Congratulations to Matty O!!
Beloved Apollo Bay music teacher and musician Matt Orchard has emerged as the local hero at the 2022 ARIA Awards, which took place Thursday (November 24) at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion.
Orchard, a teacher at Apollo Bay P-12 College, was awarded this year’s Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award in partnership with Telstra, and proudly supported by The Song Room.
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Presented the award by iconic children’s group The Wiggles, Orchard was recognised for the awards for his work in gifting students a game-changing opportunity in music, turning a single, rundown portable with a few elective classes, into a ‘House Of Rock’ music program that teaches students from prep through to Year 12. It’s so popular students still return 20 years later to help work in the program.
“I’d just like to thank Telstra and ARIA and the Song Room for shining a light on the fact that music and music education plays a crucial role in improving the mental health and wellbeing of kids right across the country in school,” Orchard said in his acceptance speech.
“I think as musicians we’ve known this for quite some time and it’s great that it’s been recognised on such a huge scale.”
This award, now in its sixth year, shines a light on the importance of music education and music teachers across the country. Three out of four Australian schools do not have a specialist music teacher, despite evidence suggesting that students’ participation in music and the Arts increases school attendance, improves learning across the curriculum, and builds student confidence and resilience. There is much work to be done to improve this situation.
Local musician and music teacher Matt Orchard nominated for Telstra ARIA Music Teacher Award
Elsewhere at the ARIA Awards, Yolngu rapper Baker Boy won five trophies, including Album of the Year and Best Solo Artist, while Amyl and the Sniffers went home with Best Group and Best Rock Album, and The Wiggles took home the Best Children’s Album and Best Australian Live Act.
Julia Jacklin won Best Adult Contemporary Album with ‘Pre Pleasure’, King Stingray were named Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist, and Tones And I was awarded Song Of The Year for ‘Cloudy Day’.
The 2022 awards were hosted by Natalie Imbruglia alongside G Flip and Ruel while the stage saw performances from Baker Boy, Flume and MAY-A, Vance Joy, and Amyl and the Sniffers, among others.
This year’s ARIA Awards also saw tributes to Olivia Newton-John, Uncle Archie Roach and Judith Durham.
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