Music in tune to help disadvantaged children
Claudia Doman
22 July 2014: Regional disadvantaged children could be in tune for a brighter future thanks to a music education program led by a University of Canberra education researcher.
Assistant professor in music and arts education, Dr Anita Collins, leads a program in which rural children in Goulburn are learning how to play the violin in order to become more confident at school and improve their reading, writing and maths skills.
"Research has shown that music education can change the future of disadvantaged children. Regular lessons to learn how to play a musical instrument improves numeracy and literacy levels and helps logical reasoning, solving problems at an emotional level and even with physical health," Dr Collins said.
"The impact that learning a musical instrument has on children before seven years old has an incredibly positive and lasting effect on that child's cognitive development."
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UC education researcher Anita Collins says music education can change the future of disadvantaged children. Photo: Michelle McAulay |
Previously, the Goulburn Strings Project, a strings program at the Goulburn Public School in NSW, was able to provide half-hour lessons once a week to 25 children who shared five violins among themselves. But Dr Collins and colleagues aim to raise funds to be able to purchase a violin for all 50 children at the school to learn the instrument and play every day.
However, funds for the original program are drying up and to provide an expanded and worthwhile program, they need to raise $40,000.
The team is nearly half way there, having received a $25,000 grant from the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation and a donation of 50 violins from the Sydney-based Vivaldi Strings Shop.
"Now we just need to raise another $15,000 to round off the program, which includes having visiting professional musicians travelling to the school to inspire the children and their parents and give them an experience of what violin playing can ultimately sound like," Dr Collins said.
"We are committed to make a difference in these children's lives; we just hope the community is too."
To donate visit https://www.justgiving.com/GoulburnStringsProject
