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Admln/stratlon MBE 1<18/45 Glenferrle Road Malve.m, Vic 3144 Phone: 03 9507 2315 Fax: OJ 9507 2316 ErnBII: [email protected] Website: www.mca.org.au ABN 85 070 619 608 Executive Diredt)r Tel: +61 (0)2 9251 3816 Fax: +61 (0)2 9251 3817 Email: [email protected] Music Council of .Australia Huslc. Play for Ufe campaign Tel: 02) 4454 3887 or 0439 022 257 Email: [email protected] Website: www.mUSiq)layforlife.org Austra§a'S represenfative to the InternatiOnal Music COUncil

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO THE AGM, SEPTEMBER 28, 2009 The period covered in this report is AGM to AGM, end of September in each year. CONTENTS A. Purpose of the MCA Triennial funding. 2009 is the first year of triennial funding of $200,000 a year from the Music Board of B. Highlights of the Year 2008-2009 the Australia Council, more than doubling the C. Information Services previous core subsidy. The funding has supported stabilisation of the organisation and the addition of D. Research and Policy capacity in marketing, advocacy and project E. Advocacy and Representation management. F. Projects Flnandal. Income in 2008 was a record $942,000, with a surplus of $34,000. MCA Is on track In 2009 G. Governance and Administration with a surplus of $18,000 YTD. H. In Conclusion Business plan. As a corollary of the new funding package, the MCA constructed a detailed business plan along lines proposed by the Australia Council. A. PURPOSE OF THE MCA Information servkles The purpose of the Music Council of Australia (MCA) Music Forum magazine has run into difficulties in is to bring together all sections of the music sustaining subscriptions. However, it has taken community in order to advance a diverse and major initiatives to build advertising and vibrant musical life throughout Australia. To achieve subscriptions and evolve content and these show this, MCA, independently and in partnership, gathers good promise. At a suitable time, a switch to online and provides information, conducts research, publication is on the cards. undertakes advocacy, ensures representation in Website development has become a continuing relevant forums, and initiates and realises projects activity. All the Music. Play for Ufe websites have that advance musical life. been reconstructed to encourage much more B. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR 2008· lnterad:lvlty, a new Music In Communities Network site has been set up, and the main site is entering 2009 another major reconstruction. Traffic continues to This report gives more infonnation than most people increase. will want to know! I thin~ however, that it is The new refereed MCA Joumal of Music Research Important that once a year there Is a fairly complete Online has been launched and has published its first description of the activities of this small but quite paper. complex organisation. I Other Information services continue: the MCA eBulletins, the Music. Play for Ufe eNewsletter, the annual conference and annual address... acknowledge, though, that for most people, the Research Highlights section will be enough. For the first time, MCA has employed a Head of Research, Lynn Gailey. Considering its miniscule 2 funds, the research program is very prolific. appointed time and date. Media exposure is Important projects completed recently: vigorously enlisted. The project ran for the second • The study of music instruction in preservice time in 2008 with a $480,000 contract fee with the university degree programs for classroom Commonwealth and endorsement by the Minister's generalist teachers, showing the extraordinary Music Education Advisory Group. 460,000 children inadequacy of this preparation (Rachel Hocking) sang, from 1700 schools, about 15% of schools in Australia. Professional development workshops were • Lynn Gailey's development on the work by John given to 700 primary school classroom teachers. Wardle to identify best practice in the regulation Results of a survey show high impact on the status of licensed hospitality industry establishments of music education at school level. that actually or potentially present live music. This will be used for advocacy to state and Flame Awards. These were not run in 2008 due to territory governments constraints on our partner, the ABC, but'return in 2009 with a prize pool of $15,000, supported by a • The Sound Links project, conceived by MCA and $10,000 donation from philanthropists, Robert and carried out by a partnership led by the Elizabeth Albert. They recognise the best school Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre, music programs. compares community music practice in six contrasting Australian communities. It was Music in Communities Awards. These were offered published and already has had effects for the first time in 2008 and uncovered some downstream (Brydie-Leigh Bartleet) remarkable and indeed, moving programs in community music development around the country. • Music budgets in Australian television Funding from the International Music Products productions. Art Phillips' project has collected a Association, available in 2008, was not repeated in vast amount of data. A further extension of the 2009 but we are finding ways to continue them project may be possible with the collaboration of anyway. a major industry organisation. Music in Communities Network. This is a new There are many other projects described below in national support network, recommended by the the Research section of the report. 2008 summit and just now established by Advocacy and Representation MCA/MPFL. It has high promise and will fill a great MCA's advocacy activity has achieved an need. It was launched in Brisbane at the publication unprecedented range and intensity. of the Sound Links research project. Responsive advocacy There are many other Music Play for Life activities, detailed below. Many submissions have been prepared for government, covering especially the treatment of Pro-active Advocacy: other culture in negotiation of a number of international Especially noteworthy here is the advocacy that trade agreements, an inquiry into whether Australia resulted in the inclusion of the arts in Tier 2 of the should sign to the UNESCO Convention for the work of the National Curriculum Board (now Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural ACARA). This was carried out by MCA Expressions. It supported improved regulation of independently, through its membership of the Music agents and managers, and a requirement for Education Advisory Group of the Federal Minister, engagement of Australian artists as opening acts for and in alliance with other artforms in the National tours by foreign artists. MCA made submissions to Advocates for Arts Education. the review of ABC and SBS broadcasting (Shane Representation Homan), to the review of early childhood education (Peter de Vries) and to the Henry Review of the MCA is a member of ten alliances or associations Australian taxation system. MCA responded to where decisions or activities affecting music might proposals by Commercial Radio Australia which eventuate. In recent months, membership of the could virtually have destroyed local content education-related entities has been crucial. It also regulation on commercial radio. attends meetings under many other auspices. It is the Australian affiliate of the world peak music organisation, the International Music Council, of Pro-active advocacy: Music. Play for Life which the MCA Executive Director is President. The national campaign for more music making Projects increased in strength once again. It continued its In the Projects category are MCA activities that fulfil core activity of servicing its network, now of 5,500 its purpose but do not fit easily into the categories people, with information and advocacy materials. It above. also expanded its projects. Australian Musical Futures: Digital Distribution Think Music. Count Us In. This project builds the status of Tanks. MCA has established this series of think tanks music education in schools by commissioning a pop as a way of bringing the music sector together song, arranging it for a range of school performing around key issues. The 2009 series addressed the groups, and recruiting schools to sing it at an problems and opportunities brought upon the record . 4 • MCA I d1 doc:uml!lll!l n'""" •.,.mM~.,. • MC"A adloocac, documents Below is the chart showing traffic ower the last 11 • MCA policy doalnents months. 1be data goes up tD september 14 so it ill not really possible tD anticipate IICICUrately the • MCA Annual Addii!SSBS outrome for the twelfttl month. • CD nMew& and book n!VIaws, publlshad Following Is the chart for the Wiiasponllng period Rrller In Music Forum lllllgiiZina. of the previous year. lhere was 111 ul'leXPII*Ied llfc.t '*"* lti Aalfnillll JOIGwli::dp .... collapse In vlsbr numbers In that YtBr - while Under the edltllr&hlp rl Hans Hoegh-Guldberg, thl& pag&H'8iid malntalnad compariible ftguras.. unique MCA Wl!bslle ll!!llllllll! has gruwn tD give Tha l11st: eleven montll& shaw mud! sllllidler tnllllc di!IBIIed Wcrmatlan about much of the !lbudl.lre and gruwtll. and lldMty In tha Au&lrlllllln musrc &adllr. There was a decision this year that Hans. an eaJIIDIIII'st. would concaiballi on building the Knowledge Balla Into the illllllorlla1lv sle for mllltc lilallslrcs. Due tD competing n!SpOIISibllllles, thera has bean only modl!llt prog185S but an I!XCffiBnt plan has been w1 ltltn and H.s anUdpates making up for Iori!: lima In the li1ttl!r part r12009. 7 The Music. Play for Life websites MCA Annual Address Traffic is reported in the Music. Play for Life section Each year as part of the Assembly, a distinguished of this report. speaker is invited to give a public address, which is published by the MCA in Music Forum and online. There are sites for Speakers to 2008 have been Prof. Robin Stevens, • Music. Play for Life composer and broadcaster, Andrew Ford, lawyer • Music. Count Us In Julian Burnside, musicologist and until recently, President and Vice Chancellor of the City University • Music in Communities Network of London, Professor Malcolm Gillies, Neil • Guitars for Schools Fernandes, head of the Central TAFE in Perth and • Making Music Being Well Andy Arthurs of QUT. Journal of Music Research Online In 2008, for the first time, the Address was given www.jmro.ora.au by an international visitor, David Price. David was the first program director for Paul McCartney's JMRO was officially launched on April 30 at the Liverpool Institute and is currently a leader in the University of Adelaide, which is providing some music education revolution in the UK. In particular, financial support to the initiative. An initial paper he is known for his project, Musical Futures, which has been published and another is in late is testing models of self-directed music learning in preparation for publication. This site opened in UK schools. 2008, inviting submission of papers across a wide range of music research areas: In 2009, the Annual Address will be given by Prof. Gary McPherson, newly returned to Australia to Composition become the head of the new music school formed Early Music by the merger of the VCA School of Music and the Ethnomusicology Faculty of Music of the University of Melbourne. Gender Studies in Music Gary is one of the world's most distinguished Interdisciplinary Studies in Music researchers in musical development and music Music Education education and his address will bring to notice some Music Technologies of his important findings. Musicology Performance Practice Popular Music D. RESEARCH A Management Committee was formed, comprising: The purpose of the MCA research program is Jula Szuster, Managing Editor to explore issues that are important to the Sylvan Elhay, Treasurer, Webmaster development of the quality and diversity of Mark Carroll music practice in Australia. It is not, to date, Stephen Knopoff so much concerned with music per se as with Helen Rusak its situation in Australian life. Graeme Strahle Thanks to donated funds, MCA has this year been This is a refereed journal, with an international able to employ a part-time Head of Research, Lynn editorial board of 22. The Journal's policies for Gailey. Lynn brings strengths especially in areas authors, reviewers and scope have been set. such as international trade agreements, government, communications and industrial issues. Annual Assembly Research in these areas has supported an increase The MCA Annual Assembly covers issues of current in advocacy, especially by way of submissions to importance to music in Australia. It has been held governments. Because the finished product is in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney manifested in those submissions, this aspect of the and Brisbane. The 2008 15th Assembly was held in research program is reported in the Advocacy Adelaide in September. section of this report and only the project headings The reception was held at Government House. The are given in this section. agenda addressed many important issues including The research program continues as a mixture of especially the recommendations of the Australian paid in-house activity, contract activity and Musical Futures Summit held a month earlier. volunteer projects. Among the important outcomes were the Digital Distribution Think Tanks held throughout 2009, the In many of the projects, input is sought from MCA establishment of the national Music in Communities Councillors and sometimes, MCANet members, thus Network and various other initiatives. utilising the power of these expert networks. The 2009 16th Assembly is about to be held in Melbourne. 8 A Guide to Music Research in Australia. This is National Audit of Music Discipline and Music a comprehensive online list of sources. Conducted Education Mandatory Content within Pre­ for the Music Council annually by the Queensland Service Generalist Primary Teacher Education Conservatorium Research Centre. Courses. This project has just been completed by Monitor industry data. Hans Hoegh-Guldberg Dr Rachel Hocking as researcher. It was initiated by has written a number of interpretative papers on the Commonwealth Minister's Music Education statistics originated under various other auspices. Advisory Group (MEAG) and funded by the These are published on the MCA Music in Australia Department of Education, Employment and Knowledge Base. Workplace Relations. It confirms the utter inadequacy of this training, with the national State and local government regulation of average of music education at 17 hours out of a licensed premises serving actually or total of perhaps 1500 hours. The report will be potentially as live music venues. This project available on the MCA website. was funded by the PPCA and APRA and Stage 1, the assembly of the regulations, was conducted by John Development of information portal to a range Wardle. State and territory regulations governing of music education resources, on contract to presentation of live music have been compiled and the Commonwealth. This project also was analysed. An initial overview was drafted. initiated by the Commonwealth Minister's Music Lynn Gailey has taken Stage 2 of the project, Education Advisory Group (MEAG) and funded by analysing the data with the intention of identifying the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. MCA will create a database, best practice, possibly leading to advocacy for regulatory improvements that will be conducive to housed on an MCA website, that provides access to live music performance in these venues. existing information of use to school teachers when teaching music. The MCA researcher is Dr Rachel Stage 3 of the project was conducted by APRA with Hocking assisted by Eve Klein in constructing MCA/PPCA funding. This is a set of interviews of six database and website. Completion date is February venue proprietors who are successful presenters of 1, 2009. live music, describing their respective experiences and offering suggestions for other proprietors who A national survey of post-secondary music may be interested in presenting live music education provision. A volunteer project under programs. the leadership of MCA Chair Dr Helen Lancaster. Stage 4, now under discussion, is an economic Sound Links. A research project to explore the study of the live music activity in licensed venues. ways in which music is learned in community This would be in partnership with APRA and some settings by children of school age, and the hospitality industry associations and hopefully with relationships if any with the formal education funding from the Commonwealth. systems. Site visits were made to six contrasting The latter parts of the project are integrated also communities: the Dandenong Ranges VIC, Albany with APRA's Live Music Revolution. WA, Mclaren Vale SA, Fairfield and Blacktown (Sydney Western suburbs), Inala QLD, and Bringing Aussie Musicians Centre Stage. See Numbulwar NT. Information was collected by Advocacy section. interview with activists and others in each Review of the Entertainment Industry Act community. 1989. See Advocacy section. The research team reviewed the materials and was Australia Korea Free Trade Agreement. See able to create a set of descriptors o community Advocacy section. music activity which could be valuable both as a theoretical base and to assist in developmental PACER Plus Free Trade Agreement. See projects. The report is available on a number of Advocacy section. websites including MCA's and has been published in Music expenditure in Australian television hard copy by the Queensland Conservatorium production 1998-2007. The initial design of this Research Centre. project was developed under the leadership of Art The project was led by the QCRC with ARC funding Phillips and the project undertaken with and industry partners the MCA, AMA and ASME. collaboration from the Australian Guild of Screen The Research Team was comprised of 1st Chief Composers and Wesley Institute. A comprehensive, Investigator - Professor Huib Schippers, Director of possibly complete, list of productions over a period the QCRC, 2nd Chief Investigator - Associate of ten years has been assembled and some data Professor Peter Dunbar-Hall of Sydney about the music soundtracks discovered. Lynn Conservatorium, Partner Investigator - Dr Richard Gailey, who has a strong background in film Letts, Research Fellow - Dr Brydie-Leigh Bartleet. production, has added her efforts in an attempt to The Steering Committee adds Ian Harvey of the initiate a second stage with the collaboration of AMA and ASME President Jenny Rosevear. Screen Australia. A decision is pending from the Reference groups are drawn from the memberships latter. of MCA & ASME. The MCA reference group is 9 comprised of Tina Broad, Pat Rix, Anne Lierse, practice, but imagine if that had been an outcome Catherine Threlfall, Kerry Digby and Bev McAlister. of the agreement with the USA. Sustainable Futures. MCA is an industry partner, Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership along with the International Music Council, in this Agreement. Submission to the Department of major international study of the situation of Foreign Affairs and Trade, August 25, 2009. Written traditional musics led by Queensland by Lynn Gailey. This particular agreement is under Conservatorium Research Centre. It is now getting negotiation with Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New underway. Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and the United States of America. The exclusion of culture is especially pertinent in this negotiation because of E. ADVOCACY AND REPRESENTATION the involvement of the USA and NZ and the risk of ADVOCACY the concessions made in either CER or AUSFTA MCA advocacy seeks to sustain and enrich the being replicated in new trade agreements. opportunities and support for an excellent There are other problems in this agreement, in and diverse music practice in Australia, along particular the wording of the General Exception with public access to this music. made for the Creative Arts: MCA divides its advocacy activities into " ... nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to Responsive Advocacy, responding to issues prevent the adoption or enforcement by a Party of raised by governments and others, and Pro-Active measures necessary to ... support creative arts of Advocacy on issues which MCA decides to pursue national value." because of the benefits that may accrue. Its As so often happens in these agreements, an advocacy and research projects often are linked. apparently innocuous phrase can be the means to Responsive Advocacy executing a major agenda. Here, Parties to the Aussie Musicians Centre Stage. Submission to agreement could be put in the position of having to The Hon Peter Garrett MP, Minister for the justify cultural support to anything not Arts,August 29, 2009. Written by Lynn Gailer and demonstrably of "national value" and obviously, Richard Letts. During the 2007 election campaign, there can be endless discussion and delay around now-Minister Garrett announced an initiative to the definition of "national value" -- most probably, require presenters of tours by foreign artists to on previous evidence, at the instigation of the USA. engage Australian musicians as opening acts. The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic initiative has not been implemented and a reason Relations {PACER Plus). Submission to the was suggested to the MCA. This letter suggests a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, July 31, way of addressing the obstacle and proceeding to 2009. Written by Lynn Gailey and Richard Letts. implementation. The Music Council submission notes the necessity of The place of culture in a number of avoiding the extension of the cultural provisions of international trade agreements now being the CER or the agreements between Australia or negotiated by Australia. There is here and below New Zealand and the USA, to this agreement. a number of submissions by the MCA on the Australia Korea Free Trade Agreement. Australian position regarding culture in the Submission to the Korea FTA Task Force, negotiation of international free trade agreements. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade July 3, It might be noted that despite the potential 2009. Written by Lynn Gailey. The submission negative impact of such agreements, already describes the special circumstances applying in demonstrated in the agreements with the USA and South Korea, where negotiation of an FTA with the NZ, the MCA seems to be the only organisation in USA led to a halving of the Korean screen quota for the cultural sector that is keeping watch on them. local films -- a policy that had nurtured the MCA's ongoing position with regard to international development of one of the most successful film free trade agreements is that culture should be industries in the world. totally excluded from them. In two notable Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia­ Australian agreements, it has not been: the New Zealand Free Trade Area. Submission to agreement with the USA (AUSFTA) and with New the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, April 23, Zealand (CER). AUSFTA has already precluded 2009. Lynn Gailey and Richard Letts. This is a Australian from taking some actions in domestic positive list agreement, meaning that it covers only cultural policy. The CER had the spectacular matters specifically included in the agreement. This outcome some years ago of New Zealand is in contrast to the more dangerous negative list productions being given classification as Australian agreement, such as that with the USA, in which all productions for the purpose of meeting Australian trade is included unless specifically excluded. The content requirements on television. In the case of MCA is satisfied that this agreement does not New Zealand, this perhaps is not so worrisome in endanger the Australian government's prerogative to support Australian culture. 10 Australian Accession to Convention on the Review by Commercial Radio Australia of Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of the Commercial Radio Codes of Cultural Expressions. MCA submission to the Practice. Submission to CRA, February 27, 2009. Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, March 5, Written by Dr Richard Letts, with input from Music 2009. Written by Richard Letts. The Music Council Council Members Robyn Holmes, Julian Knowles, made a number of proposals to JSCOTas it Stephen Peach and Michael Smellie. Every few considers Australian accession to the UNESCO years, CRA is obliged to organise a review of the Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice, including an Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The MCA was invitation for comment from the public. Its active in the period of gestation of this Convention recommendations must then be submitted to ACMA before it was taken up by UNESCO. The UNESCO for approval, or not. The presentation here by CRA General Conference adopted the Convention in was concerned mainly with its own proposals for 2005, with a vote of 148 to 2 against, and 4 change. The main acknowledged changes were a abstentions, among them Australia. The Rudd proposal to terminate the existence of AMPCOM, government takes Australia back to multilateralism the industry monitoring body, and another to and participation in these international treaties. terminate the operation of Code 4 altogether if the JSCOT strongly recommended that Australia should present 1% cap on the royalty rates paid by the ratify the Convention and included extended quotes broadcasters to record companies and performers is from the MCA submission. removed. Review of the Entertainment Industry Act In addition the CRA, without acknowledgement, 1989, New South Wales. Submission written to proposed to delete a large amount of text from the the Better Regulation Office and the Office of current Code. This has the effect of changing the Industrial Relations by Lynn Gailey, with Richard stated purpose of the regulations, removing CRA's Letts assisting. August 8, 2009. Although the Music statement of support for Australian music, and Council concentrates its attention on national rather deleting definitions such as the time of day than state matters, in this case it was considered requirement and those concerned with the new that the Act is the most advanced in the country, music regulations, making the latter almost despite its shortcomings, and that revisions to it impossible to implement. may be influential in other jurisdictions. The The MCA submission opposes every CRA proposal government considers regulation is necessary in the except one. It expresses its deep dissatisfaction entertainment industry for three main reasons, with the fact that these reviews are placed by the namely government in the hands of a stakeholder with a • many performers are in a weak bargaining deep conflict of interest, and with the actual position; conduct of the current review by the CRA. • many performers are reluctant to or unable to Music Council of Australia submission to the afford legal remedies; Commonwealth review of the ABC and SBS. • there are conflicts of interest where a December 2008. Principal author: Dr Shane Homan. representative acts for both a performer and a The review was intended in particular to address venue. the future of the public broadcasters as we enter an era of new digital platforms. The ABC Charter lists Broadly, the Music Council supported these findings three main functions for the organisation. One of and a number of proposed regulations to encourage these three is "to encourage and promote the fair dealing between agents, managers and artists. musical, dramatic and other performing arts in Australia's Future Tax System review (the Australia". The discussion paper did not address Henry Review). Submission to the AFTS this clause excepting for the production of Secretariat, The Treasury, May 1, 2009. Written by Australian television drama; the word "music" did Lynn Gailey and Richard Letts. not appear even once. The review is considering reforms to the taxation The MCA presses the case for increased funding to system. The MCA submission presents observations both networks for the production and broadcasting and recommendations on a number of matters of music and in the case of SBS, proposes major affecting musicians and the music sector. It notes initiatives in locally created and performed world that the music sector, regarded as a satellite music, consistent with its multicultural purpose. The account (i.e. including activities that are recorded MCA recommends increased broadcasting of live by the ABS under non-music categories such as performances, noting their attractiveness to broadcasting) probably contributes around $7 billion audiences. It proposes specific funding to both per year to GDP. The sector warrants serious broadcasters for the expansion of digitised archives consideration. On the other hand, musicians of musical content of historic significance. It notes incomes are low and their contribution to the sector that the public broadcasters have a special can be encouraged by equitable but sympathetic opportunity to encourage and promote music consideration under the tax system. production in regional centres, offering connections 11 with national and indeed international • Almost half a million children, teachers and audiences. Other recommendations concern outside families in 1700 school communities joined contracting, establishing creative partnerships with together in music to celebrate the value of education authorities, mentorships, a commitment school music - from Darwin to Dandenong, to artistic as well as technological innovation, and Kojonup to Kellyville they sang the same song, international promotion through Radio Australia and at the same time, in Australia's biggest ever other means. music gig. They chartered buses, got out at the Music in Early Childhood Education. beach and stood holding hands on the shore, Submission to the Commonwealth Inquiry for a singing; 2000 tiny tots in Canberra mobbed the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Federal Arts Minister outside Parliament House; Education and Care, October 2008. Author: Dr Peter in Darwin, parliamentarians joined with kids to de Vries. MCA argued that there is a simple solution literally rock the House; indigenous kids and to bringing to young children the great benefits teachers in remote Kimberley schools got in-situ following on from development of their musical music training for the first time ever; deaf kids (and consequently, other) abilities: provide a at Thomas Pattison school in Sydney learned to sufficient training in music and music teaching to all sign the song; a classroom of primary school early childhood teachers. Teachers equipped with kids in Melbourne translated the song into those skills would be bound to bring them to the Italian ... and so it goes on. children because both teacher and children love and • 175 schools entered the Flame Awards, keen to benefit from music making. show the ways in which their music programs get kids singing Pro-Active Advocacy • 100+ communities, from dot-on-the-map places to major urban centres, entered the Music in MUSIC. PLAY FOR LIFE Communities Awards, to explain the links As 'the people's movement for more music making' between their music activities and the wellbeing Music. Play For Life runs its programs and activities of their community. with the aim of encouraging more active music Music. Count Us In 2009 making in schools, communities, everywhere. It does this in the context of research which shows Inaugurated in 2007 with funding from the then that: Howard government, 'Music. Count Us In' ran again last year, with increased funding support from the • meaningful music education has lost its place in Rudd Government. The 2008 program involved the nation's schools over time - as few as 23% 1698 schools; 458,000 kids, teachers and family of public schools are able to offer students an members and provided professional development to effective music education, compared with 88% 700 primary generalist teachers. The program of non-government private schools and pushed school music education on to the front • there are an estimated 5 million 'lapsed' pages, achieving an estimated 54 million media musicians in Australia - people who used to be impressions in print, radio, TV and online outlets. musically active but are now not and 91°/o of respondents to an online survey in May • many Australians are missing out on the social, 2009, seven months after the culminating day, said emotional and physical benefits of a musically­ involvement in 'Music. Count Us In' had directly led active life because of the misguided attitude to positive, pro-music attitudes and decisions at that music is the preserve of the 'gifted'. their school. This covered things like new band programs starting up, more choirs, or more kids A Music Council of Australia initiative, 'Music. putting their hands up to join existing ensembles, Play for Life' runs in partnership with the more musical instruments being bought, more Australian Music Association, which provides recruitment of music specialists or existing staff core funding towards campaign administration and being given new responsibilities and support to do management. The Australian Society for Music more classroom music. There were even a couple of Education is a founding partner. The Australian teachers who said that involvement in Count Us In Music Therapy Association is an active partner, as is had helped to stop the axe falling on their music the national peak body representing parents departments. This is a pleasing and somewhat groups, ACSSO (Australian Council of State Schools unexpected flow-on effect of 'Music. Count Us In' Organisations). and proves the initiative not only meets, but goes On the world and national arena, the year in review far beyond, its goal of helping to raise the status of was one of recession-obsession, white-collar school music education. embezzlers, underworld shootings, dreadful This year's signature song once again has been bushfires, eco-angst and swine flu. However in the written by school students, with guidance from parallel dimension of 'Music. Play for Life' things John Foreman. Students have done all the singing were more upbeat: and playing on the recording, too - including lead vocalist, 17 year old Angel Tupai, from 12 Campbelltown Performing Arts High School. At time working hard to secure sponsorship to create a of reporting, there are 1000 registered schools practical 'Toolkit' which harnesses the case studies (about 100 fewer than this time last year). At time of Flame-winning schools over the four years of the of writing, a 30 second TV promo has been scheme as a resource for schools seeking to start or recorded with John Foreman and will air on expand their music programs. Channel TEN and Southern Cross TEN again, gratis. Music in Communities Network Once again, we have managed practical Launched in May to coincide with the release of the engagement with most States and Territories via Sound Links research report and as a response to the sub-contracts to deliver music professional recommendations from last year's Annual Assembly development to primary teachers in all jurisdictions. and MCA Summit, the Music in Communities At this stage we look set to reach more teachers Network is Australia's first national network to link with the professional development - 900 - and people working and volunteering in community school participation in the core program is tracking music. Annual membership is a modest $25. There well. The promotional partnership with ACSSO, in are currently more than 40 paid-up members. reaching all schools, is valuable. Website visits are There is a dedicated website tracking strongly. Culminating day is Thursday www.musicincommunities.org.au and an October 22nd at 11.30am. intention to provide a mostly online environment in Despite our vigorous attempts to get it green­ which community music practitioners may share lighted earlier, 'Music. Count Us In' 2009 did not get skills, experiences and tips, across the miles. Our the go ahead from the federal government till the inaugural Music in Communities Awards winners - end of May 2009. This has severely hampered some Michelle Leonard, Bev McAlister and Pat Rix - have of our development plans for the initiative (such as agreed to be Network Mentors. The Network is still a re-mix element for high school kids and a national in its infancy. Eve Klein joined the Network as search for student songwriters to work with a panel coordinator in late July and has been conducting of artists and John Foreman to create The Song). member phone interviews to help determine the Nevertheless, we are grateful for the continued areas in which the Network is most needed so that support of the Australian Government and are she can home in on these issues when developing working hard, at time of writing, to match the web content and carrying out membership drives. success of last year's program. Three signature The launch of the 2009 Music in Communities media events are being planned: 2000 students Awards (see below) has helped boost interest in the outside Parliament House in Canberra; 1000 kids on Network and has doubled the monthly web the steps of the Sydney Opera House and a similar visitation from a 1700 average to 3500. number at Federation Square in Melbourne. Music in Communities Awards FLAME Awards Despite not having secured a sponsor, we have The Flames resumed this year after a rest in 2008. been able to proceed with the Awards this year, An expanded prize pool of $15,000 was made offering a $20,000 prize pool and absorbing the possible by the donation from Robert and Elizabeth admin and promo costs within existing campaign Albert ($10,000) and a theme set: 'Schools that funds. This year's theme focuses on the Sing'. Following a comprehensive publicity and contribution of the musical activity to community marketing push, entries were received from 175 wellbeing. schools. A shortlisting panel was convened by The Awards have been directly promoted to our ASME's Suzanne Rogers in South Australia and 38 national database of supporters, regional arts finalists were selected. The National Judges were: offices around Australia, every public library, GMs Grahame Abbott (ABC Classic FM), Jane Law, Dick and cultural officers at every local government Letts and Suzanne Rogers. State and Territory authority, the Australian Music Therapy Association, Winners and an overall national winner have been ACSSO and others. There has been a national chosen and will be announced at the end of publicity effort around the Awards, securing (mainly October, off the back of 'Music. Count Us In.' As regional) print coverage and the campaign manager ever, the finalists and winners are inspiring has done many radio interviews (mainly ABC local examples of schools bucking the trend outlined in radio stations) to spur entries. At time of writing the opening paragraphs of this report. They come there are more than 100 entries so far - from as reminders that, however bleak the statistics may community orchestras, choirs for seniors, look, there are nonetheless wonderful teachers individuals who voluntarily lead drum circles in local providing exemplary music education to kids in parks, community development organisations using schools all over Australia, with the backing of music as diversionary programs for young people principals who understand the value of making and others. We now proceed to shortlisting and music a priority in school life. The Flames are about national judging, promoting the finalists and capturing those examples and promoting them announcing winners in late November. widely as an encouragement to other schools to follow their lead. To that end, the campaign is also 13 Funding will continue to be sought to allow We now have a 5400-strong database. While continuation of program in 2010 and beyond. additions to the database are tracking at about a Jamming 40% increase compared to last year's figures, the total database number has remained fairly static In March-May the campaign collaborated with overall as we have become more aggressive with Sydney music management company, Scorpio, in a our list cleaning. small pilot program called Jamming. Its aim was to give school children with musical interest and The campaign manager has taken countless promise the opportunity to be inspired by a session meetings on the campaign's behalf and made many with professional contemporary artists managed by representations to events and conferences including Scorpio, with the long term goal of establishing a MEAG, Music Makers Foundation, AMAC Music model of mentoring by high-profile musicians, to Educators' Day, Department of Education (SA), encourage other music management and record NSW DET Curriculum Unit, ACSSO/APC, MSO, companies to involve their artists more closely in Telstra, Apple, Scorpio Music Management, the musical development of promising students. Australia Council, aMuse and ABC Classic FM. Under the pilot, students workshopped songs, sent The MPFL website was redesigned and rebuilt this their ideas to the artist or group and then year and went live in April 2009. There have been workshopped the song with the artists in their dramatic increases in visits and hits as a result. studios over a half-day session. The artists involved Prior to the change, the monthly average visitation were Lisa Mitchell, Evermore, Matt Corby and Amy was 2346. Since the launch of the new site, Meredith. The outcomes were extremely positive for monthly average visitation has been tracking at the students, artists and schools (The Lakes, 4438. Compared with the 6500 monthly average of Victoria and Sir Joseph Banks High, NSW). The hits to the site, the new site attracts well over expansion of the pilot is contingent on funding. 120,000 average hits per month. This is due to the site being more lively and easy to navigate, it works Guitars for Schools harder to migrate people to the main site from the No additional guitars have been distributed this program-specific sites, we make more use of html year so far, though we hope that about a further 15 e-blasts and the campaign is generally even more will be donated before the end of the year. active now, with the Flames, Music in Communities Participating schools were contacted and feedback and Music. Count Us In running concurrently. sought on the progress of recipient students to Monthly campaign registrations via the main site date. This was overwhelmingly positive. Teachers' are now consistently higher than those of the testimonials include: previous site, currently tracking at double: over 40 • "Owning their own guitar has meant improving per month compared to the monthly average of students' positive self esteem ... some have about 20 of the old site. made enormous leaps and bounds, especially Again this year - largely due to the requests from the girls who lacked confidence." 'Music. Count Us In' schools for stickers and posters • "Through supporting students to practise at - we distributed more than 65,000 stickers and home, it has seen a big impact on student posters. progress and commitment. This has flowed on, A dedicated sponsorship drive on the campaign's as other kids have seen students who can play behalf by Canberra consultancy Voz Publica did not well, and therefore want to engage also." bear fruit, despite many overtures to organisations • "Students have improved dramatically now that including Australia Post, Bendigo Bank, Blackmores, they can practice at home. It has also NIB Foundation, Telstra, Sony Foundation, Apple encouraged families to share music making, among others. The lack of success is puzzling. It with many parents, brothers and sisters could be that the global financial crisis hit just as teaching each other music at home." our approaches were gearing up or that advocacy programs are not hot prospects for partnerships. This program needs funding in order to expand and continue. We secured $560,000 in cash contributions for the campaign and approximately $125,000 in kind, as Making Music Being Well follows: This program did not run this year. It will resume in CASH May 2010. Catherine Threlfall (Aust MTA) and MPFL campaign manager, Tina Broad, have met by phone AMA $ 70,000 to discuss expansion plans, including automating Commonwealth 2009 $480,000 the registration process for event organisers a Ia Robert and Elizabeth Albert $10,000 'Music. Count Us In' and Music in Communities Awards registrations. IN-KIND General Campaign participation and outreach Channel TEN and Southern Cross TEN: metro airplay of 30 sec TVCSA $ 100,000 14 Commercial radio (CSA MCUI) approx $ 25,000 In addition, MCA has been represented at meetings with or organised by many other organisations during the year, including: Other Pro-Active Advocacy ABC Radio National Advocate that the Commonwealth government should fund the creation and AGSM 'The Round Table. Leadership, Creativity and maintenance of a music education portal. Innovation This project was not funded in the 2009-10 budget. AMPAL and Sony digital games presentation MCA's research project (above) will achieve some of APRA the objectives. Arts Law Centre Inclusion of the arts in the brief of the Association of Directors of Music in Independent National Curriculum Board Schools, NSW MCA advocated independently, as a member of the Ausdance Minister's Music Education Advisory Group, and finally as a member of the National Advocates for Austrade (Branding Australia). (Michael Smellie) Arts Education. The advocacy was successful and Australia Council for the Arts, various MCA has been included subsequently in the Australian Copyright Council Reference Group of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority which is Australian Hotels Association responsible for curriculum development. Australian Network for Arts and Technology, Consultation into the Legal Protection of Adelaide, Gavin Artz Human Rights in Australia. Australian Youth Orchestra MCA endorsed an approach by the Australian Commonwealth Bank Human Rights Group to the Commonwealth Commonwealth Department for Early Childhood Government to conduct a comprehensive review Education, Childcare and Youth into Australia's performance in the protection of human rights. Among the many human rights cited Commonwealth Department for Education, is that of freedom of expression, indispensable Employment and Workplace Relations foundation of a vital artistic community. MCA has Commonwealth Department for the Environment, maintained contact with the review process. Heritage and the Arts REPRESENTATION Commonwealth Dept. for Families, Housing, For MCA, "representation" means representing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs music's interests by taking a seat at the table where Commonwealth Department for Foreign Affairs and issues of moment are raised from time to time, Trade even though none are foreshadowed in the current Commonwealth Department for Innovation, agenda. To this end, MCA is a member of a number Industry, Science and Research of organisations and appears regularly at meetings called by other organisations. Commonwealth Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts It is a member of: Commonwealth Productivity Commission ArtsPeak Commonwealth Shadow Minister for the Arts Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Stephen Ciobo Reporting Authority Community Broadcasting Association of Australia Australian Service Industries Roundtable {ASR) CPR Melbourne Contemporary Music Working Group Currency Press, speaking on publication of a monograph on music education Council for Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) European Music Council International Music Council (IMC) Hadahur Music School initiative in Dili, Ros Dunlop, Sister Susan Connelly International Network for Cultural Diversity (INCD) Hawke Institute, Gerry Blaustein Music Education Advisory Group {MEAG) for IBSA (Helen Lancaster) the Federal Minister for Education Minister of Education, Tunisia National Advocates for Arts Education {NAAE) Music Board, Australia Council, Paul Mason National Roundtable of Non-Profit Music Education New Zealand Aotearoa, Organisations Christchurch. Letts Keynote 15 Music NSW (Lynn Gailey) took the cello to London for a successful National Association of Visual Arts restoration and its promotion is now underway. We are grateful to Julian Heinze for the donation of the NSW Arts Minister Virginia Judge's forum on jazz violin owned by his father, Sir Bernard Heinze. This development is the first instrument to be owned outright by the NSW Dept of Education music teacher graduation NIB and so becomes permanently available to ceremony young violin players. Qld Conservatorium Research Centre on the Sound Resound. This is an offshoot of the NIB, invented Links and Sustainable Futures projects by manager Rachel Hocking specifically to find Robert Singerman, New York, re programs for musical instruments to replace those lost by online song lyrics translation Victorian bushfire victims. She had the assistance of Emma Ayres, the breakfast announcer for ABC Telstra I Richard Howarth Classic FM, and Bev McAlister and colleagues of the University of Adelaide Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dandenong Ranges Music Council. About 250 Vladimir Ashkenazy, Chief Conductor, SSO instruments were offered and some cash donations. At the time of writing, 150 had been placed. It should be said that Rachel gave enormously of her E. PROJECTS own time to ensure the success of this project. MCA Australian Musical Futures Think Tanks Upon Rachel Hocking's resignation, Eve Klein In 2008, the MCA organised its first ever think tank, became manager of the NIB. However, Rachel is inviting 100 sectoral leaders to spend a day continuing in a voluntary capacity with Resound. identifying key issues for action. It was conceived Early childhood: The Lullaby Project as a follow-through of the Kevin Rudd 2020 summit The objective of this project is to present a CD of but focussed on music. It was to be the first of a lullabies to the mother of every new-born child in series of such events, to be known as the Australian Australia. Attached would be a research project Musical Futures series. This particular event was devised by Peter de Vries. It is intended that the named Towards 2020. CD encourages mothers to sing to their babies and One of the summit recommendations adopted by follow-through CDs would encourage the infants the MCA was to organise a series of four think tanks themselves to sing. This would be a powerful health in 2009 on the difficult issues around digital initiative but also a strategic intervention on behalf distribution of recorded music. A collaboration of music at the beginning of life. MCA marketing between MCA and the Institute of Creative people have been attempting to secure Industries at QUT, the first three events considered sponsorships, with some success though at this successive stages in the music value chain - point a complete funding package has not yet been creation, production, distribution, with a fourth achieved. think tank to draw the threads together. All have Advise on the establishment of a national been held successfully and work is underway on the music school for Timor Leste in Dili final paper and recommendations. Advice has been offered. Some UNESCO funds have National Instrument Bank been achieved, enabling a formal consultancy on The National Instrument Bank was launched in June the design of a curriculum for the school and 2008. The objective is to secure by loan or donation possibly the school system. very fine musical instruments and loan them to Music Council of Australia Freedman correspondingly fine Australian players. Since these Fellowships instruments have become collectors' items with prices beyond the ability of musicians to purchase Funding was finally and conclusively terminated for them, the NIB will assist businesses and persons of this program and it has lapsed. wealth to purchase instruments for loan or donation International Awards Program to the bank. A Bignami violin was purchased by the As the International Music Council affiliate in Australian Arts Trust and loaned to the NIB, and so Australia, MCA is eligible to nominate candidates for became the beginning of the collection. Various the European Broadcasting Union competitions in strategies have been tested to secure more classical music and jazz. A singer and an oboist instruments and have not been notably successful. were nominated to the New Talent competition and However, the NIB now has five instruments and is two jazz groups, one from Melbourne and one from deciding upon strategies for loaning them and Sydney, were nominated for the European Jazz building the profile of the program. Collaboration Competition, organised with the North Sea Jazz with competitions is one such. The NIB has been Festival in Rotterdam. None were successful. given the responsibility by the Australia Council for sale of its Guarneri cello, at a value of some $800,000. The broker for the NIB, Lilly Camden, F. ADMINISTRATION AND GOVERNANCE 16 Financial results was elected by the Board and appointed as of the In calendar year 2008, the audited accounts show 2009 AGM as an Honorary Life Member, an honour that MCA received income of $927,169 and incurred bestowed on former Councillors who have made a expenses of $891,176, for a surplus of $36,994. major contribution to the organisation. Added to equity brought forward from 2007, this Administration gave total equity of 104,898. Each of these MCA is a living breathing successful example of the numbers represents a record for the organisation. new possibilities for the virtual office. Its work fills The Australia Council requires equity of 20% of rooms stretching from Melbourne suburbs to expenditures, so although the figures are very Sydney to the Blue Mountains. All work is assigned positive, we have some way to go. to individual contractors. Every one of these people Income compares with previous year of $721,112, gives beyond the call. This report is about their for a surplus of $35,052. work. Surplus to August 31, 2009 is $17,777. Financial administration is contracted to Morton Number of Board meetings Music in Malvern, Melbourne. Sara Hood is the administrator, and she is assisted by Heather Between the AGMs for 2008 and 2009, the Board Digby. The office this year brought in quite a met seven times. In December 2008 it met face to difficult restructure of the data base and accounts face for a full day meeting in Sydney, and face to system and its patience and persistence have been face again on September 26 prior to the Assembly. impressive. Expanded Board of Directors. The Board in Assistant to the Director and manager of the 2008 decided that an expanded program required a National Instrument Bank until July 31 was Dr larger Board, and increased its number from seven Rachel Hocking, based in Mortdale, Sydney. Eve to nine. Sylvan Elhay stepped down as Chair and Klein has taken over since then; she is based in Helen Lancaster was elected to the position. Blackheath in the Blue Mountains. Eve also is Filled casual vacancies heading up the new Music in Communities Network. The Board appointed the following persons to Manager of Music. Play for Life is Tina Broad, "casual vacancies' on the Council. These assisted by Emma Unsworth, based in Mollymook appointments are to vacant positions, filled until the on the NSW south coast. next annual election, at which time the appointees Lynn Gailey is our new Head of Research; she can choose to stand for election. comes from Sydney's eastern suburbs. Composition: Robert Constable Information Officer is Lucia Okumura, based in Contemporary Classical Performance: Vanessa Kurrajong, NSW, at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Tomlinson Editor of the Knowledge Base is Hans Hoegh­ Country Music: Dobe Newton Guldberg, based in Oberon, in the Blue Mountains. Music Broadcasting (Commercial or Community): Marketing Manager is Sycamore Marketing (Karen Chris Johnson Deveson and Anna Meadows) and Sales Youth Music: Andrew Stone Representative is Anne Lee-Archer. All are from Sydney suburbs. Committees Webmaster is Simon Bereux of ComputerJazz, Committees active during the year were as follows. based in Melbourne. MCA has a great appreciation for the contributions of their members, all unpaid. Some committee Promotional consultant is mainly Debbie Mcinnes, members are not MCA Councillors and we are based in Leichhardt, Sydney. especially appreciative of their contributions. Executive Director is Richard Letts, based in Australian Musical Futures: Digital Distribution Think Sydney. Tanks. Rob Appel, Phil Graham, Ian Harvey, Julian Funding Knowles, Michael Smellie. When MCA advocates for music education for International competitions. New Talent Competition. Australian children, it cannot charge them for the Vocal candidate assessors: Stephen Phillips, service. It can charge for some sorts of information, Rowena Cowley or information delivered by magazine or Journal of Music Research Online. Jula Szuster, conference, but there is great benefit to the public Managing Editor; Sylvan Elhay, Treasurer, and the music sector by providing free access to Webmaster; Mark Carroll, Stephen Knopoff, Helen key information via its websites - and at this time, Rusak, Graeme Strahle. not much evidence that a viable market exists for online information whether about musical life or World Music. Huib Schippers, Chris Bowen, anything else. Honorary Life Member. Dr David Worrall, a key figure in the establishment of the MCA in 1994, 17 So while MCA does have at front of mind the need APRA, QUT and Sydney Conservatorium of to generate earned income, much of its activity has Music for accommodating a number of meetings to be supported from other sources. free of charge. MCA is very appreciative, therefore, that the Our enthusiastic thanks go to all of these Australia Council in 2009 commenced triennial supporters. funding to the MCA for its core costs. MCA hopes that since its inception in 1994, it has been able to demonstrate its value and that it is this that gave G. VOLUNTEER SUPPORT the Australia Council Music Board the confidence to As an organisation gains in financial and provide a core grant of $200,000 per year - on a professional capabilities, as has MCA in recent triennial basis. years, the amount of activity grows and inevitably This is supporting a full time salary for the the responsibilities have to be taken up by paid Executive Director, so permitting a realistic workers rather than volunteers. This certainly is the succession plan. It also has enabled the case with MCA. It would be a pity if the volunteer employment of a Marketing Officer and the contribution were therefore to falter because so development and implementation of a marketing much of the spirit would be lost. plan. MCA has also employed an Assistant to the I think I can say that so far, this has not been the Director, a person of many skills who is having the case. The majority of Council members, for opportunity to apply them in many projects, instance, contribute time and effort in some way including the establishment of the Music in and others most likely would if the right opportunity Communities Network, the National Instrument were there. Bank, the think tanks, magazine production and Here I would like to acknowledge those others. contributions. One must begin with the Board Substantial financial support has come from: members carrying out their board member duties. Australian Music Association for core funding to The first thing to note is that this Board decided to the Music. Play for Life campaign meet a couple of times a year face to face, including a one day meeting, at individual members' Institute of Creative Industries and own expense. It has worked in an orderly and Innovation, QUT, for funding and some productive way under the leadership of its new administration and accommodation for the Digital Chairperson, Helen Lancaster. I acknowledge the Distribution Think Tanks. other members: Deputy Chair Huib Schippers, International Music Products Association Treasurer Ian Harvey, and members Mark (NAMM) for the establishment of the Music in Callaghan, Robyn Holmes, Hans Hoegh­ Communities Awards. Guldberg, Julian Knowles and Dean Ormston. Ian Potter Foundation for the Guitars for Schools I would like especially to note the long service of program. Ian Harvey as Treasurer, in which position he gives bed-rock comfort and wise counsel. PPCA for research connected with the advancement of live music and regulation of music I would like to acknowledge special contributions by venues. a number of Council Members. Julian Heinze for the donation of a valuable violin Rob Appel assisted in designing the Digital to the National Instrument Bank. Distribution Think Tanks and attended as he was able. Robert and Elizabeth Albert for prizes for the Music. Play for Life Flame Awards for inspiring Chris Bowen worked to advance the MCA's school music programs. involvement in developing the world music scene in Australia, attending the Melbourne convention, Australian Arts Trust for general support. conducting interviews, working towards a plan. University of Adelaide for financial support to the Mark Callaghan offered his support for the MCA Journal of Music Research Online. Lullaby Project and has participated in the Digital Freedman Foundation for the completion of Distribution Think Tank series. rema1n1ng obligations under the Freedman Peter de Vries devised the initial concept for the Fellowships program. Lullaby Project, designed the research component In-kind contributions are offered by a number of and has assisted in developing the proposal as we organisations. Significant support has been seek funding. He also wrote the MCA submission to provided by: the Commonwealth inquiry into early childhood ABC, for on-air time and promotions for the Flame education. Awards; Sylvan Elhay has led the efforts to establish the Channel10 for on-air promotions for Music. Count Journal of Music Research Online, which finally Us In; launched in April. 18 John Foreman has given great assistance with the Helen Rusak has been a contributor the the Music. Count Us In project. inauguration of the Journal of Music Research Phil Graham was a key player in the Music in Online. Australia Digital Distribution Think Tank series, Huib Schippers' important work in research has providing funding, venues for two events, and involved MCA as partner: in the recently completed brilliantly facilitating all four meetings. Sound Links study of community music in six Ian Harvey has been an extremely important contrasting Australian communities, and in the player in the advocacy around music education and recently begun Sustainable Futures project into the community music development. MCA makes great survival of traditional musics around the world. use of the Australian Attitudes to Music survey Nathan Shepherd, lawyer, has been very helpful carried out regularly by his organisation. in providing legal advice for MCA projects, Graeme Hinckley has advised on matters especially the National Instrument Bank. concerning public broadcasting and classical music. Michael Smellie has brought his great Hans Hoegh-Guldberg participates continually in international experience and perspectives to all issues before the Council and especially serves orgams1ng and participating in the Digital as Editor of the MCA Knowledge Base. Distribution Think Tanks. Robyn Holmes did a great deal of work on Andrew Stone is the interim chair of the new synthesis of the SWOT analysis project and on Australian Youth Music Council and consequently setting up a best practice in digital communications the new incumbent of the Youth Music position on session for the Assembly. the MCA Council. He has been active as a leader on the AYMC. Shane Homan wrote the fine MCA submission to the Commonwealth inquiry into the ABC and SBS. Graham Strahle has assisted in the birth of the Journal of Music Research Online and has updated Rory Jeffes has only just joined the Council but his study of music criticism in the major press. assisted in preparations for the classical music sessions at the Assembly. Catherine Threlfall is the key MCA member in the organisation of Making Music Being Well, the Julian Knowles assisted in particular with the promotional collaboration with the Australian Music organisation of the Digital Distribution Think Tanks. Therapy Association. Helen Lancaster is Chair. While this implies some John Wardle did an enormous amount of work in wide-ranging involvement, Helen did not have to creating a more music-friendly regulatory system single-handedly invent and organise the Australian for licensed venues in NSW and as part of that, Youth Music Council, the MCA's new youth advisory completed a compendium of relevant regulations body. across the country. Jane Law has been very active in the music Neil Ackland, Sound Alliance education area, especially in relation to MEAG. Stephen Adams, ABC radio Dean Ormston has been active especially in developing the opportunities for live music Heidi Angove, Internode performance in the hospitality industry and in Jean Burgess, QUT forging a collaboration between MCA and his Mark Callaghan, AMPAL/MCA employer, APRA. He commissioned the interviews mailto:[email protected] with venue proprietors and the resulting papers. A artist new research proposal is under development via Rick Chazan, this partnership. Jessica Coates, QUT Stephen Peach and Dick Letts have cooperated in Alistair Cranney, Songfront and Fuse Festival formulating some important submissions. Nick Crocker, Native Digital Art Phillips' research into music budgets for Ian Harvey, Australian Music Retailers television productions completed its first phase and Association/MeA with some new partners, may lead in fascinating new directions. Mike Howlett, QUT John Jacobs, ABC radio Stephen Phillips, Director of the State Opera Company of SA, assisted once again in selecting Maria Kaya, QUT Australian candidates for the European New Talent Helen Lancaster, Chair, MCA Competition. Paul Mason, Australia Council Pat Rix has contributed in the areas of disability ABC Publishing and community music, including the production of Eloise Nolan, an important paper on policy for music and Justin O'Connor, QUT disability. 19 Dean Ormston, APRA/MCA There are many, many people who have mailto:[email protected] contributed to the Music. Play for Life campaign. Fee Plumley, Australia Council Tina Broad wishes to thank these in particular: Tim Price, Musicadium Emma Unsworth, campaign assistant extraordinaire Tracy Redhead, MusicNSW John Foreman, Music Count Us In ambassador Frank Rodi, APRA Richard Macionis, John's manager Jane Slingo, Young Strangers P/L Debbie Mcinnes and the team at DMCPR Craig Spann, SugarRush Grahame Abbott, Jane Law, Flames judging Paul Steffens, QUT mailto:[email protected] Emma Pail/as, Alistair Graham, ABC Classic FM Andrew Stone, The Quills/MCA Marketing, Flames Awards Damian Trotter, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Anne Williams and the Eltham East Primary Erin Swann, artist School Choir, for helping us launch the Flame Gavin Ward, Leading Edge Music, retailer Awards 2009 Keith Welsh, Rough Cut Music Suzanne Rogers, for convening the shortlisting for the Flames and participating from her sick bed Organising committee I MCA I QUT in the National Judging Phi/Graham Brydie-Leigh Bartleet and Huib Schippers, Julian Knowles QCRC, for hosting the Music in Communities Michael Smellie Network launch at Griffith Uni Rob Appel Network TEN for support of 'Music. Count Us In' Dick Letts Louise Bark/, NSW DET Performing Arts Unit, for assistance in finding our four songwriters and all Assisted by players on the 'Music. Count Us In' recording Carly Dickenson, QUT Rupert McGregor, Executive Director, ACSSO, for Eve Klein, MCA advocating for music education Rache/Hocking,MCA Dec/an O'Connell, DEEWR, for assistance with Thanks to all those Council members and non­ contractual arrangements around 'Music. Count Us members who will speak at the Assembly. In' Thanks to all the members of the MCA who have Rhonda Davidson-Irwin and the Brookfield offered information and advice during the year. and Red Hill Community Choirs, for helping us launch the Music in Communities Network Many people have contributed complicated articles for the Knowledge Base. Writing these pieces can Jon Louth, flipside creative, for graphic design and take many hours, and we are grateful for the website services additional papers loaded in this calendar year. Ulladulla Printing, for timely service and great Each issue of Music Forum contains work by about prices 40 writers. At four issues a year, I will not attempt Janey Sultana, database and registration to individually thank all of them but there is no coordinator, 'Music. Count Us In' question that this very well regarded magazine Jason Aldworth, CPR Communications, for exists only through those contributions. political advice and guidance I acknowledged already a number of people Ian Harvey associated with the launch of the Journal of Music Research Online, but here thank the whole team: AHA 'Music Makers' members who contribute to Jula Szuster, Managing editor, Sylvan Elhay, the Foundation which makes support of MPFL Treasurer, Webmaster, Mark Carroll, Stephen possible Knopoff, Helen Rusak and Graeme Strahle, Greg Phillips, designer and Robin Stevens, and the 22 members of the Editorial Board. editor, Music in Action magazine Thanks to all those MCA Network members who Barbara Walsh, Voz Publica, MPFL sponsorship have provided support for various issues during the drive year. Thank you again to the members of the various H. IN CONCLUSION Board committees, listed in a previous section. MCA is an imaginative, effective organisation that makes the best uses of the resources available to it. A talented "staff" of contractors is guided by an 20 active board of directors that is widely representative of the music sector. The organization does indeed bring together the participants in the music sector to work on a range of issues that are important to its future. The key personnel are assisted by the hundreds of people listed above as volunteers. This does not include the participants in the various MCA projects - the 5,400 people registered with MPFL, many of whom are taking the initiative in local MPFL activities, or the teachers working in their schools on Music. Count Us In, or the volunteers in Making Music Being Well - and more. We all look forward to another year of cooperation in building a stronger musical life for Australia. Richard Letts, Executive Director