Thursday, 22 February 2024

Melbourne Youth Orchestras

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:30): (738) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Education, and the action that I seek is for the government to restore ongoing funding for Melbourne Youth Orchestras. Melbourne Youth Orchestras provides exceptional music education through its diversity of orchestral programs. It is the largest of its kind in Australia, servicing more than 600 young people on a weekly basis, ranging from primary right through to tertiary age. Through connecting talented young musicians with the state’s leading music teachers, these programs provide an indispensable opportunity for students of all backgrounds to achieve their potential in a unique learning environment. Not only is MYO a launching pad for many professional music careers but it also supports the development of valuable life skills, including team building, critical thought, self-organisation and listening – imagine if we had more of that here – while fostering community and a sense of belonging. In fact as an alumnus of one of these programs, I can personally attest to the enormous value that it provided to my high school and pretertiary music education. Friends of mine who partook in the program are now performing in ensembles all over the world.

Melbourne Youth Orchestras, as has been noted, has been operating in partnership with the Victorian government since 1967. Hundreds of members of the community have written to me and many others expressing their dismay at the state government cutting MYO’s funding for the very first time. One hundred per cent of government funding for 2024 had been earmarked to provide assistance to disadvantaged students that face barriers to participation. MYO has made it clear that in the absence of this support the organisation will struggle to keep fees affordable and to provide targeted support to these disadvantaged students. Victoria is now the only state in Australia that does not provide recurrent funding to their youth orchestras. This shortcoming will prevent young people from accessing invaluable enrichment of their music education. I implore the minister to urgently restore funding to Melbourne Youth Orchestras and to invest in Victoria’s young people and its future musicians.