Dear KMEIA Members,
It is my very great pleasure to inform you of the recent award of the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) to Margaret Lange for services to music as an educator and administrator.
Margaret was the first President of the South Australian Branch of KMEIA in 1978, and is an Honorary Life Member of KMEIA.
The South Australian Branch was formed in 1978, at a time when Margaret Lange was a key Regional Advisor for music in the South Australian Department of Education. Margaret has served music education continuously from the 1960s until the present. She has embodied the ethos of Zoltan Kodaly – that it is the right of every child to receive quality music education, that music should be a joyful part of the lives of all, and that music can enrich national culture and societal values. Margaret Lange has certainly been devoted to passing on these values and ideals at every level: with children, educators and within professional and volunteer organisations.
Where supportive structures for teachers have not previously been in place, Margaret Lange has instigated the forming of them. She was pivotal in forming the South Australian Branch of KMEIA, Inc in 1978. Throughout that very long time to the present day Margaret has been an active committee member in the running of workshops for teachers,development of teaching curricula and publishing of support materials. As a Coordinator for three National KMEIA Conferences (1984, 1994 and 2012), Margaret was a key player in the organisation and planning of these conferences. She has served on the KMEIA National Council, and has been the South Australian Branch Treasurer since 2006. Margaret is also recognised for her constant involvement in every aspect of the organisation, including the nurturing and support of future leaders of workshops and committees. For her service in all these capacities, Margaret was awarded Honorary Life Membership of our Institute.
Margaret Lange’s work with children has seen her involved in the classroom and with school choirs at the grass roots level – conducting and running various choral festivals in South Australia. For her outstanding work in this area she was made a Life Member of the Primary Schools Festival Choirs, Department of Education and Childcare Services, recognising her long term work and support up to the present day. Margaret also continues to assist Musica Viva in bringing quality musical performance and education programmes to regional centres of Australia.
In 1988, Margaret Lange was a Founding Director, with Deborah Munro, of the Adelaide Girls’Choir, now known as Young Adelaide Voices. Margaret has had responsibility for the choir’s musicianship development from its founding date to the present day, with great success. This ensemble has since become an internationally acclaimed choir, and one in high demand from Australia’s most prestigious performing personalities, bands and orchestras. Margaret has been at the helm in organising and supporting these engagements throughout the choir’s history.
Margaret Lange has also received the 2007 and 2008 Recognition of Excellence Awards from the Council for Educational Associations of South Australia. In 2008 she received the World Teachers’ Day Award, in recognition of her voluntary service to KMEIA.
On behalf of KMEIA, I congratulate Margaret Lange on being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. There are few individuals who have served music education in our organisation and in our country for a similar time and with a similar level of selfless dedication and enthusiastic energy. Margaret’s influence has been far-reaching and of immeasurable benefit to the thousands of children and teachers who have come into contact with her.
Warmest regards,
Tess Laird
National President
Kodaly Music Education Institute of Australia Inc.
Affiliated National Institutional Member of the international Kodaly Society
www.kodaly.org.au