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

IKS Symposium 2027 Call for Papers

The Call for Papers is now open for the next International Kodály Symposium, to be held in Cork, Ireland, from 4 to 8 August 2027. Submissions are invited for spoken papers, practice-based presentations, workshops, panel discussions, and poster presentations. Full details are …
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Kodály Australia Conference Update

I am delighted to share an update on the Kodály Australia Conference 2026: Sing, Move, Thrive, to be held in Adelaide, South Australia, from 28 September to 1 October 2026. We are excited to welcome an outstanding lineup of national …
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2026 Award Recipients Announcement

The Kodály Australia National Council was delighted to receive an impressive range of nominations for the 2026 Awards for Excellence in Australian Kodály-inspired Music Education. The high number of peer nominations is a testament to the collegiality and support among members …
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Kodály WA: AKC Course Concert 2026

Congratulations to all of our course participants on completing a level of the 2026 Australian Kodály Certificate. We have been inspired by your hard work and growth throughout the course. We are delighted to invite all members and their families …
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Keynote Presenter Announcement

We are thrilled to announce our final keynote speaker for the 2026 Kodály Australia National Conference: Sing. Move. Thrive. A Kodály Journey for Every Learner. Naomi Crellin is an acclaimed vocalist, arranger, conductor, educator and counsellor, best known as the …
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