Dear Friend of Music

Welcome . . .

... our enews currently goes to almost 2000 people around the world, and we are delighted to have so many readers in so many places. In particular a very warm welcome to all our new subscribers. We have some fascinating and valuable articles for you in this edition so read on and enjoy......

Report on the Victorian Music workshop

hosted by amuse at Melbourne High School 21st April, 2007 by Nicole Alexander. This is a continuation of work begun by the National Review of School Music Education (2005) and the National Music Workshop (2006). Click here to read the article.

‘Welcome to Music’ and VELS

What are the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS)?
Find out how ' Welcome to Music ' addresses the curriculum
Click here to read more.

'Music. Count Us In.'

This is a national initiative to promote the value of school music education for Australian children. Click here to read more.

'Sing, Jam and Jive' and VELS – by Lynne Burt.

Find out how activities on our ‘Sing, Jam & Jive’ album relate to the new Victorian curriculum in terms of worksheets, assessment and reporting.

Click here to read the worksheet.

What's been happening?

In April Susie together with Sarah Brooke presented a level 1 ORFF course in Christchurch New Zealand which was very well received. A big thank you and 'Kiaora' to everyone who attended and in fact all our New Zealand subscribers!

Over the last 2 months we presented PLAYshops in Altona, Croydon and Oak Park in Melbourne, as well as Sydney and we have had a ball sharing our music with many wonderful people at these events. At the beginning of June we were also involved in The Early childhood Conference for Performing Arts (ECCPA ) or perhaps more correctly 'The Extremely Cold Conference of Performing Arts' as Melbourne put on one of her 'Antarctic blasts' for the 2 days and we were all thankful there was lots of movement in many of the wonderful presentations over the weekend. It is worth noting that this was Susie's last year as co-ordinator for ECCPA - she and Beth Rankin started the concept 11 years ago and now Susie has decided it's time to pass the baton onto someone new. Not to mention she is currently undertaking her Masters as well as upgrading her Music Therapy qualifications, as well as working on a new album...oh and she might even find some time to have a break! Then again..??

Susie and Phil with some of our lovely interstate presenters	The 'Mini Maestros' choir performs at the special tribute to founder and pioneer Jenny Fogarty	The special tribute and announcement of the inaugural Jenny Fogarty ECCPA scholarship	Susie and Beth with our international presenters (from left) Carla Jo Maltas from the USA, Julie Wylie from New Zealand and Soili Perkeo from Finland

What's coming up

In the first week of July Susie will be presenting her 'Joy of Jammin' Improvisation course in Brunswick, Melbourne and there are still a few places left so if you would like to extend your improvising skills in a warm and fun environment this is the course for you! We are thrilled that there are people coming from interstate as well as Singapore, New Zealand and Hong Kong.
We did email the information for this course recently but if you would like to know more, or register please let us know asap.

‘The Joy of Jammin’ –

an ORFF based Improvisation Course
presented by Susie Davies-Splitter
Sun 1st – Thurs 5th July, 2007
Venue: St Margaret Mary’s School
Mitchell St, Brunswick North,
9.30 – 4pm, (25 hrs)
Accredited through ANCOS (Australian National Council of Orff Schulwerk) and VOSA (Victorian Orff Schulwerk Association)
Presented by VOSA .

For more information contact Glenys Gijsbers or www.vosa.org .

We will also be presenting PLAYshops around Australia during July, August and September as well as Canada and the USA during September, October and November - See our calender below for full details of all 'Welcome to Music' workshops.

Other music events coming up

‘Life’s a Pitch’ . ... and more!

Fabulous Vocal Concert in Melbourne - Sat 25th August, 7.00-10.30pm
Music Café @ Bonkers, 497 Nepean Hwy, Brighton East, Melbourne
Enjoy an evening of entertainment with this fabulous vocal group.
'Life's a Pitch' a vocal quartet featuring Susie Davies-Splitter, Phil Splitter, Debbie Sherr and Harry Mullany. With a mix of tunes from pop to folk to jazz, with movement, acappella actions and antics. Plus some of Melbourne's young local talent - musical kids from ages 11 and up strutting their stuff just for you! Come along and support these talented youngsters.

Bookings: 9530 6601

For more information visit: www.bonkersplaycentre.com.au/music


'Life's a Pitch' - Debbie Sherr, Harry Mullany with Susie and Phil

The 15th Annual Marimba Family Camp –
20-22nd July 2007

Venue: Candlebark Farm, Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Rd, Healesville, Vic (Melway Map 284 E6)
The camps cater for people of all ages and backgrounds (including families) and require only an interest in marimbas and music making. Specific sessions are offered to teachers, and educational resources will be available for purchase. Workshops are a great way for teachers to gather ideas.
Join us for a memorable weekend of music making! It will feature playing, singing, dancing, listening, performing and improvising.
Presenters: Jon Madin, Andy Rigby, Phil Melgaard, Susie Davies-Splitter. This is a very popular weekend so book early!

For more information click here or contact VOSA www.vosa.org

Music Conference 2007 Maryborough, Qld

is on again this year from 7 – 10 July with record numbers of teachers already registered. The program features some 98 multiple choice topic lead by renowned national and international guest presenters. This conference is Education Queensland’s premiere professional development music event and is open to all primary and secondary music teachers, instrumental teachers (from both state and private school systems) plus university students.

For more details or to register go to www.widebayresourcecentre.com.au

ASME (Australian Society of Music Education) National Conference
6-10th July 2007 , Perth WA

This is a conference for ALL music educators, whether music specialists, tertiary educators, students, academics, or generalist teachers. There really is something for everyone. There are over 20 presentations for early childhood educators, there is a strong band/instrumental strand, and of course, classroom music is the major thrust of the conference.

There are hands on workshops covering Orff, Dalcroze, Percussion, Band, choral, Early Childhood and Jazz.

Go to the conference website at www.asme2007.com.au where you can view the full programme as well as all other details. Registration can be made online, or by downloading the registration form.

ACT Kodaly Society workshops

A Musical Treasure Trove - Term 2 Friday 29th June
Following our very popular committee workshop last year we are holding the second of 3 workshops this year

Early childhood workshop with Melissa Dods Saturday 18th August
Melissa is one of our most popular presenters. She’ is coming again this year after another very successful workshop last year.

A Musical Treasure Trove - Term 2 Friday 21st September
Following our very popular committee workshop last year we are holding the third of 3 workshops this year

For bookings email Ann Clifton or phone 02 6297-4101 or the Kodaly website – www.kodaly.org.au

MOSAIC (National Orff Conference) January 6-11 2008 at Toorak College, Mt Eliza , Vic
with special guests Andrea Ostertag (Salzburg), Keith Terry (USA), Christoph Maubach (Australia) and Rodrigo Fernandez (Germany)

For more information on this or other VOSA events contact Glenys Gijsbers - VOSA Administrator, or go to www.vosa.org

2008 Music education study tour to Switzerland, Austria and Hungary

Monash University's Faculty of Education is currently accepting
applications for its biennial music education study tour to Switzerland,
Austria and Hungary.

For further details, email Ros Smith or click here

A Special Offer for You!

We are pleased to offer you our enews subscribers a 10% discount on all professional services booked by the end of September for any time during 2008 - click here to find out more!

Susie and Phil on tour - 2007

We have very limited availability left for this year for Professional Development workshops for teachers, Artist in School programs, children’s shows, workshops and classes for preschools and schools, performances for festivals and Musikeynotes for conferences. We are already taking bookings for 2008 so please consider planning early for next year as we already have quite a few committments. We can send you detailed information and a costing tailor-made for your individual situation. If you would like to make a booking or have an enquiry please contact us at info@welcometomusic.net Meanwhile here is our current calender for Professional development. Click on the right (where appropriate) to download a flyer and registration form

Ask Susie

Q: Do you know where we could get someone to write a school song for us? We could probably come up with the lyrics but need someone to write a song for us. It would be great to have some movement or body percussion in it too

A: This is one of the many services we can provide as we have written many school songs over the years. What generally happens, is the school (staff, students, admin and even parents) brainstorm the kind of ideas, words or phrases they would like and then send it to us. Phil then crafts the words into a song and we write the music. It can also include harmonies, ostinati parts, percussion, movement and body percussion etc. For more information see our website or enquire directly with Susie and Phil.

What people are saying

" I have been listening to your CD 'Anything is Possible' and it is fantastic. My favourite song is 'Breakthrough for Life' . I sing the songs all the way home in my car f rom the station, I find the songs extremely uplifting and the CD is an absolute joy to listen to. Keep up the great work, its really fantastic. I love it. "
Katie Larking , Melbourne

" Hi there Susie and Phil, I was very excited to see in your news letter that you Susie has been teaching at the university level. That's what we need in very state. I wish the ACT had you permanently here. Lucky Victoria. Good luck with all your workshops overseas and in Australia. Music is so important. I taught music at my school (K-6) for five years and now I am on Kindergarten (5-6years old) and I am using many of your fabulous music ideas from a workshop of yours that I attended years ago here in Canberra. You are inspirational. Thanks "
Gina Brown , ACT

" Thank you Susie & Phil for inspiring me to start my own babies music class.
Your passion, professionalism and approachability is admirable. Keep up the
exceptional work...I don't know where Australian music education would be
without you both."
Katie Hull-Brown, Wales Street & Penders Grove PS's , Melbourne

" A BIG thank you to your session at the 'Living music and dance' conference, the whole Orff thing was new to me, and my background is Drama and English but I really love Music and Dance more. So I got a lot out of your session and I definitely want to pursue more music stuff and get some Orff certificates!!I'm a Grad Dip graduate in Primary Ed, I graduate in July this year, from Latrobe. Anyway, thanks again and keep up the fantastic work. I would love to do the things you do and I'm definitely going to work towards that in the near future."
Kerstin Anderson , Melbourne

" Dear Susie & Phil,
Just wanted to say how fantastic I thought the ECCPA conference was on the weekend. It was the first time I’d been, and it totally inspired me. I couldn’t wait to get back to my 4 & 5 year old Pre-Prep children this week and try some of the new things I’d seen – and in fact I did, Monday morning! I had only heard your music last year, and thought it was absolutely sensational – I’d never heard anything like it. I was blown away to hear such innovative, entertaining, educational Australian music for children. I recently did Banjo the Bunyip with the children, and they absolutely loved it, and still do – it’s often requested. We even performed it for the mums our Mother’s Day morning, and got rave reviews.Keep up the fantastic work! "
Kerry Dornau, Ruyton Girls' School, Melbourne

On-line shopping now available!

On our website you will also find sample songs and pages from our teacher's  manuals, PLUS we now have on line shopping for your convenience – It's quick and easy and school orders and credit cards are welcome – check it out  here!

Yours in harmony,

Susie and Phil

PS: If you know another teacher, caregiver or parent who might enjoy reading this newsletter, please pass it on to and suggest that they subscribe as well.

What is MusicNotes?

MusicNotes is our eNewsletter for preschool and primary teachers, caregivers, parents, therapists, community members and anyone who loves music and is passionate about music for children and all people - regardless of age or background!

MusicNotes is filled with useful information, music resources updates, workshop and event information, articles on music education and even an Ask Susie question and comments forum.

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Susie and Phil's 'Welcome to Music'  
Susie Davies-Splitter and Phil Splitter
PO Box 268 East Bentleigh  Victoria, 3165, Australia
Ph: 1300 769 803   Fax: 1300 769 805
info@welcometomusic.net
www.welcometomusic.net