An Opportunity to Develop Creative Talent in Music Fordisadvantaged School Students Years 4-7

This narrative paper describes an intentional curriculum based strategy to introduce Sydney Conservatorium of Music (SCM) Music Education undergraduate students and staff to a service learning subject (Unit of Study). The approved Unit of Study was implemented in semester 1, 2012 and was designed to raise aspirations and awareness of studying tertiary level music and to increase familiarity with the higher education culture amongst low socioeconomic status (SES) Years 4-7 school students in Sydney, Australia. It was intended that this project be conducted as a service learning and community engagement activity in three identified low-SES schools which the SCM Music Education Unit already had a 3-year relationship through the placement of student teachers in these schools for practice teaching in 2009, 2010 and 2011. The service learning Unit of Study allowed an expansion of this existing partnership activity with the three schools in Sydney, through an intended goal of widening the participation of students and staff from SCM in music education.