Dr Doreen Bridges AM FACE

Dr Bridges, née Jacobs, was a student at the University of Adelaide and was awarded the first Australian doctorate in the field of music education. She taught at a Sydney University and later was a Senior Lecturer at what is now the Institute of Early Childhood in Sydney. She now resides in Adelaide.

Doreen is a widely recognized as a distinguished and versatile music educator and researcher who has taught at all levels of education. She was appointed to the Research Commission of the International Society for Music Education. She is also an honorary member of the Australian Society for Music Education, and Patron of Dalcroze Australia an approach in which she was very active since her youth.

Doreen is also an Honorary Life Member of the Kodály Music Education Institute of Australia. Her evaluation and endorsement of Dr Deanna Hoermann’s Developmental Music Program, presented at the Fourth International Kodály Symposium of the International Kodály Society in Sydney in 1979, was an eye opener for many music educators. She has since then co-authored several very successful classroom music program books with Dr Hoermann, including Catch a Song. She has also presented at KMEIA events and her work has been published in the Australian Kodály Journal. A few highlights are listed below.

Aural training in the 21st century (2006)

Outcomes of a Developmental Program (2010). A paper presented at the 1979 IKS Fourth Symposium in Sydney.

Kodály’s Principles in Practice: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (2011). A paper presented at the opening session of the 11th National Summer School of the Kodály Music Education Institute of Australia, Sydney, January 12, 1997.

Dr Jason Goopy and Ann Carroll

Honorary Life Members

Latest News

Vale Dr Doreen Bridges AM FACE

It is with great sadness that we inform our community of the passing of Honorary Life Member Dr Doreen Bridges AM FACE. Dr Bridges made a significant contribution to Australian music education. She was known by many in our community, …
Read more

2024 Award Recipients Announcement

The Kodály Australia National Council were delighted to receive impressive applications and nominations for the 2024 Awards for Excellence in Australian Kodály-inspired Music Education. The high number of peer nominations across each of the five categories is also a testament …
Read more

Research Invitation: Teacher Growth and Development from Australian Kodály Certificate Courses

Kodály Australia is pleased to support the research project, Teacher Growth and Development from Australian Kodály Certificate Courses, conducted by Dr Jason Goopy (chief investigator) and Jason Boron at Edith Cowan University. This study aims to investigate teachers’ motivation to …
Read more

2024 Awards for Excellence in Kodály-Inspired Music Education

This is a reminder that nominations for the 2024 Awards for Excellence in Australian Kodály-inspired Music Education close this Sunday, 31 March 2024. I believe wholeheartedly that our members are the strength of our community. These awards provide a significant …
Read more

IKS Scholarship

The International Kodály Society (IKS) offers fee waiver scholarships to support participation in Kodály-inspired professional development. The closing date for the next round is 1 May 2024. Full information including selection criteria and eligibility is available on the IKS website. …
Read more