About The WAGSMS
The West Australian Government Music Society was founded in 1929 with the object :
To foster Music Education in Government Schools of Western Australia and to engage in such activities as will help to achieve this purpose.
The society organised concerts in high school halls for many years until 2001 when it moved the venue to Crown Theatre (formerly Burswood Theatre) and the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre.
Over recent years it has conducted seven or eight concerts annually with participation from about 100 schools, with approximately 5000 performers before audiences totalling 10,000 people.
Each concert showcases a variety of school performances and solo acts that provides a snapshot of the amazing artistic talent in public schools. The involvement of so many children in these concerts certainly justifies the effort.
As many people would testify, music is more than playing an instrument, singing a song or dancing around the stage. It crosses over into many other learning areas, helping young people develop skills and self-esteem.
In addition to running the Concert series WAGSMS also:-
- Provides grants to newly established schools to assist them in establishing a music program.
- Provides Annual Grants to assist schools in running musical activities around the state.
- Provides subsidies to enable country schools to perform at Crown Theatre.