Music and Movement

‘In sculpture and painting we look at beauty and experience it; in music we ourselves become beauty.’ Steiner Practical advice to teachers, 1919.

What does it mean to learn Music at Orana? 

In 2026 in Australia, music is probably heard by most people every day. This often happens with little conscious effort or physical movement from the person that hears.

Learning Music at Orana is different to this. Music is inherently connected to movement. The constant pulse of our hearts and inflation of our lungs form our lives’ sustaining inner soundscape The contraction and relaxation of muscles allow us to move rhythmically through everyday life.

In Music classes we use these innate attributes to develop ability to create and appreciate beautiful sounds that express human thoughts, feelings and connections in meaningful ways. 

This process looks different in different parts of the school. This week in Kindergarten Music, students listened for sung cues to tiptoe or stomp and balance while gently tapping wooden castanets. 

Year 2 students crafted an original soundscape, ‘Windy Day’. They worked as a team, controlling their hand movements while playing lyres and drums softly and loudly responding to one child’s decisive arm movements.

Year 3 students received their violins in the first lessons of the String programme. They will learn to hone fine motor skills and listening capacity as they control the movements and placement of fingers and draw the bow over the strings. 

In Year 6, students investigated rhythmic movements and sounds that sustain traditional work practices. They will create original multi-layered drumming rhythms: tapestries of interconnected sounds.

In High School, music students refined tiny finger movements on guitars, keyboards, wind and string instruments. They adjusted whole body posture in preparation for immersion in the world of musical performance and communication.

Senior College students become aware of how to breathe so they can project their voices and effect how the audience receives their songs. 

The staff at Orana sing during our conferences! We experience the weaving of a fabric of sound and movement where beauty and connection are created.  

Maia Harrison
Music Coordinator