'God's team sport' hits the right notes

By ALAN PERROTT education reporter

The Catholic girls' school that gave the world divas such as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Dame Malvina Major is switching the emphasis of its musical education to orchestral instruments.

The 150-year-old St Mary's College in Ponsonby retains the strong vocal tradition established by famed teacher Dame Sister Mary Leo, but the focus shifted six years ago when orchestral tuition became compulsory for all Year 7 and Year 8 (form one and two) students.

Students are evaluated before arrival and allocated an instrument, whether saxophone, bass drum or harp. Once accepted, they are stuck with it for two years.

The integrated school is the only institution within the state system taking this path and the commitment is absolute.

Sheet music has been transposed into Braille for a blind student. Another student, Tess Connell, without arms, is now happily playing her trombone with her feet and will be a featured soloist at the junior prom.

Lessons make up 1.5 hours of the school week, with band practices held before school.

Lexie Kirkconnell-Kawana arrived at St Mary's last year with no musical knowledge. She is now playing alto clarinet in the school's senior band and has become an avid Frank Sinatra fan. The 12-year-old was also dux of her year.

"It's pretty awesome," she said. "At other schools if you play an instrument you're different, so it's harder, I reckon, but here everyone does it.

"It's like learning another language. It keeps you motivated to do your best."

She said it was not uncommon for small groups to get together during breaks for jam sessions.

Such attitudes add to the music pouring into the ears of the programme's conductor, St Mary's passionate head of instrumental music, Ted Dawson.

Since arriving from England, the 64-year-old musical veteran has played French horn with the Auckland Symphonia and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, two connections which provide a flow of expert tutors.

His face glows with excitement when he talks. As far as Mr Dawson is concerned, music is God's team sport and embodies the St Mary's motto, "Act well your part. There all honour lies". Once playing becomes compulsory, any prejudices of elitism disappear.

If there is a problem it is that he has been almost too successful. The school orchestra is now 72 strong with a waiting list. Each group tours.

The junior orchestra of Years 7 and 8 is now preparing for a jaunt round the primary schools that its members have only just left.

The school's first entry into the Queensland Music Festival last year collected two golds and a silver.

Principal Sandy Pasley said the lessons built confidence among the young girls and a willingness to take risks.

The first form one class pupils to get compulsory tuition six years ago are now seniors and Ms Pasley is confident they will break the school's scholarship record of nine, set last year.

That would be no surprise to Linda Ward-Newall, an education researcher on a crusade for more music in schools.

She is adamant instrumental tuition is the perfect brain gym and has huge spin-offs for academic achievement. United States studies have shown a 20 per cent improvement in maths and literacy skills among students learning an instrument. But she said music was ghettoised in this country and looked down upon as a frivolous excess of the rich.

Ministry of Education research states 53 per cent of Year 9 pupils study music nationally, but this plummets to 18 per cent in Year 10 and to only 4 per cent in Year 13.

"There are teachers who play their students a couple of CDs each term and then say they've covered music," said Ms Ward-Newall.

"This is ignoring huge potential benefits. The Government admits instrumental tuition isn't happening, but nothing is being done to improve the situation."