Welcome

May I begin by thanking the Music Australia community for supporting Music:Count Us In (MCUI) by sending support letters to Hon. Simon Birmingham, Minister of Education and Training and also to their Federal Members.

The MCUI program supports 660 000 Students, 3 000 Schools and 8 600 Teachers to access quality in-service curriculum resources, online and face-to-face professional development and is the largest Music Education program in Australia. As you may be aware, we recently heard that our Federal Funding is in jeopardy. Without federal funding MCUI cannot continue and without MCUI the majority of Australian schools will have no access to music education programs of any kind.

If you have not had the opportunity to send letters of support for MCUI it is not too late. Continued widespread community support for the program from the Music Australia community may assist with the continuation of this vital program into the future.

Music Education is often the beginning of a musical journey in students’ lives, which many of the Music Australia community have had the good fortune and circumstance to be exposed to. Let’s hope Music Australia can continue to deliver this wonderful program into the future so Australian children will continue to have the opportunity to have Music in their lives to become our future musicians, composers, conductors, choristers, recording engineers and all the other dimensions that music offers.

As always, become a Music Australia member, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and share your news, as we bring you the latest music info.

Cheers,

Rhonda Davidson-Irwin
CEO, Music Australia

	INTERNATIONAL


	CONTEMPORARY New UK Music Coalition Aims for Improved Ticketing Accessibility A new music task force in the United Kingdom to working to make it easier for deaf and disabled audiences to book tickets to live concerts. Full story


	CLASSICAL Australia’s Poised for Strong Showing at Classical:NEXT Australia will be represented by several leading musicians at this year’s Classical:NEXT at Rotterdam including Bell Chen, Genevieve Lacey and dramaturg Tamara Saulwick, along with Aura Go and Matthias Schack-Arnott in its Fellowship Program. John Davis gives us the lowdown. Full story

	NATIONAL

CONTEMPORARY

Melbourne Live Music Census Full Report Released

Melbourne’s recently released Live Music Census shows Melbourne has most live music venues in the world per capita.
Full story

CONTEMPORARY

Leading Arts and Disability Forum heads to Alice Springs

Arts Access Australia’s annual arts and disability forum ‘Meeting Place’ will take place in Alice Springs for the first time.
Full story


	CLASSICAL Classical Music in Supermarkets & Cemeteries, Part 1 Supermarkets have sometimes experimented with having live musicians instead of having piped music. Two supermarkets in Australia are currently doing this, in suburban Adelaide. We look at how they came up with the idea, and how it is working. Full story


	CLASSICAL Australia’s Period Instrument Orchestras Have Doubled in Five Years Australia’s period instrument orchestras now number eight with the formation of the Adelaide Baroque Orchestra. It has been established by Adelaide Baroque and will give its debut concert in May with guest violin soloist and director, Davide Monti. Full story


	MEMBERSHIP The Australian Women's Leadership Symposiums are a national series of events focused on the experiences of women leaders in the contemporary workforce. Taking place in every state and territory capital between May and August, the Symposiums are an unparalleled gathering of the best and brightest female talent. Keynote speakers for 2018 include Gail Kelly, Professor Gillian Triggs, Nova Peris OAM OLY, Jessica Rowe AM, Ita Buttrose AO OBE, Katrina Webb OAM, The Right Hon Dame Jenny Shipley and many more. *Music Australia Members are entitled to 25% off tickets; simply* *email us* *for a discount code. Not yet a member? Read about what other member benefits we offer by heading* *here*.

	EDUCATION


	Students Lay Down the Tracks Students from around Sydney gathered at Sony Music Australia to record the 2018 MCUI Program Song. Full story

Efforts to Solve England’s Music Education Crisis

According to UK body CMU Insights, music education in England is facing a crisis due to schools shifting their resources to other subjects tied to university entrance exams. It is holding a conference to look at ways to counter this trend. Full story

New Online Orchestra to Mark AMEB’s Centenary

The AMEB Online Orchestra is an initiative that will see individual students, schools and community groups around Australia participating in a video performance of Waltzing Matilda to be launched in September. Musicians of all levels of ability will be accommodated. Full story

	COMMUNITY


	Bring Your Community Together for Make Music Day Mark the date in your calendar, Make Music Day is coming , councils, state arts organisations and community music groups across the country are invited to participate in Make Music Day on 21 June, a national celebratory event giving people all ages, experience levels and musical persuasions the chance to experience the joy of making music together. Full Story

	OPPORTUNITIES


	All the latest music opportunities - here and online! Access our complete suite of Opportunities at your leisure on our website. Your one-stop-shop for all the latest music information: competitions, awards, funding, jobs, conferences, events, workshops, resources and more. View the OPPORTUNITIES section on our website now ! And the latest opportunities are below. To share an Opportunity send us an email.

Competitions & Awards


	Applications closing soon for these Competitions & Awards: VYBB Emerging Composers Competition Entries close 18 May Victorian Youth Big Band (VYBB) invite young Australian composers to submit an original composition for Big Band for consideration for the VYBB’s upcoming studio album. This initiative is open to all Australian composers, aged 30 years or under. Antal Dorati International Conducting Competition Applications close 31 May The competition offers a real career opportunity to emerging orchestra conductors and is open to musicians of any nationality without age limits. Fanfare Competition Applications close 4 June The Fanfare competition is open to young people aged 12-21 years. To enter, write a 30-second composition and submit a score and recording online.

Workshops, Seminars & Programs


	Applications closing soon for these Workshops, Seminars & Programs: Copyright for Educational Institutions 31 May, Melbourne Practical seminar sessions aimed at academics, administrators, educators, school and university copyright officers, teachers and trainers. Lior and Paul Grabowsky Songwriting Masterclass 31 May, Lismore Join this APRA AMCOS Songwriting Masterclass to gain inspiration from these talented artist s and take the opportunity to ask questions. The Inaugural Mark Colvin Conversation: Are Schools and Society Encouraging or Stifling Creativity? 3 June, Sydney In the spirit of the late, great broadcaster and journalist, the Mark Colvin Conversation throws open a lively debate. The topic: Are schools and society fostering or stifling imagination?

Conferences & Festivals


	Conferences & Festivals just around the corner: DAYTiME, A Day of Technology in Music Education 18 May, Melbourne Presented by Music EDnet, DAYTiME is an annual one-day professional development conference focusing on the effective integration of technology in music education. Australian Songwriters Conference 7 - 11 June 2018, Ettalong Beach, NSW The Australian Songwriters Conference focuses on the craft and business of songwriting and attracts writers, artists, producers and managers from across Australia and internationally. MIDEM 5 - 8 June, France Midem is the international B2B music event for key players from the music ecosystem to forge business connections and explore current music trends. Melbourne International Singers Festival 2018 8 – 11 June, Melbourne Melbourne’s most exciting festival for singers and choirs will present stunning opportunities to work with some of the world’s finest conductors, composers, arrangers and musicians.

Funding


	*Applications closing soon for these Funding Opportunities:* City of Yarra Room To Grow Grants Applications close 20 May The Room to Create Responsive Grant Program are quick response grants, intended to help creative spaces and live music venues stay in Yarra. Arts South Australia, Contemporary Music Organisations Funding Applications close 1 June Arts South Australia is interested in supporting organisations that actively contribute to the development of a sustainable South Australian music sector. The Sidney Myer Creative Fellowships Applications close 10 June The Sidney Myer Creative Fellowships provide tax-free grants of $160,000 over two years to individual artists, arts managers and thought leaders in the humanities.

	JOBS


	Applications closing soon for these Jobs & Auditions: JOBS Queensland Music Festival, Program Director Applications close 14 May Queensland Music Festival is currently seeking a Program Director to join the team. Michael Cassel Group, Production Administrator Applications close 16 May Michael Cassel Group is seeking to appoint an exceptional, experienced Production Administrator to support the international tour of the Disney's The Lion King. Creativity Australia, With One Voice Program Coordinator Applications close 18 May Creativity Australia is seeking a Program Coordinator to join the team working on the With One Voice Program. Topology, Executive Producer Applications close 25 May Topology is seeking to appoint an Executive Producer will manage and negotiate the core business of Topology with a focus on collaborations, co-productions and international touring. AUDITIONS QSO, Associate Principal Horn Applications close 23 May The Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is auditioning for an Associate Principal Horn to join the orchestra.

	OUR PICKS


	Our favourite upcoming events and performances from our community Stonnington Jazz Festival 10 – 20 May, Victoria Stonnington Jazz Festival is firmly established as an important event on the national jazz calendar. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons 13 May, Federation Concert Hall, Hobart Richard Tognetti, Joseph Tawadros and the Australian Chamber Orchestra bring their unique blend of musical alchemy to Hobart with this program featuring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons interspersed with a selection of original works by Joseph Tawadros, Egyptian-Australian oud player and composer extraordinaire. Louise Devenish’s Music for Percussion and Electronics 22 May, Jugglers Art Space, Fortitude Valley The delicate and the powerful collide when percussion meets electronics in an immersive collection of solo works performed by Louise Devenish, presented by Tura Music. An Evening with Repressed Records 2 June, Sydney Opera House After three storied shows at Vivid LIVE featuring the triumphant returns of Royal Headache, Total Control and putting the likes of Lucy Cliche and Severed Heads onto the biggest sound system possible, Repressed Records return with another showcase.