Making community music: Youth music programs in Australia.

This paper will address the contribution made by youth music programs in Australian community. The focus of the paper is on the involvement of youth music organisations in the community, together with the many programs that they facilitate towards the education and training of young student musicians. The contribution is made through training and performance opportunities provided for the participants in these ensembles and through formal and informal links that have been developed between youth music organisations and professional or semi-professional ensembles, music institutions and individual professional musicians. The paper refers to the activities of youth music groups in Australia as exemplars. The primary focus of community youth music programs in Australia is the provision of training and performance opportunities, broadening the education of those involved. The successful outcomes of the training provided is determined through the quality of performances presented by the ensemble groups to local and regional communities that represent each program. Performance tours are a further outcome, although expensive and time consuming for the student or pre-professional young musician who is often committed to a role as a full time student and part time employment for financial security. These programs contribute to the development and education of the music community in Australia and have a direct impact and relevance to the location and region, and at times to the global community.