Ballarat Christian College, Ballarat Secondary College, Ballarat Specialist School, Pleasant St Primary School and St Columba's Primary School will participate in Music - Count Us In next Thursday.

At 11.30am on the dot, students from hundreds of Australian schools will simultaneously perform the new composition appropriately titled Sing.

Managed by the Music Council of Australia and supported by the Federal Government, the event is designed to remind parents, teachers and policy-makers about the value of teaching music to children.

"Currently as few as two out of 10 students at state schools get access to a meaningful music education, compared with almost nine out of 10 in independent schools," Music Council of Australia's Tina Broad said.

The Courier yesterday met up with Ballarat Christian College's Grade 5 class, which was busy rehearsing for Music - Count Us In.