BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Music education matters.
Whether you first picked up an instrument at school, you’re working full-time in an orchestra, or you’re just entering your industry training, it’s likely you share the sentiment.
The airing of music education program Don’t Stop the Music on ABC resonated so strongly with Australian audiences that they donated more than $60,000 and 4,000 instruments to the benefit of schoolchildren. The legacy of music education advocates and activists such as the late Richard Gill have inspired generations of musicians to teach, and share their knowledge of music with students young and old. Australia can no longer turn away from the knowledge that children who sustain music education throughout their school years will experience permanent benefits to their brain, advancing their language and problem-solving skills.
In this new seriesMusic education matters, we team up with a leading Australian educational institution to find out how music education can help shape lives.
Speaking with talent from the Australian National Academy of Music, we introduce you to practising industry figures – emerging and established, performing and teaching – so we can discover the true stories behind the power of music education.
Music education matters, says Rachel Shaw, French horn
Rachel Shaw (the one with the French horn, obviously), is a founding member of Arcadia Winds.
But you may also have seen her perform with the Melbourne, Sydney, Tasmanian, West Australian, and New Zealand symphony orchestras, among a few other appearances (such as the Australian Youth Orchestra).
Rachel took part in the Musica Viva FutureMakers program with Arcadia (pictured above), and has performed in festivals across the country. She studied at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, and the Australian National Academy of Music.
Tell us about your upbringing with music education. What do you feel to have been some of the defining moments during your music education as a child?
Music education was very much the ‘norm’ as a child growing up in Queensland in the ’90s. Every single child was given the chance and encouraged to participate in musical activities in some form or another at school. Several of my older siblings were already engaged in classroom music and learning an instrument of their own, and it was only a matter of time until it was my turn.
I counted down the days until we headed to the music store to purchase my first musical instrument – a violin. Ever since that day, I felt my life was forever changed and I could finally call myself a musician!
How do you feel a music educator is responsible for a young person’s passion for music? In what ways can a teacher make or break a young student’s interest?
A good music educator is not only responsible for a student’s technical and musical development, but also the passion they hold for music. This is something that resonates with me deeply. I can pinpoint specific moments in my own musical training where a teacher’s passion, or lack thereof, directly affected the way I felt about music at that time.
Shortly after picking up the French horn in early high school, I was fortunate enough to begin learning with Peter Luff [now of Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University]. Peter is an incredibly passionate musician, and his love for music was, quite frankly, contagious! It is because of him that I fell in love with not just the horn, but with classical music.
A teacher’s attitude towards music and education can drastically influence the students they teach and mentor. After all, how can they evoke passion in a young musician if they themselves are no longer passionate?
At what point did you realise you wanted to take what you’d learnt about music and form it into a career path?
Deep down, I always knew that I wanted to pursue music as a career in one form or another. It wasn’t until late high school that I made the tough decision to put my violin away and focus solely on the horn.
There was nothing I wanted to do more than to play the horn professionally in a symphony orchestra and, once I made that decision, nothing was going to get in my way.
Why did you decide to pursue higher music education, and how important is it for musicians to continue further study in order to achieve success in their careers beyond the ‘piece of paper’?
Unlike other industries, the ‘piece of paper’, or qualification itself, doesn’t hold as much significance for a performing artist, and the work we do in our profession. However, the experience and knowledge acquired during those years of study at university is vital to the development of a musician.
These institutions give students access to professionals and resources they wouldn’t otherwise have access to, and the relationships developed with lifelong friends and colleagues is invaluable.
What have been some of your strongest needs as a musician?
This is something that is forever changing in musicians as they develop, and for this reason it is imperative for a teacher to be flexible with their teaching styles. They need to be open to changing and morphing depending on what a student needs at a certain time. This could be anything from nurturing and knowing when to give gentle encouragement, but also when to be more firm and unrelenting with their objectives.
Ultimately, though, one thing that I and most musicians always need is support. Physical, emotional, psychological, social – all of it! Being a musician is extremely emotionally and physically draining, and it is important we have the support needed in order to express ourselves through music each and every day.
How can teachers best support adult students?
Teaching adult students is something I haven’t yet had the privilege of doing. When the time comes, though, I believe it’s important to remember they are much like any other student. It is primarily different on a social level.
I would aim to pass on clear goals and always provide encouragement, but remember they are fully developed people with a wealth of experience in other parts of life.
I believe they would have a lot to offer the teacher as well, in terms of overall perspective as well as social enjoyment. They should respect you as a teacher, but it’s equally important you respect them as another adult who’s eager to learn your craft.
There’s been a lot of dialogue about the importance of music education in Australia. How do you think music education can benefit the community as a whole?
The simple answer to this is: every way possible! We already know the benefits that music education can have on a child, but what is less discussed is how this may in turn affect the whole community.
For a child learning music, aside from the already proven benefits it has to their brain development, learning music can offer so much more. You learn discipline, structure, passion, and time management among other things, and these skills will ultimately help to shape a well-rounded individual who can make a positive contribution to their community.
Most importantly, though, being a young musician, you learn how it feels to be a part of a larger family. As a child, nothing made me happier than when the community would come together and support a local school band, youth orchestra, or community ensemble.
What changes would you like to see in music education in Australia on an industry level?
I believe every child deserves a music education, no matter class or social status. It doesn’t take much, but the benefits are endless. We need a national standard to be implemented in all schools across the nation to ensure every child has access to this. Music education is a right, not a privilege!
What impact have you made, or would you like to make, on the industry?
I’ve never really thought too much about this, to be honest. I most value keeping my integrity and honesty in everyday life, but especially as a musician. I feel it is important for us to keep these qualities and hold ourselves accountable to ensure continuous growth and a vibrant life in our industry.
If I can pass these virtues onto others around me and make some positive change in the industry, then that would be the least I could do!
What advice would you give to musicians to help them get the most out of their educational experiences?
The most important thing you can do is believe in yourself and the values you stand for. As musicians, we are constantly bombarded with different ideas and pushed down paths we may not agree with. It is important to take these experiences on board and immerse yourself in unfamiliar territory, but at the end of the day this is your musical journey; your life. And no matter what journey it may take you on, you must always remain true to yourself.
Check out the ANAM concert season to see musicians such as Rachel Shaw and music educators, live in action.
We’re teaming up with ANAM throughout 2019 to share these interviews in our series Music education matters.
Stay tuned as we prepare to bring you more of the personal stories behind music education in Australia.
READ NEXT: Music education matters, says Harry Ward, violin
Images supplied. Arcadia by Cameron Jamieson; Harry by Judi Mowlem, Melbourne Camera Club.
