Every Child Deserves a Song

At Musica Viva Australia, we’re passionate about making music education accessible, engaging and inspiring, especially for students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience live music.

Thanks to the ongoing support of our community, including our longstanding partner Wesfarmers Arts, we’re proud to deliver our Musica Viva Australia In Schools program to Australian children who face barriers to participation, whether due to geography, socio-economic disadvantage or school size. Support for our Equal Music initiative from Wesfarmers Arts enables us to subsidise ticket and program costs, ensuring Perth schools can access high-quality music education.

One school that has been transformed by this partnership is Orange Grove Primary School in Perth. A small school with a big love for music, Orange Grove first connected with Musica Viva Australia a few years ago, and our visits have become a much-loved highlight of the school calendar ever since.

In June, the students eagerly welcomed the WA-based ensemble behind Music of the World, one of our newest and most vibrant Musica Viva Australia In Schools shows. The performance took the whole school on a cultural and musical journey, blending Celtic melodies with rhythms from Eastern Europe, America and Italy.

But it wasn’t just a concert. It was the joyful culmination of weeks of classroom learning, using custom-designed online teaching resources to prepare. As soon as the ensemble’s vocalist, Mark Turner, began singing the title song, the students joined in with confidence and joy.

These kinds of experiences are exactly what our Musica Viva Australia In Schools program aims to create: moments of connection, inspiration and creative growth. With the support of Wesfarmers Arts, we’re able to extend this work to the schools that need it most, helping to build equitable access to music education across the state.

Next year, Musica Viva Australia will celebrate 45 years of delivering music education in schools, alongside a significant milestone: 30 years of partnership with Wesfarmers Arts. Over three decades, their commitment to the arts and education has enabled tens of thousands of young people in WA to experience the power of live music, many of them for the very first time.

Together, we’re building a future where all young Australians, no matter their background, can access the life-changing power of music.