‘It’s not a hobby’: Lime Cordiale sounds alarm over proposed major changes to NSW music education

An Australian music star has sounded the alarm over proposed changes to education in one state, with a top academic labelling the plan “incredibly dangerous”.

Lime Cordiale guitarist Oliver Leimbach has sounded the alarm over proposed changes to NSW’s music curriculum which would scrap composition, potentially halve performance opportunities, and increase the length of written examinations.

The NSW Education Standards Authority has put forward a string of proposed changes to the HSC music and drama syllabus’, with Aussie artists and music teachers most concerned about the potential axing of electives for students.

Year 12 students enrolled in Music 1 are currently able to choose any combination of composition, musicology and performance to fill out three electives examinations, while also completing a written aural skills paper and a core performance practical exam.

However NESA’s proposed changes would completely cut the electives, instead opting to have students only do two performances and a written aural examination, which would be nearly doubled in time and worth 50 marks as opposed to the current 30.

Lime Cordiale guitarist Oliver Leimbach sounded the alarm over proposed changes to NSW music education. Picture: NewsWire/ Richard Dobson

Having studied music in high school himself, Leimbach expressed concern over NESA’s plans to “brutally cut” composition, revealing the elective was crucial in getting him to where he is today.

“It was just the start of our career really … I was a clarinet player, Louis played trumpet,” Leimbach said.

“We were performers that started playing guitar … writing in bands, but I didn’t have a deadline for anything.

“It’s important to be putting the pressure on and submitting something because that’s what happens in the real world.

“At the end of the day you need to call something a finished product … that was probably the first time I’ve ever had a deadline for a composition, and that is the most important part of the process.”

Leimbach said composition is “what most musicians are doing in the world”, and “should be included” in schools.

MUSIC “NOT A HOBBY”

He said the proposed changes on the wider Australian music could bring about the “disappearance of certain aspects of music”, though he admitted he’s unsure what ripple effects — if any — could look like.

However he emphasised music is “not a hobby”, calling for a bigger “investment” into the industry.

“We’re not necessarily looking for funding, we’re looking for the investment into music, making more money for Australia,” he said.

“So things like this, where it’s just like ‘It’s just music, it’s a little hobby’ — it’s not a hobby, it’s a huge industry.”

Oliver Leimbach (right) and his brother Louis played the clarinet and trumpet during their HSC’s. Picture: NewsWire/ Richard Dobson

Oliver Leimbach said music is‘not a hobby’. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images.

Leimbach’s call comes just a week after he pushed for commercial radio to play more Australian music, joining a chorus of other big names in the Aussie music industry at the 2024 ARIA Awards.

Middle Kids Drummer Harry Day also said music performances in high school helped prepare him to study music and for his career as a professional musician.

“What most people like about studying music is playing and creating music — that’s the thing that people want to do, they want to play music with others, they want to create music to play with others, not sit around talking about it,” Day said.

“INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY”

Sydney Conservatorium of Music acting associate dean (Indigenous Strategy and Services) Thomas Fienberg also argued the proposed changes, particularly the loss of composition, is “incredibly dangerous for the music industry”.

“It stops students thinking of themselves as artists,” Dr Fienberg said.

“The role of an artist is to create original music, not just to cover other people’s work.

“If we want our industry to have longevity we need to promote artists in schools and not just hope it happens outside of school.”

The former ARIA music teacher of the year award nominee expressed concern the proposed changes would lead to a “dramatic drop” in young people pursuing music, with schools often “the first place where (students) pick up a guitar for the first time”.

Middle Kids drummer Harry Day said music performance helped him prepare to study music at university. Picture: Supplied.

Sydney Conservatorium of Music acting associate dean Thomas Fienberg called the proposed changes ‘incredibly dangerous for the music industry’. Picture: NewsWire/ Monique Harmer.

“I’ve spent all my teaching career in schools working in low SES public high schools, and many of my students stayed at school just to keep doing subjects like music, drama, art,” he said.

“These subjects provide students with an opportunity to explore their identity, to be seen, to be heard, to be valued and cared for.

“If they don’t choose these subjects then I worry that so many more students are just not going to turn up to school — exams don’t keep people in school, real relationships and opportunities to do the things they love do.”

Dr Fienberg earlier spoke at a public hearing on Monday, with educators coming together to call on NESA to “start again”.

NSW opposition arts spokesperson Jacqui Munro called on NSW Minister for Education Prue Car to move to scrap the proposed syllabus, with an e-petition launched by the teaching community to recall the draft syllabuses and start again.

The proposed changes are part of a draft syllabus which is currently in a consultation period.

NESA chief executive officer Paul Martin assured teachers and the community that he will continue to take on feedback.

“We want to reassure teachers and the broader education and arts community that we genuinely listen to feedback on the draft syllabus, as should be the expectation with a public consultation process,” Mr Martin said.

“We will continue to take on all feedback from the school and broader community until consultation closes on 20 December.”