Sticking with a Good Thing
Walford Anglican School for Girls is a day and boarding school in Adelaide, catering to around 700 girls. It enjoys a fine reputation in musical performances, thanks to its vibrant and strong music program. "The music program is considered essential to the whole school program," says the head of the school's music department, Mr Tim de Jong. "We focus on several major music internal events each year and we enjoy competing at the Generations in Jazz festival and the ABODA(SA) band competition each year."
Auralia and Musition have long been part of the school's music program: "We have been using Auralia and Musition since version 2 was introduced in Australia in 1998 and are now using the latest versions of both." Tim de Jong.
Helping to Bring Out Her Best
Located in Adelaide's suburbs, Walford Anglican School for Girls has been educating girls since 1893. The school is proud of its long tradition in developing students that become constructive members of society. The broad curriculum develops the girls' thinking skills and encourages them to make wise choices. It is the only girls' school in Australia to offer all three programs of the International Baccalaureate (IB). All students undertake the IB Primary Years Program and Middle Years Program as their basic curriculum, while girls in Years 11 and 12 can choose between the IB Diploma and the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE). Auralia and Musition can be tailored to any curriculum, so students have access to all the lessons that they need to succeed at their specific level.
Flexible Enough to Cater for Any Situation
Around 100 students use the software as part of their instrumental and voice lessons. They range in age from Year 6 to Year 12 and come from a variety of backgrounds, including some from overseas. The new course feature leads students through an extensive set of lessons that range from beginner to advanced, making the software ideal for exam preparation: "The older students see the value of the routine training and utilise it as part of their study - this helps them because they have access to the software outside of music lesson time," says de Jong.
Features such as in-depth instructional material, comprehensive lessons than cover 75 topics, and interactive drills mean that Auralia and Musition can be adapted for specific requirements: an individual student preparing for an exam, a class learning a new concept, or even the whole school preparing for a performance.
State of the Art Facilities & Software
Walford boasts a modern performing arts centre and a specialist music suite equipped with the latest technology, befitting its status as one of only 30 Apple Distinguished Schools in Australia. The school has matched this state-of-the-art hardware with cutting edge software that is now available for both Mac and Windows. It's been instrumental to maintain its high academic record. de Jong confirms that Auralia and Musition have helped maintain the school's outstanding academic record:
I have used the software to set worksheets and track students' progress. I think that there has been an improvement in students' test result and their musicianship with Auralia and Musition."