ABC, Artemis in tune for Fresh One format

Australia’s Artemis Media is making a local version of a UK documentary format that highlights the transformative effects of teaching music in primary schools for pubcaster ABC.

Singer Guy Sebastian

Don’t Stop the Music comes from Jamie Oliver’s Fresh One Productions and began as a two-part doc featuring renowned classical pianist James Rhodes for Channel 4 in 2014.

The three-part Australian version will see singer Guy Sebastian encourage students at one of the country’s most underprivileged schools to persevere with their instruments, workshop songs with them and relate stories of his own musical journey.

The production is funded by Screen Australia and state agency Screenwest, backed by Musica Viva and the Salvation Army. Artemis acquired rights via distributor Red Arrow International.

The school will employ leading music educators to train teachers as it adds a new music programme into its curriculum, using instruments donated from the community.

About 63% of primary schools in Australia offer no classroom music despite studies showing how incorporating music in a child’s education has life-changing benefits of improving literacy, numeracy, confidence, behaviour and wellbeing.