As the State Orchestra, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra is the largest employer of performing artists in Western Australia reaching two million people with musical experiences each year, on stage, in community and online. Through community and leading industry partnerships, they engage a new generation of young and emerging artists to help secure a bright future for music in Australia.
Recognising a gap in the Australian public school curriculum for music education, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) launched the Crescendo program to provide music education. In 2023, The Balnaves Foundation became Lead Partner of Crescendo.
Crescendo is a free play-based music education program, the only one of its kind in Western Australia. Delivered to two primary schools in Kwinana, south of Perth, Crescendo Teaching Artists provide every student with a weekly music lesson. Beginning in year four, students can choose to learn the violin or cello alongside participating in choral lessons. The program also provides classroom teachers with free learning resources to support program delivery and a range of WASO incursions, workshops and performances by musicians, excursions to WASO events and performance opportunities for the students.
So far, Crescendo has shown higher NAPLAN results and better social and emotional well-being among students since inception. The Foundation hopes that our support will see these results continue to improve as the program grows. Play-based learning programs for young children provide a strong basis for future success at schools. Students engaging with and playing music have improved school attendance, accelerated learning and more confidence to face challenges and create solutions.