Music Education is important

Today I had the pleasure of performing with Sydney Wind Symphony, my former band in Sydney. I joined them fresh out of high school at then trumpet teacher Andrew Hulme's insistence. A lot of people play in school bands all the way through and then just stop, so I was very happy for the gentle nudge to join an A grade level band.

But playing trumpet for 28 years would not have been possible without my first trumpet teacher, Tim Rowland, who started at TPS the same year I joined from another school. He saw something in me and quickly promoted me to the Senior bands, and continues to be responsible for cultivating some of the North Shore's most talented young musicians.

Playing with Sydney Symphony when I was fresh out of school, and a license late bloomer, would also not have been possible without all the lifts from fellow South Turramurra locals Sarah and Peter Eagling! They were my ride to and from rehearsals, performances and competitions until I got my license at age 21, and I was one of their babysitters for a number of years as well.

And finally, even though I have been playing for nearly three decades, I've never actually performed under the direction of a female Musical Director before, but it has been a delight rehearsing and performing under Fiona Lucas' direction! I remember meeting in high school when you were a tutor for the THS community band and I decided to give flute a whirl. Flute didn't stick for me, but I'm glad our paths were able to cross again!

Also shout out to former SWS trumpet buddy David Gresham who I caught up with yesterday, but we were so busy chasing after his kids that we forgot to take a pic together!

Our soloist today was an Oboist in grade 8 who will be playing in a Symphony Orchestra one day if she sounds this good so young.

Music education is important. Without it there are no orchestras, there are no movies, tv shows, musicals nor countless other staples of life that we take for granted.

Music education is important. Even for someone like me who continues to keep it as a hobby. It has opened up all sorts of social and travel opportunities for me, and I have made so many wonderful friends all over the world as a result. Seeing all these music programs being cut just breaks my heart, as I know I wouldn't be the person I am today without music, and the encouragement and support of wonderful music educators like Tim, Peter, Sarah, Fiona, David and the countless others of you that I'm friends with.

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