Published: 3 December 2017
Last updated: 4 March 2024
The shipment will include a keyboard, xylophone, four adult and two child guitars, and two each of the following: ukuleles, clarinets, violins, recorders, according to a statement from Music for Refugees last week after getting approval from the government.
."Refugees and asylum seekers have enormous stress and music is a great reliever," said Philip Feinstein, manager of the organisation.
Feinstein said he decided to write directly to Peter Dutton with the hope of securing a positive result. "I was pleasantly surprised at the quick response.”
Once the instruments have been received, they will be distributed by the Department of Education and Recreation.
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Music for Refugees has been giving a variety of instruments to refugees and asylum seekers throughout Australia for the past nine years, said Feinstein, who has also conducted jam sessions and music lessons for refugees incarcerated at Villawood Detention Centre and other refugee centres for many years.
They accept donated instruments from the public and have them repaired when necessary. "Many of the instruments arrive in poor condition, so we have to fund the repairing of them" said Feinstein, a musician and himself former refugee (from South Africa).
Feinstein said he intends to focus his attention on the detainees at Manus Island once the Nauru consignment is delivered.
Photo: Philip Feinstein, manager of Music for Refugees, with his consignment of instruments
FURTHER DETAILS: www.musicforrefugees.org
