The Australian National University Music Education Programme: developing a new approach to ongoing engagement in music making for all ages

The Music Education Programme at the Australian National University has developed a new, system-wide model in music education, focusing on peer and inter-generational social engagement through music making during and beyond the school years. One aim of the programme is to find alternative ways of fostering lifelong engagement in music making. A central feature of the approach is the consultation processes with students from ages five to seventeen. This process has included the development of a range of repertoires for different year levels that can be taught by both classroom teachers and music specialists. It has also revealed ways in which students of all ages can interact with a wide range of repertoire choices, regardless of social and cultural pressures or lack of exposure to choices outside of the school environment. Evidence presented in this paper documents the philosophy of the programme, aspects of the research profile, current findings and future directions.