Education Revolution
Sage Music Academy (SMA) is a music education experience like no other. Based at Noosaville State School on the Sunshine Coast, QLD, SMA offers much more than a regimented, sterile curriculum. We create a fairy tale learning experience for students to escape to new worlds of endless musical possibilities, as we set them on a path of self-discovery.
The sage method initially focuses on learning through listening, moving, doing and exploring teaching techniques, building confidence first, then encouraging a natural curiosity in the students that leads to a quest of deeper understanding and creative exploration. The art and science behind SMA’s innovative teaching approach is to understand the intrinsic value of a student’s background knowledge, experience, situation and environment, and how this contributes to their ability to retain information and create, which ultimately leads to faster results by connecting them directly to their own culture.
At SMA, we embrace the dreams of the student’s adventurous spirit and empower them with the tools to create and express their deepest desires. We operate where fantasy meets reality. As these apprentices develop, we want them to experience the thrill and pure joy of learning their first piece, performing for the first time and the connection that is found when creating with others.
The program encompasses two core concepts. The first, Parallel Musicianship, engages the student to learn up to three or four instruments, inviting them to adapt and discover connections between them. Developing multiple instrumental disciplines at once forms lateral connections, and trains the agile young mind to think outside the box and perform at a higher level.
The second core concept is that of Identity Empowerment. SMA believes that true, super human power is both psychological and spiritual, and with proper training, guidance, nurturing and teaching, your child can learn to harness their potential thereby enhancing the way they express themselves and experience life. Our program integrates concepts from various schools of personal empowerment, law of attraction, positive thinking, learning principles, goal setting and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) in a creative and innovative manner to enhance the learner’s ability in empowering their identity.
Identity Empowerment provides your child with personal development skills that allows them to harness their true potential and identity: not only in their music endeavours but also in their daily lives. Students are encouraged to take ownership over their own learning by giving them tuition in goal setting, identity discovery, personal development, leadership and team building, thereby raising their own self-esteem and interest in lifelong learning.
The SMA learning facilities are a sacred space similar to that of a Dojo, which reconnects the students with the original purpose of a music studio; learning and self observation, free from the chaos of oversized classrooms and hectic community life. A space that encourages self-discipline, where a student can master their own self doubt and have focus and clarity to explore their musical potential. A sense of camaraderie is founded in the family of artisans that share the space, and students form lifelong bonds with others and go on to capture their musical spirit through recording experiences.
We invite the students to inquire and challenge themselves, free from the dogma of traditional musical assessment. Accelerated suggestive learning techniques are integrated into the teaching and what follows is an empowered student that fulfills their potential. We continue to research, trial and implement innovations to the program to keep up with the students’ constantly changing world so we can equip the students to not only be able to keep up and adapt but also allowing them to be instruments of change in their respective communities.
SMA believes it’s vital to create family and community links along with developing industry partnerships. We provide students with opportunities to perform at concerts, community events, summer school and previous year saw the inaugural “Sagestock” family camp. With self-developed resources to support the innovative curriculum, Sage Music Academy is leading the way in music empowerment education innovation.
To see students at a Primary school level participating in such an amazing program is heart-warming for the academy’s Founder and Principal, Barney Rodway. His vision for a music school that offers an entirely different educational experience is now seamlessly integrated into the school environment. He has set up a model that has the potential to revolutionise the way music and education in general is taught within the school system.
This is the adventure we at SMA believe every child should have of their musical education giving them memories of a musical childhood they will look back on and cherish with pride. We are sure to hear more tales of inspiration from Sage Music Academy.