Northampton District High School is a K-10 school located on the northernmost edge of Western Australia’s Wheatbelt, 54km north of Geraldton. Every year the school community welcomes smaller schools from the region to join them for a shared Musica Viva Australia In Schools performance. This year, nine students from Binnu Primary School and seven students from Chapman Valley Primary School took a 130km round trip to join 94 local students for a live music performance which shares folk music from around the globe.
Music in My Suitcase invites students to listen to one another, explore different traditions, and reflect on the languages and cultures they carry with them – an especially valuable experience for students in small regional schools.
Music Connecting Small Schools Across WA’s Northern Wheatbelt
Music in My Suitcase performing at Northampton District Highschool, 2025
The students joined in the performance when the recorder ensemble, under the guidance of Northampton District High School music teacher Ms Cotton, played an arrangement of the traditional Turkish folk song Bir Mumdur, with vocalist Mara Kiek accompanying them on her tapan drum. Then, in a heartwarming cultural exchange, one of the senior students taught Mara the lyrics to Bir Mumdur in Indonesian.
Beyond the performance, students from the three schools also shared lunch, playtime and stories, connecting with friends they’d come to know through this unique experience. As a Northampton District High School music teacher reflected, 'One pre-primary student told her teacher, ‘I don’t want to leave,’ at the end of the concert.'
'The musicians were engaging and friendly, and had the students laughing throughout the performance. They clearly understood how to keep primary students involved.'
Music in My Suitcase performing at Northampton District Highschool, 2025
For Binnu Primary School and Chapman Valley Primary School, both community K-6 schools with less than 10 students, attending a live music performance was a rare opportunity. Their participation was made possible thanks to Musica Viva Australia’s partnership with CBH Group, which provides financial assistance through the Equal Music program. This support helps remove barriers to access, including travel subsidies covering the return bus journey for the two visiting schools.
'The musicians were engaging and friendly, and had the students laughing throughout the performance. They clearly understood how to keep primary students involved,' said the Principal of Binnu Primary School.
For the children gathered in Northampton that day, music became a collective language. By connecting schools, communities and young people through shared experiences and song, these regional students found creativity and a strong sense of belonging.