Welcome to the APME Memphis 2025 conference. Here, you’ll be able to register for the conference and update your Sched profile. The conference schedule will be available in late spring 2025. At that time, you can view the schedule and select the presentations you’d like to attend. If you have any questions, please visit our conference website or contact us at conference@popularmusiceducation.org We look forward to coming together as a community June 4–7, 2025.
Australian tertiary music programs often incorporate elements of songwriting, production, music industry studies, cultural awareness, entrepreneurship, and creative practice. These programs aim to prepare students for "portfolio careers" that blend diverse aspects of music, including performance, recording, teaching, community work, and digital presence. In alignment with this approach, SAE University College emphasizes innovative, real-world learning, fostering an environment where students experience hands-on, feedback-oriented projects that reflect current industry trends and challenges. This research showcases an innovative approach to music education through the “Rainbow Bop” YouTube series for children, where SAE Music students are engaged in a multidisciplinary industry project as part of their curriculum. "Rainbow Bop" is a 12-episode series designed for children ages 0-5, using music, puppetry, video, and animation to support educational pillars such as literacy, cultural awareness, numeracy, and social-emotional development. By integrating students into this project, SAE provides a unique experiential learning opportunity that allows them to apply and expand their skills in real-world contexts. Students involved in "Rainbow Bop" gain practical experience across a range of professional activities, such as original songwriting, arranging, studio recording, working with specific briefs, social media content creation, and project management. This multidisciplinary, community-focused project encourages students to think beyond traditional popular music production. Through “Rainbow Bop,” students gain insight into how music is valued by different societal groups and the impact it can have on communities. This experience equips students with a broader understanding of the potential for their creative skills to serve various audience needs, enhancing their adaptability and expanding their capacity for innovation in their future music careers.
