STUDENTS from the remote indigenous communities of Aurukun, Coen and Hope Vale will hone their instrumental and vocal skills as part of the 7th annual Queensland Music Festival’s (QMF) Cape York Music Program (CYMP).
Students from Aurukun, Coen and Hope Vale will unite for a music camp from August 37-30 as part of Queensland Music Festival’s (QMF) Cape York Music Program (CYMP). PICTURE: Colyn Huber
Run from August 27-30, students will work with professional musicians and educators, before taking centre stage and performing in a public concert at Trinity Bay State School in Cairns on August 30.
Now in its seventh year, the CYMP gives students in remote Far North communities music and education experiences equivalent to their counterparts elsewhere in Queensland through music residencies and teacher development. The program also helps students with the transition to larger towns and cities for high school.
QMF artistic director Katie Noonan said the program was a great success story, which continued to offer students in remote regions access to quality music education and mentorship from some of Australia’s most inspiring leaders in the field.
Students from Aurukun, Coen and Hope Vale will unite for a music camp from August 37-30 as part of Queensland Music Festival’s (QMF) Cape York Music Program (CYMP). PICTURE: Andrew Watson
“Each year we are blown away with the excitement and talent we see from our young students,” she said.
“I truly believe music education should be part of all students’ school life, whether they live in a city or in our many remote regions.”
Aurukun State School principal Mike Ennis said the school was committed to its partnership with QMF by continuing to provide a residential instrumental program to the students at Aurukun and through a music camp experience in Cairns.
“The quality of the program and instructors is outstanding and the annual visiting artists are always very welcome guests to our school,” he said.
Students from Aurukun, Coen and Hope Vale will unite for a music camp from August 37-30 as part of Queensland Music Festival’s (QMF) Cape York Music Program (CYMP). PICTURE: Andrew Watson
Musicians and educators who will join this year’s program include trumpeter and head of school at Brisbane’s Jazz Music Institute Dan Quigley, artistic director and conductor of The Australian Voices Gordon Hamilton and Midnight Oil drummer Ben Hakalitz.
Through a partnership with the University of Queensland School of Music, senior music students will also provide additional mentorship to the aspiring young musicians.
They will be joined by students from the Aboriginal Centre of Performing Arts (ACPA) who will focus on the choirs.
The CYMP is presented by QMF in association with Cape York Aboriginal Australian Academy and Department of Education and Training.