Music Foundations Intensive with Paul Lawrence & Diane Tatum

Name: Music Foundations Intensive with Paul Lawrence & Diane Tatum
Start: 2026-04-06T16:00:00+11:00
End: 2026-04-06T16:00:00+11:00
Location: Newcastle Waldorf School

About

Music Foundations Intensive
Bringing Music Alive!
with Paul Lawrence & Diane Tatum
Newcastle Waldorf School
6-12 April 2026

This Music Foundations Intensive is an in-depth exploration of Music and The Human Being in all phases of development.
What are the elements of a music curriculum that speak deeply to children?
How do we as teachers embody these elements?
How can we teach music deeply, i.e. through feeling and willing and not in a surface way through the head?

Course Content: Enlivening Music Through
*Daily Singing- for beginners and experienced
*Daily Tone Eurythmy
*Daily Lecture and Contemplation
*Daily Experience and Discussion of Waldorf Music in Early Childhood up to Grade Five
*Improvisation and orchestration for different instruments and ability levels
*Music for Class Plays and Festivals
*Classroom Musical Instrument practice, including recorder, for beginners and experienced

This course will equip you with a solid understanding of the place and value of music in Waldorf (or any other kind of) Education. This understanding will give you a base from which to create an imaginative, Anthroposophically-inspired music program.
We will learn to listen. Not just with our ears.
We will learn to recognize the archetypes of music within us, and within the children before us.
Our priority is Connection over Virtuosity.
The Music Foundations Intensive is not specifically intended to be an “instruction manual” on what to teach.
The Music Foundations Intensive is intended for anyone wanting to deepen their experience of music. No prior musical knowledge or experience is necessary. In fact prior knowledge may be left behind!

Course begin: 4pm Monday 6th April, 2026
Course end: 5:30pm Sunday 12th April, 2026

Daily schedule:
8:30-9:30 Eurythmy
9:50- 10:50 Singing
11:10- 12:10 Lecture/ Contemplation
12:10- 12:30 Closing of the morning
12:30- 1:30 Lunch break
1:30- 3:00 Experience and Discussion of the various grades/ curriculum.
3:00- 3:30 break
3:30- 5:00 Creative Practice
5:00- 5:30 Harvesting the day

This course is for all teachers who work with music in Waldorf/Steiner schools, both as class teachers/generalists in morning circle and festival support and for “festival holders", i.e. those responsible for the musical development of their communities. It’s also for teachers at their beginning stages who’d like to develop their musical skills through a rich immersion process.

Meals: Morning Tea and Afternoon Tea are included
Delicious home-cooked vegetarian lunches are also available on-site- highly recommended! (Additional $150 for 6 lunches)

Accomodation: participants need to find their own accommodation, please book early, as this is the holiday season.

Venue: Newcastle Waldorf School, 30 Reservoir Rd, Glendale NSW 2285

Enquiries: Diane: +61 413 139 380 Paul: (WhatsApp only) +61 447 692 654

The tutors: .
Diane Tatum
Diane is a gifted teacher and performer of Eurythmy, well-known for her creativity and infectious enthusiasm for all things spiritual, dramatic and musical. As a songwriter and children’s music producer, her first album “The Magic Garden” received a NAPPA Award in the US; her compositions for “A Flower Fairy Alphabet” won a Parent’s Choice Gold Award. Diane creates resources for teachers, including “Hebrew Songs and Dances,” “Vikings, Gods and Giants,” music for Briar Rose, and a series of class plays ranging from The Legend of St Christopher to Persephone. She’s also authored “Brigid of Iona”, a picture book in verse, adapted as a musical play for community theatre.
Based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Diane gives workshops internationally and visits Steiner Schools across Australia as a teacher-mentor and fairy Godmother.

She’s very excited to be working together with Paul, bringing Music alive!

Paul Lawrence:
Paul has taught music in Waldorf Schools for 26 years. He has helped to set-up music programmes at West Coast Steiner School, Silver Tree Steiner School and Perth Waldorf School in Western Australia. Paul has composed many songs, and published two books “Songs of the South West” and “The Music of the Spheres: A Listener’s Guide”. Paul has trained adults in music and anthroposophy since 2007 at Rudolf Steiner College, Perth, and more recently in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and India. He has taught and performed at National Anthroposophical Conferences and Intensives. He lives in Bali, Indonesia, with his wife, Nicole, where he consults and mentors for Waldorf Schools and Kindergartens. Paul is passionate about music, education and the inner journey of the soul.