I am humbled to be elected as President of the Kodály Music Education Institute of Australia. The President along with members of the National Council provide leadership and governance of our association. I look forward to working with the 2022-2024 Council members below:
| Founder of the Institute | Dr Deanna Hoermann |
| President | Jason Boron |
| Vice President | Stephanie Eaton |
| Immediate Past President | Dr Jason Goopy |
| Secretary | John Goulter |
| Treasurer | Adele Hadgraft |
| Ordinary Council Member | Joel Copeland |
| Ordinary Council Member | Susan Fredline |
| Ordinary Council Member | Tess Laird |
| Ordinary Council Member | Anna van Veldhuisen |
| ACT Branch President | Katherine Finlayson |
| NSW Branch President | Catriona Turnbull |
| Qld Branch President | Deb Brydon |
| SA Branch President | Gaby Freer |
| Vic Branch President | Renée Heron |
| WA Branch President | Hayley Burns |
On behalf of our Kodály Australia community, I offer my thanks to retiring National Council members Susan Creese (Qld) and Deborah Smith (Vic) – we are grateful for your service to our community.
We acknowledge too the significant contribution made by our outgoing President Dr Jason Goopy. Jason has worked tirelessly to advance Kodály Australia and I encourage all members to engage with his President Report presented at the 2022 Annual General Meeting. Jason – we thank you for your service and look forward to your continued contribution as our Immediate Past President.
National Council Standing & Project Committees
National Council recently appointed convenors and members of our standing and project committees. These committees provide targeted work on key priorities and projects of National Council. I am pleased to confirm convenors and members of each committee below:
| Education Committee | Dr Jason Goopy (Convenor), Jason Boron, Dr James Cuskelly OAM, Gaby Freer, Tess Laird, Julie Logan, Hayley McDonald-Burns, Deborah Smith, Catriona Turnbull |
| Finance & Strategic Planning Committee | Jason Boron (Convenor), Stephanie Eaton, Susan Fredline, Johnathon Goulter, Adele Hadgraft, Sue Beech (consultant) |
| Reconciliation Committee | Renée Heron (Convenor), Gillian Archer, Jason Boron, Deb Brydon, Adele Cummings, Katharine Finlayson, Johnathon Goulter |
| Scholarship & Awards Committee | Catriona Turnbull (Convenor), Jason Boron, Tess Laird, Anna van Veldhuisen |
| Kodály Australia 50 Years Celebrations | Jason Boron (Convenor), Stephanie Eaton, Hayley McDonald-Burns, Rosalie Scott, Catriona Turnbull |
National Conference
Preparations are well advanced for The Kodály Australia National Conference ‘Sustaining the Vision’ hosted by Kodály ACT in Canberra from 26-29 September. Given that it will be four years since our last in-person national event, this conference will be particularly memorable. For me personally, I feel I have come full circle – the first Kodály Australia event I attended was the 2008 National Conference in Canberra. I cannot understate the importance of these events to help advance the work of members in our community. I acknowledge Conference Convenor Joel Copeland, ACT Branch President Katharine Finlayson, Administrator Glenys Gijsbers and members of the organising committee. A reminder that super early bird registration closes Friday 13 May 2022.
Membership
As we prepare to celebrate 50 years of Kodály Australia in 2023, I am inspired by all that has been achieved. I believe that our members are our most valuable asset and I thank you for your continued support of our community. It is only through our collective efforts that we can continue to advance Kodály-inspired music education in Australia.
I encourage you to ensure that your membership details remain up-to-date, particularly your email address which remains our main form of contact. Please contact our National Administrator Sue Beech via email to membership@kodaly.org.au if you have changed any details recently. Finally, I acknowledge Sue for her service as National Administrator and the significant contribution she makes to our community.
With best wishes
Jason Boron
President
Kodály Australia
(Kodály Music Education Institute of Australia Incorporated)
www.kodaly.org.au
An affiliated national institutional member of the International Kodály Society
www.iks.hu
In the spirit of reconciliation Kodály Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.