Music education helps improve language and literacy, as well as numeracy processing.

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It also aids social skills and general wellbeing.

Research by neuroscientists has found that it improves overall cognitive capacity, and this is one important reason why Gloucester Primary School is keen to expand its music teaching activities.

Every child at Gloucester Primary is involved in some music in the classroom from kindergarten onwards.

“In Kindergarten we do a lot of movements to the beat and they learn about… and play a lot of different instruments, and sing,” said Sarah Soupidis, the school’s music, dance and drama teacher.

“At first they play non-melodic percussion instruments, such as tambourines and egg shakers, before moving onto melodic instruments such as the recorder.”

In addition to classroom music, from Year 3 the children have the opportunity of joining the school choir, or the DooDs and TooTs band, known as “Windstars”.

The Dood is similar to a recorder but, like a clarinet, it has a reed. In comparison, it is simpler, cheaper and easier for a child to play.

The TooT, which is similar in nature to the Fife, has a wider bore, which makes the instrument shorter.

It also brings together the holes, for short arms and fingers.

The DooDs and TooTs are supported by a few other instruments, such as guitars and drums.

The choir visits Mirrabooka Aged Care Home each term singing songs familiar to the residents, and the Windstars band recently played at the school’s presentation evening and came first in their category at the 2024 Taree Eisteddfod.

“Windstars has been going for about ten years and it’s open to any child that wishes to join.

“All that is required is an instrument that they purchase themselves, and a commitment to attend rehearsal on Thursday morning before school.”

Although both the choir and Windstars are successful, Ms Soupidis is keen to take the school’s music program to the next level by establishing a concert band with instruments such as the saxophone, trombone, trumpet and clarinet.

“I hope that we can get a concert band going in the next year or two, but we’ll need some funding from the community and the P&C – and perhaps corporate sponsorship.

“We have been lucky to have been given quite a number of second-hand instruments from a few Sydney schools, most of which need minor repairs.

“Once the concert band gets going, children from years 2 and 3 will start in Windstars and move onto the concert band from year 4, and then hopefully join the high school concert band after they leave primary school.”

For those interested in exploring more about the connection between music and brain power go to biggerbetterbrains.com.

By John WATTS