Updating music education in Australia: recommendations to bridge the divergence between classical and contemporary music as a response to issues raised in national and state reports in 2005 and 2007

Abstract

This paper delves into the problems Australian teachers are facing in today's music education environment. In 2007 the South Australian Department of Education and Children's Services (DECS) produced a report in response to a 2005 report conducted by Murdoch University for the Department of Education Science and Training titled, National Review of School Music: Augmenting the diminished. Both of these reports recommend the inclusion of music technology and contemporary music of all styles and genres in order to engage students (Anderson 2007). In the Australian context this initiative falls most directly into high school instrumental programs. The aim of this investigation is identify some of the main issues in the implementation of these types of directives and to propose recommendations to support teachers who are engaged with implementation of these reports.