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Guitars for Schools began with a pilot in 2004, spurred by the receipt of a donation of funds from a Melbourne-based music lover, Amanda Armstrong.
It gives guitars - acoustic or electric - to children who have shown promise and a commitment to practice, yet who may not otherwise be able to own an instrument to play outside of their lesson time (‘no instrument - no practice: no practice - no progress’)
Whyalla Stuart Campus R-7 and Fisk Street Primary Schools are delighted to be the recipients of 15 free acoustic guitars under the Music Council of Australia’s “Guitars for Schools” program. Read more
- rewards schools, especially those in low socio economic areas, in which there is an active music program and excellent music specialists on staff
- provides instruments to worthy students in those schools
- enables promising students’ musical journeys to be sustained…for life.
“These are kids who’ve already shown themselves to have a musical spark. They’ve already been working with a music teacher in school and they’ve impressed their teachers with their commitment to learn. Through this program they get their own guitar! To keep! They can play it at home. They can play in the garage! They can pick it up on the weekend and write their own songs. Through music, they’ve been given a gift and they’ve embraced the opportunity it presents to stay on their already fruitful music- making journeys. They’re playing for life.”
Melbourne music educator, Mandy Stefanakis
"Australian and international research has shown the strong links between music education and a child’s social, intellectual and physical development, yet a recent study found that ‘…many Australian students miss out on effective music education because of the lack of equity and access; lack of quality provision and the poor status of music in many schools.’
(National Review of School Music Education, Murdoch University, for Department of Education, 2005).
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