouraged and celebrated and watched out for. Education is intense, but music education takes the cake in this because it keeps stirring feelings and emotions. 

That’s why school leaders need to make time to listen and to enjoy the many children in their school who engage in music. 

That’s why I am not apologetic to let you all know that I headed to the Burnie Eisteddfod and the Festival of Voices to encourage our amazing students and their teachers who work so hard to get ready for their performances. It’s actually time well spent!

Alwyn Terpstra

Executive Principal