Australia's hidden musicians: education and training in rural and regional areas

This article examines the fortunes of music education programs in rural and regional Australia. It argues that the two key national reports on music education across the nation undertaken in 2005 and 2019 have tended to focus on metropolitan and urban settings and formalised school education at the pre-tertiary level at the expense of music education programs in rural and regional areas. In this article, we argue that a more complete picture of music education across Australia - and, indeed, elsewhere - can only be fully assessed when music education outside of formal primary and secondary school education is accounted for. Through extensive interviews with music education stakeholders during COVID, the article highlights the diverse and impactful state of music education in rural and regional Australia.

Automated summary

This article examines the state of music education programs in rural and regional Australia, arguing that national reports have often neglected these areas in favor of metropolitan and urban settings. By conducting extensive interviews with music education stakeholders during COVID, the article highlights the diversity and impact of music education in these regions.