Music Count Us In - 2018

Music Count Us In (MCUI) is Australia’s largest school initiative, and it culminates in the National Celebration Day when more than half a million students sing the same song, on the same day, at the same time – the annual Program Song. It is a song written by students, for students.

On 1 November, Somerset College Junior School Students (Pre-Prep to Year 5) joined in the National celebration of music education, with around 650 000 other students from more than 3500 schools across Australia. Students sung One Song in harmony, promoting unity and creativity through music. This year’s countdown had a special video featuring a few schools who have had a strong involvement in the initiative, including a short segment from Somerset College!

We celebrate this event because Somerset College has a proud tradition of promoting the Arts and quality music education for students. MCUI is a fantastic learning opportunity for students to work together and be part of such a large scale performance, and an enjoyable experience that they will remember. Music really is for everyone. You may remember we performed the 2017 Program Song Shine Together - here’s the video!.

Research shows the impact on the brain, how it helps students engage in school, and the links between music learning and academic skills. Music is unique in its flow-on benefits to students who learn it. Such an event allows students to inquire into why we learn music, discovering how music helps our self-confidence, self-discipline and teamwork. Music helps us learn about the world, releases happy endorphins, improves memory, develops creativity, improves hand/eye coordination, relieves stress, improves literacy skills, let’s us link to and express our emotions, helps us work as a team, helps one find beauty in things, develops a sense of community, improves listening, helps us celebrate, motivates, reduces anxiety, and has many more benefits. For more information about how music affects the brain, Dr Anita Collins has an excellent TED video here.

It is important to note that not all schools offer music education, to stop and appreciate the many opportunities students are given at Somerset to participate in quality music programmes.