Narrogin, East Narrogin and Pingelly Primary School enjoy new University of Western Australia music program

Narrogin primary students got to try their hand at a range of musical instruments and activities thanks to UWA students who took them through their paces with a week-long program. Year 1-6 students from East Narrogin, Pingelly and Narrogin Primary School enjoyed a visit from 12 University of Western Australia music students, from November 25 to December 6, part of a new week-long music program. UWA volunteers played recordings of individual orchestra instruments to the class and explained the different music families, such as woodwind, string and brass, so the children understood the sound and role of each instrument. Body percussion activities involved stamping, clapping, clicking and any form of sound made with just the body, helping the students to understand time and rhythm, and expanding their idea of what music is and can be. Group singing introduced the children to the solfege scale and musical notes. Each year level performed a concert of We Don’t Talk About Bruno from the Disney animation Encanto that showcased what they had learnt on Friday morning after the week-long program. Program organiser and UWA Music Student Society treasurer Aimee Ryan said it was a great opportunity for the children and the university students. “It was a cool opportunity for the primary students because they don’t get much music education so it was a really engaging way to get them to enjoy doing music,” she said. “And it provided us with some teaching experience because some of the volunteers hadn’t had any before. “(It was a) very worthwhile experience for the schools and for us.” Ms Ryan said seeing the children so excited while performing was her favourite part. “One kid I was a partner with in the five/six class, and we performed one of the percussion pieces in the concert and seeing him so excited about performing made me so happy,” she said. “I realised they really enjoyed the week — it was my favourite moment.”