Jane's interest in music has been on-going. As a young person she studied classical piano, entering and winning many competitions and Eisteddfods, including the Dandenong Eisteddfod, and became an accomplished pianist. In 1970 she met her husband, Ian, a professional jazz musician. Then came a love of ragtime piano, and for many years she had her own ragtime group, "The Cascades Ragtime Ensemble."
Jane started her teaching career as a classroom teacher at Dorcas St, South Melbourne in 1972, where she also introduced a lot of music into the school, forming a bush band in her class and producing her first musical. In 1977 she did the Diploma of Education; Music at Toorak State College and in 1978 went to Elwood Primary School as the Music Teacher.
Her music program there is now wide and diverse, providing all students with a solid grounding in music. The Music Elective program has expanded over the years to now include Junior and Senior School Choirs, Canadian Tenor Ukulele Band, Australian Bush Band, Indonesian Music and a major musical production every second year. During her twenty plus years there she has produced and directed 16 major musicals including "Pirates of Penzance", "Barnam", "Oliver", "The Boy Friend", "Tom Sawyer", “The Wizard of Oz” , “Peter Pan” and “Mary Poppins” and has also produced a school Cd featuring songs from all these musicals, and in 2002, a Christmas Cd involving the whole school. The elective program offers extension for children with particular interest and talents and provides vehicles for developing interests and talents.
Indonesian Music plays a big part across the curriculum, Bahasa Indonesia being the LOTE study throughout the school. The Indonesian Music Elective program includes Angklung, Javanese Gamelan Music, dances and songs for special occasions.
Jane's interest in Indonesian Music began in 1979 when her Principal arrived home from a holiday in Java with a full set of Angklung .She then had to set about teaching the children to play them! Jane then went on to study Bahasa Indonesia for a year at Hawthorn Institute, teach the language alongside the PALS program at Level 3 for three years, and travel many times to Indonesia to gain knowledge and ideas to bring back to the music group.
Over the years, the children in this elective group have derived a huge amount of enjoyment from participation and performance. This group is quite unique and has therefore generated a lot of interest in Elwood Primary School. The group has regularly performed at concerts, celebrations, multi-cultural festivals and at other schools around Melbourne, as well as several workshop tours to Gippsland and Echuca. They performed during the dinner session at Parliament in Melbourne and then went on to perform in the Great Hall at Parliament House, Canberra.
"Elwood Primary School pupils and their parents have nominated music teacher Jane Smith for a 1997 National Excellence in Teaching Award - designed as a 'thank you' for devoted and motivational teachers helping young people achieve dreams and aspirations."
Caulfield Leader October 6, 1997.
Under her new, personal business name, "Musik Indonesia", Jane hopes to bring some of her experience and expertise in Indonesian Music to other children through their school Indonesian LOTE programs.
"Dear Jane,
Once again my congratulations to your students for their wonderful performance
in the Great Hall at Parliament House. It is absolutely critical to Australia's
future that we expand our cultural, social and economic links with Indonesia
and develop a deeper understanding of our very important neighbour to our near
north. The program that you are running in Elwood is an important part of that
process and you are to be congratulated for your vision in this regard. To the
students who delighted us with their music - well done. I hope the interest
that has been stimulated through music and song will be the basis for an ongoing
and enduring interest in Indonesia."
Gavan O'Connor MP
Parliament of Australia
House of Representatives
ACT
"The most exemplary practice I observed at Elwood
were your gamelan and Angklung music lessons. I was astounded by your breadth
of knowledge and teaching expertise of this cultural aspect. Your music program
is truly unique, perhaps even a rarity in Australia!"
Anita O'Reilly
Lloyd Street School, East Malvern Vic.