Music at Dalmain Primary School in 2022, involved a structure where students engaged in a variety of musical experiences as performers and audience members, where they were given the opportunities to interpret and apply the elements of music in a way that developed their confidence to be creative and analytical musicians.

A focus was placed on students’ mental health through the use of outdoor group work, use of relevant ‘Rhythm to Recovery’ focused activities with drumming, partner and group work creating and inventing their own music, group singing and a choice of songs to support mental health. Music lessons used games and many movement activities to solidify musical concepts. Movement to music using the Eurythmics model, gave students an opportunity to learn about musical concepts through movement. Use of drumming in drum circles, not only supported student mental health, but also the opportunity for them to develop the ability to listen to others music, work together as a group and to give them a musical voice.

The choir was not able to perform at the ANZAC service in term one due to the pandemic, however, they performed at the graduation ceremony at the end of the year. A decision was made that due to issues with Covid, we did not participate in the Massed Choir Festival in 2022.

During the year, a small recorder group was run regularly in the music room, and Karaoke lunch time was run every Thursday. Both initiatives came from the focus of supporting students’ mental health.

Junior primary students participated in developmental Kodaly based lessons that used games to consolidate the concepts of beat, rhythm, pitch and the beginnings of musical literacy. They were able to use percussion instruments to improvise rhythms, both in small groups and as a whole class using a drum circle.

Students in middle primary continued this progression, using percussion to create their own music in group work. Both students in middle and senior years were involved in movement-based activities, helping to solidify musical concepts. Students in upper primary were involved in the same processes, where through group work, they were able to create their own music to perform. Students in years four to six learnt to play west African drumming rhythms.

In term four, Year 4 students are given a standardised test that is used for student selection for our instrumental program. If selected, students are able to study clarinet, guitar and brass at Dalmain. Instrumental students are given the opportunity to perform at the music assembly and at our graduation ceremony at the end of the year.