Community in Focus: South West Music Regional Conservatorium
23 April 2025
'Mini' program encourages our future musicians
Research shows there are many benefits for children when they listen to, and create, music.
It helps with overall wellbeing, and specifically assists with numeracy, literacy and emotional skills.
As such, it is not surprising that a ‘Mini Musicians’ program introduced by the South West Music Regional Conservatorium (SWM) has proved extremely popular, and continues to grow.
The program started in Deniliquin and, due to its success, has since expanded into Finley and Barooga.
It has received a boost with more than $2,000 in funding from the Murray Irrigation Ltd Community Sponsorship program.
SWM applied for the funding because it needed new equipment and instruments to enhance the musical experience for participating families.
“These additions to Mini Musicians are helping us provide an improved musical experience for the many youngsters who are enjoying the program,” explained SWM General Manager, Michael Bakrnčev.
Incorporating music into routines and play in the early years has a proven positive influence on a child’s early development, helping to get them moving, thinking and inspiring creativity.
“But most importantly, music is fun,” Michael said.
“If your child is having fun, they are more open to learning.”
The SWM Mini Musicians program started in 2023 and, before long, more than 70 local families had registered.
This has continued to grow, with numbers now exceeding 120.
Mini Musicians provides a special musical experience for local families.
Photo courtesy Deniliquin Pastoral Times
“We create regular opportunities that bring together young children, providing social interaction and exposing them to music, movement, rhythm and education,” Michael said.
“Parents and carers are given the opportunity to socially connect with other community members who may be disadvantaged through rural isolation.
“By creating a safe, inviting and inclusive environment, we are encouraging positive mental health and wellbeing.
“The program provides local opportunity and brings people together to make the region a great place to live and raise families.”
Michael said Mini Musicians helps make the community more viable and vibrant for young families.
Mini Musicians currently operates in Deniliquin, Finley and Barooga, with youngsters enjoying their singing and instruments, which includes castanets, tamborines, maracas, guiro and sticks.
The program promotes social skills for both children and their families, helps children develop emotional intelligence, and supports cognitive and social development.
Sessions are held weekly for 45 minutes in smalls groups, involving parents, grandparents or carers who are able to sit in a circle with their child.
Instructors use a variety of instruments and sing-songs, encouraging participants to sing along, clap, use rhythm instruments, interact and have fun.
Children get used to making music themselves and it helps to build an interest in learning an instrument as they get older.
“The program provides local opportunity and brings people together to make the region a great place to live and raise families.”
- Michael Bakrnčev
General Manager, SWM
Music education has a lasting impact and helps shape individuals who contribute to community wellbeing throughout their lives.
SWM is a not-for-profit registered charity and has become a trusted community organisation.
It has a focus on inspiring and enriching lives through music, so the community benefits from the intrinsic advantages that only music can provide.
The organisation offers music education through individual tuition, classroom lessons, workshops and master classes; all encompassed in a theme of ‘Inspiring and Enriching Lives Through Music’, and in the knowledge that music makes the world a better place.
It has a vast range of programs, especially for young people, which includes Glee Club on Wednesday afternoons, and Kids Ukelele Club for primary school age on Thursday afternoons.
There are also various workshops with visiting artists, remote learning and music lessons via video conferencing, and classroom music programs for primary schools across the region, including those in remote locations.
A group of 'mini musicians' with guests performer Jemma Armstrong.
Photo courtesy Deniliquin Pastoral Times
SWM has come a long way as an organisation since its establishment in Deniliquin in the early 1980s with funding from the Australia Council, Arts Council of NSW and the Ministry for the Arts. Surveys of local school students were carried out to determine the demand for instrumental tuition.
Students from the Victorian College of Arts were contracted to travel to Deniliquin and Finley, in a hire car, on a fortnightly basis where they were billeted with local families.
In no time at all, these young, inspiring, enthusiastic visiting musicians attracted a large number of students eager to learn strings, woodwind and brass instruments.
As the Instrumental Tuition Program grew and funding became available, SWM employed a Director to promote music education in the region. Students in outlying areas including Hay, Barham, Jerilderie, Balranald, Coleambally, along with Finley and Deniliquin, were provided with lessons in a range of instruments.
These days, the tuition program includes guitar and strings, piano, drums, brass and woodwind, singing, as well as classroom and group music.
Over the years there have been a number of active ensembles: the Deniliquin Community Orchestra conducted by Ian Bathgate; Junior Strings; Senior Strings better known as ‘Highly Strung’; Junior Band, and a Regional Orchestra which performs at the annual Christmas Concert.
A Concert Series was created to include the wider community in SWM's musical endeavours, with the first of these launched in 1995 at the Deniliquin Town Hall.
The Concert Series has since welcomed musicians from all over the world to Deniliquin and surrounds. The local community has enjoyed an amazing variety of musical styles and instruments, including cabaret, jazz, classical, celtic, baroque, vocals, strings, big bands, woodwind, harpsichord, harp, piano and percussion.
There has always been a desire to surprise the audience with performances at some unusual and memorable venues such as barns, woolsheds, homesteads and gardens.
In 2005, SWM became a Regional Conservatorium, and the future for this ever-growing organisation continues to be bright.
The organisation has received $4.3 million in NSW Government funding for a substantial renovation to its Deniliquin headquarters, located in Cressy Street, with the start of this work not far away.
Once completed, the revamped facility will provide a quality location for all local music lovers, including those involved in the Mini Musicians program who, no doubt, will be the local musical stars of the future.
