The stars all aligned for Gulgong Public School, launching their new strings music program thanks to some donated violins, a determined Learning For Good founder, and a passionate music teacher.
Chris North, founder of Learning For Good had a phone call from a music teacher in Jindabyne earlier this year who had retired and had more than a dozen violins looking for a new home.
“She saw Learning for Good on the Helping Hands television show and thought we would be able to find them a good home, and we did.
“We had been contacted by Gulgong Public School at some stage asking us for help with their strings program and at the time we couldn’t help but then the violins landed in our lap and everything fell into place.
“I rang a local removalist in Jindabyne – The Van from Snowy River – and met him in Canberra and took the violins to the String Centre in Chatswood who reviewed and serviced them and then we drove them out to Gulgong.
“It just so happened to be the day that the Sydney Youth Orchestra (SYO) was starting their regional Big Sky Tour, so we asked them to divert to Gulgong and they put on an amazing concert for about 200 people.
“It was a great way to bring the community together and help a local school start up their strings program. We funded a lot of it out of our own pockets to make it happen but in saying that we have amazing partners like Yancoal.
“They support 71 schools around their mine sites which is amazing because it helps us make things like this happen,” Chris said.
Miriam Malik, one of the classroom teachers at Gulgong Public School said everyone was delighted the students were able to experience a once in lifetime performance from SYO and start learning the violin.
“As a school, we are dedicated to providing excellent educational opportunities for our students, so this was a perfect partnership for us. Thank you to Learning For Good and Yancoal Australia for facilitating this amazing event for our students,” she said.
Yancoal’s Moolarben Coal General Manager, Brian Wesley, was happy to play a part in bringing this musical initiative to Gulgong Public School.
“We are a proud and active member of the community. Many of our employees have children that attend the local primary and high schools, and we want to help ensure they are receiving the best education they can.”
Chris said the music programs they are rolling out to regional schools do so much more than just teach students how to play an instrument.
“We forget that a child who lives in regional NSW is no different to a child who lives in Sydney. They play, they fall over, they make mistakes, and they learn in the same way.
“These programs reduce mental stress and anxiety, improve their mental health, increase cohort relationships and increase participation at school. Music in the classroom has far more impact than any other curriculum activity including sport.”
Chris said they’re hoping by the end of the year the students will have the opportunity to play with the SYO after learning through the SYO and Learning For Good’s ‘Orchestral Beginners Program’, even if it’s just the few bars of Hot Cross Buns.
