Justine Clarke on why the Music: Count Us In school program is essential for future music creators

Music: Count Us In is Australia’s— and the world’s – largest school music participation program, where students around the country sing the same song, at the same time, on the same day.

This year, Celebration Day takes place on Thursday, November 1,

A few thousand people will be in Hobart, singing the 2018 tune, One Song, to be live-streamed so that over half a million students around the country can join in.

In 2017, 3,000 schools and over 660,000 students took part, making it the world’s biggest school initiative.

Performer and Playschool and The Justine Clarke Show host Justine Clarke, this year’s mentor, relates to TMN, “The aim is to unite people. That’s the great power of music.

“Our voices are our first instruments, so singing levels everything.

“Everybody has a voice, everyone can use it. It’s not like you have to learn to play a particular instrument

“It’s a way of celebrating music, of recognising the importance of music, and it’s a way to continue to keep music education at schools as a priority.”

What Clarke likes about Music: Count Us is that it’s not just for the skilled and the talented.

It’s for everyone of varying musical abilities. It’s about creating a level playing field when three out of four children in government primary schools have no music education.

Clarke, who is emphatic that music should be part of the curriculum for all school, says that without being taught at school, a kid is lucky to absorb music only if it’s played around the house or a family member has an instrument.

Given that governments and state education systems let them down, the kids will be further lucky if they’ll have a teacher with enough zest for music to change their lives.

Clarke agrees: “You always remember the teachers who were genuinely passionate about their subject.

“Because performing music is good for other parts of your life.

“It promotes well-being. It’s great for self-expression, it’s great for confidence, and it’s great for team work.

“It teaches you about the importance of listening.

“Music is great for mathematics. You have to divide, you have to count, there are so many components.”

Clarke realises she was lucky that in her primary school Woollhara Demonstration School – which also turned out fellow-musicians Deni Hines and Lana Cantrell – had its own choir, a guitar group, and music instrument lessons (she learned the drums).

Earlier this year Clarke went into Golden Retriever recording studio in Sydney with the winners of the Music: Count Us In competition and producer and music director John Foreman OAM (and Count Us In ambassador) to write and record One Song.

They were Abby Keenan from Victoria; Emma Jones from Wollongong, NSW; Sophia Chesworth from NSW and siblings Hazel and Roanna Law from Queensland.

“Collaborating with these very talented young people was very inspiring for me.

“It’s a great process for Australia. It really drives the message when kids have written the song and when kids are singing the song. ”

Schools are encouraged to register now, for free, to get involved in Celebration Day and learn the various parts for One Song here.

Federal government funding for Music: Count Us In is currently scheduled to expire after 2018.

Music Australia is a registered charity, go to their website to see how donations can help MCUI continue.