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What's that mystery instrument?

Watch this video to learn about a spooky sounding instrument called the theremin. How is it played? Listen as it joins the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to play music from the TV show Dr Who. Do you like the sounds it makes? Why or why not?

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What is Music?: What makes the music of Star Wars so iconic?

Star Wars begins with the biggest B-flat chord you’ve ever heard! John Williams’s fanfare is so iconic that people usually recognise what they’re watching without even looking at the screen. So, what informs the music and makes it so powerful? What techniques can you apply in your own compositions?

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Charles Conder: 'Hot wind' 1889

In the late 19th century symbolism was used in depictions of the Australian Colonial landscape. This example painted by Charles Conder was painted during the Victorian drought in 1889.How does the artist convey the heat of the Australian landscape in this image? What role does the female figure play in this painting?

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Conrad Martens: 'View from Rose Bank' 1840

Many early artists romanticised the Australian colonial landscape and did not always strictly paint what they saw. In this example Martens has given the landscape a decidedly Italian atmosphere, softening the colour palate and creating a more ‘civilised' view. Can you think of why the artist may be interested in changing ...

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BTN: Tiwi music: Keeping an ancient culture alive

Discover how music and dance are helping to keep the traditions of the Tiwi people alive. The customs and stories of the Tiwi people have been passed on to new generations through storytelling, song and dance. Many of the remaining languages of Australia's ancient Indigenous cultures are being lost. Today there is a race ...

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John Lewin: 'Reed warbler' 1805

Natural history illustrator John Lewin was the first professional artist to come to Australia as a free settler. His collected illustrations of native birds became the first non-government book published in the colony. How difficult do you think it was to identify and illustrate so many different birds?

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Changing the ending with Michael Gow

Have you ever watched a play or read a book and been dissatisified with the ending? Michael Gow talks about how he changed the ending to his play Away once and how angry his audience was. What do you think about authors and playwrights re-writing their stories and plays to give them different endings?

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John Glover: 'Patterdale landscape with cattle' c. 1833

John Glover migrated to Tasmania in 1831, arriving on his 64th birthday. He is considered one of Australia's most important artists of the early 19th century and the colonial period. This piece was one of the first he completed after taking up a land grant in Patterdale on the Nile River. The pastoral scene depicts the ...

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Eugene von Guérard: 'Purrumbete from across the lake' 1858

Lured to Australia by the discovery of gold, Eugene von Guérard was the lead painter in the first century of European settlement. This piece is one of a pair that was commissioned by land owners Peter and John Manifold. Von Guérard was known for his mastery of landscapes, and his attention to detail and interest in the ...

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Representing diversity with Sally Rippin

How important do you think it is for writers to represent a diversity of experiences and perspectives in their books? What does Sally Rippin say about the world she represents in her stories? Who are the characters she writes and illustrates?

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li-Maramaranja Dugong Hunters

The story of the Dugong Hunters, or li-Maramaranja, belongs to the Rrumburriya clan of the Yanyuwa people, who live along the Gulf coast of the Northern Territory. In this story, the dugong hunter Jurruji encounters trouble when he falls into a crevasse on an island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. This story from the Yanyuwa ...

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Finding beauty in the everyday

Lin Martin is passionate about the connections between science, nature, humanity and Buddhism, all of which come together in her art. Her photographs explore the beauty all around us, in our everyday natural surroundings. It is in these small moments captured by her work, where she draws attention to tiny details in nature, ...

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'The Rajah quilt' 1841

The Rajah quilt was made by female convicts on route from England to the colony of Tasmania in 1841. It consists of 2815 pieces of fabric and was presented to the Governor's wife upon arrival as a testament to the women's industry. The women learned these skills on the long journey to Australia on board their convict ship ...

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Dancing the Torres Strait winds to life: Kuki

Inspired by the natural environment, Torres Strait Islander choreographer Elma Kris created the dance 'About' as an expression of the effects that the winds (Gub) have on the land, sea and community. This clip shows the segment 'Kuki' (pronounced Cook-ee), which is inspired by the strong north-west winds that blow between ...

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Kurdarrku: The Brolga

The dance of the Brolga is one of the most graceful in the world. In this Dreaming story from the Mambaliya-Wawukarriya clan of the Yanyuwa people, the Brolga's dance is recreated in stunning animation. The Brolga travels through the country west of the Gulf of Carpentaria, creating plains, wells, trees and lagoons. This ...

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Finding 'closure' in Michael Gow's Away

What does it mean to 'find closure'? Characters in Michael Gow's Away struggle with accepting unpleasant truths and letting go of the past. Coral finds closure when she finally accepts her son's death. How is this symbolised in the play?

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What is Music?: What are the musical features of a news theme?

Music that introduces the news has to be not only dramatic and exciting but also neutral. It has to introduce war and disasters, as well as weddings and elections. It turns out, the music we associate with the news worldwide often originates from movies! So, what does an effective news theme often include? How would you ...

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What is a vibraphone?

Have you heard of the vibraphone? Learn all about this percussion instrument in this animation. What is it made of? How is it similar to other percussion instruments?

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Heywire: When mining comes to town

Imagine living in your own little piece of paradise, only to have a mining company move in and start changing it in ways you don't like. On the other hand, imagine the benefits that a mining company would bring to struggling businesses in the area! There are always different perspectives on any issue. As you listen to this ...

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Emma Boyd: 'The quail shooter' 1884

In this work Emma Boyd depicts the landscape near her home, ‘The Grange', in Victoria. See how the landscape dominates the single human figure? What do you think this suggests? What is the artists trying to say by creating this sense of scale?