Melbourne Youth Orchestras,which has 630 weekly participants aged eight to 25,was told of a potential Department of Education funding loss in September last year. Chief executive Dorian Jones says the organisation received official notification in December.
Participants from the Melbourne Youth Orchestras’ summer school performing at Melbourne Town Hall.Miguel Rios
“We haven’t heard what the basis of the decision was,” he toldThe Age. “Every other state provides funding for our counterparts. The Department of Education has flagged discussions with Creative Victoria,but those haven’t happened yet.”
Jones said 100 per cent of state government funding – the equivalent of about $200,000 – was this year earmarked for students from government schools with inadequate music programs,as well as young people from regional areas and those living with a disability.
“We’re concerned about how we’d continue to make our program successful for every young musician who comes to us. If Victoria never reinstates funding … the program would become more expensive and that makes it less accessible for those who need it most.”
Furious parents have now started a letter-writing campaign targeting their local MPs in a bid to have the funding reinstated.
One parent,who wished to remain anonymous to protect their child’s identity,said her son would not be alive today without the Melbourne Youth Orchestras.
“Quite honestly,it saved his life,” she said. “As a primary-school-aged child,he was quite a quirky person and struggled to fit into your average public school. He had some very dark and difficult places – last year in particular.[The orchestra] gave him friends and unconditional support. He always had something to look forward to.”
The parent,who was involved in the letter-writing campaign,said she was disappointed the arts did not receive as much attention from politicians as sports.
“My son needed somewhere to be himself,and that certainly wasn’t a sports club. The arts are continuously being cut.”
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Earlier this month,The Agereported on a Victorian girl who had a stroke at the age of 10 and was accepted into the orchestra’s mainstream ensemble program.
“There are some really emotional and powerful and heart-wrenching stories,” Jones said.
Shadow arts minister David Davis said the state government’s decision amounted to a “nasty” budget cut. He warned that students in government schools and from disadvantaged backgrounds would pay the price.
“The Labor state government has wasted enormous amounts of taxpayers’ money and has left Victoria in serious debt,likely to exceed $180 billion,” Davis said.
“The consequences of Labor’s financial mismanagement are cuts to critical programs like the Melbourne Youth Orchestra.
“Jacinta Allan must reverse these savage cuts if she is not to be defined by this vicious attack on a respected orchestra. Talented young Victorians are owed more.”
The Allan government was contacted for comment. In response,a Department of Education spokesperson said it offered students many opportunities to explore the benefits of learning and performing music at school.
“This includes offering ensemble and performance opportunities for government school students through the annual Victorian State School Spectacular,plus instrumental and professional learning programs for students and teachers across the state.”
Economic warned that worse-than-expected consumer spending could delay Victoria’s return to surplus from the 2025-26 financial year to beyond the budget forecasting period. Net debt is also expected to hit $177.8 billion by the middle of 2027,according to the latest budget predictions – a figure that would represent about one-quarter of the state’s economy.
Last week,The Agerevealed the Victorian government approved on the eve of the last state election. Months later,the sporting body posted a record surplus of $62 million.
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