Tailem Bend Primary School
Tailem Bend Primary School is iocated in the Murraylands region of South Australia. With an enrolment of 170, the student body comprises of students from Anglo-Saxon, Aboriginal and Indian cultural and linguistic groups. In recent years the school has taken on the management of the Murraylands Music Festival, which has been held in Tailem Bend for the last 9 years. The festival has grown from a small, local event to one that has the capability of attracting a niche market of music fans and performers to the Murraylands region. Recognising the benefit of the festival for the children, their families and the wider Tailem Bend community, the school took on the role of co-ordinating the festival, to help secure its continued success.
PROJECT COORDINATOR: Noel Kneebone
ARTIST: King Marong
PROJECT: Murraylands Music meets King Marong
Aims:
To promote the value of music to students through an artistic residency with West African musician, King Morong. The residency, linked to the school’s Murraylands Music Festival sought to communicate the links between culture, music and technology through a week-long workshop program for students in years K-7.
The project objectives were to:
- Foster and encourage students’ enjoyment of music
- Provide opportunities for students to learn about different cultures
- Develop students’ self-confidence.
The Artist:
King Marong is a much honoured and respected Gambian musician. He is a charismatic, talented and professional musician, who has performed since the age of 12 years. An outstanding percussionist, a master of Djembe and Sabar ensemble, and a melodic singer and drum maker - King is a specialist in the vibrant rhythms of Afro Manding, Wolof and Jola traditional cultural sounds from the region of The Gambia, Senegal, Mali and Guinea.
Over the years he has played with an array of West African musicians, dance companies, African ballet groups, traditional and modern African bands, as a soloist and has performed duets with Kora players. King Marong’s school residency at Tailem Bend was arranged to coincide with the artist’s trip to the region to perform at the Murraylands Music Festival.
The Process:
The project commenced with a live introductory performance by King Marong for the students. Following the performance, all students participated in class workshops with the artist, exploring drum making, drumming and African ceremonies and culture. The workshops emphasised the use of body/kinaesthetic and musical/rhythmic intelligences, and combined visual, aural, read/write and kinaesthetic learning styles.
Each student then participated in small group sessions with King Marong to further rehearse and hone the skills they had learnt, ready for the performance on the public stage as part of the Murraylands Music Festival.
Outcomes:
The students have gained experience in drum making and performance and have had the opportunity to learn about African culture first hand during King Marong’s residency. The artist’s experienced approach to teaching drumming made it easy for all students get involved and it built their self confidence and interest in music.
The residency workshops culminated in a public performance as part of the Murraylands Music Festival, where the students had the unique and memorable opportunity to perform with King in front of an audience of over 1000 people.
The project’s success has encouraged the school to continue bringing in artists who can provide cultural experiences from a wide range of artistic genres as part of their International Baccalaureatte learning program.
Highlights:
The project received marvelous feedback from the school and broader community who thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to experience different cultural practices. King had every child in the school participating in lessons and performances during the week and was also available during recess and lunch breaks aswell. During his time at the school, King became part of the town community and it was a real privilege for the students to perform with him on the festival main stage.
‘We learnt about making drums. I loved playing with King and learning about Africa…I played on stage and loved singing with King…I want to be a drummer’ Students
‘I was impressed by how much the students had learned and the confidence they gained’ Artist
‘Our school and community experienced such a wonderful opportunity. Thank you for supporting us with this venture. It has opened young and old people’s eyes to a wider world.’ Project Coordinator
220 students were involved in this project.
