Josh Pyke
IT’S the biggest school initiative in Australia, and tomorrow, New England schools will exercise their vocal cords as part of a united front to embrace the benefits of music in the country’s schools. Music Count Us In is on again for its fifth year.
More than 600,000 students, teachers and even parents will be involved in this year’s event in which schools sign up to learn, rehearse and perform the same song on the same day and at the same time.
The event is run by the Music Council of Australia’s and is designed to get more Australians and schools into making music.
A call went out to student songwriters earlier in the year for them to come up with an “optimistic, upbeat song” that would inspire school students across the nation. Program Ambassador John Foreman and judges struggled to come up with a winner so three student songwriters were chosen. From there, they were put into a room for the day with singer/songwriter and mentor Josh Pyke and from there they came up with the song Different People (Stand Together). The song has since been sent out to Australian schools to learn for the big day.
