In a 3 x 1hr documentary series for ABC TV Don't Stop The Music sees Artemis Media joining forces with pioneering music advocates to get music back into classrooms and instruments into the hands of kids who need them most. Our goal - to show that music has the power to turn schools around, improving brain-power, and hearts and minds.

Since she took the job 4 years ago, Principal, Lee Musumeci, has made literacy and numeracy the school’s primary focus and has allotted the majority of the school’s time and budget to it. It’s a common story. In government schools, 80% of kids are missing out on quality music. Australian primary school teachers receive only 16 hours of arts training in a typical tertiary degree, a small proportion of that is music. In Finland where literacy and numeracy rates are among the highest in the world, trainee teachers receive 350 hours of music.  

Principal Musumeci has heard what music can do, and Challis’s new music program has begun. Under the guidance of renowned music educator, WAAPA’s, Micheál McCarthy, the choirs are being transformed and ideas of classroom music teaching are turned on their head. The local branches of the Salvation Army and Musica Viva, have donated a stash of shiny instruments. Series mentor and multi-instrumentalists, Guy Sebastian, and James Morrison will encourage the children to step up and practice, inspiring them with stories of his own musical journey, and work-shopping songs with them. Over 9 months we'll follow the students at school and at home as they practice and perform for their peers and their families, gaining confidence as they go. Performances from visiting musicians and singers will help to consolidate the exciting new culture of music. In May 2018 a concert at Perth Concert Hall will celebrate how far the children have come. The Challis kids will perform alongside some of Perth's most exciting tertiary ensembles and some very special guest stars!

Throughout the series, we'll see the benefits of music playing out among the children …tempering disruptive behaviour, bringing serial truants back to the classroom and providing a creative outlet for kids who haven’t excelled in traditional academic areas. As the TV series goes to air the importance of learning music will be taken to the nation in a multi-platform campaign. Guy Sebastian and music educator and researcher Dr Anita Collins will be joined by a cavalcade of stars who testify to the impact music has had on their lives. They will launch a nationwide Campaign to engage the public and shine a spotlight on music in schools and teacher training. Instruments which have lain idle in people's homes will be donated to Salvos Stores across the country and end up in the hands of eager children and our audience will see that music has the power to turn lives, schools and communities around.