About Us

Breakthrough Music is about breaking through the barriers to music education to create an accessible and inclusive space for all students and teachers to learn and develop their music skills.

As music educators, we often find ourselves teaching a class of students with incredibly mixed abilities, musical experience, interest and commitment. This can be quite the challenge when we think about high quality teaching practice. How do we differentiate to meet the needs of all of our students? How do we continue to challenge and extend our high achievers whilst simultaneously engaging and supporting our struggling students?

Have you ever found yourself teaching students who:

are undertaking VCE Music without any music education past compulsory Year 7 or 8?
have newly arrived in Australia with limited English speaking, writing or understanding?
are incredibly interested and enthusiastic in music with little experience playing an instrument?
have ended up in your classroom due to limited subject selections or timetabling constraints?
excel in one area of music education, but have limited skills in another?
struggle to understand or engage in traditional, notation-heavy music education?

Whilst there are many fantastic resources that exist in the music education community, most require a certain level of prior knowledge or experience, specific opportunities and supports (such as instrumental music lessons, access to specific equipment etc.) or assume some level of engagement and commitment in the content. It is our job as educators to cater to the needs of all of our students, and meeting those needs in a music classroom of significantly mixed abilities and experience is a challenge.

Breakthrough Music resources are designed with differentiation, accessibility and inclusion at the forefront, to ensure all students are given the opportunity to achieve success in music. Language used is clear and straight to the point, with succinct instructions and explanations, to eliminate potential confusion or misinterpretation.

Regardless of your experience or prior knowledge of music, or that of your students, Breakthrough Music resources will support you to unleash potential in your music classroom.

Rachel Gorman

Rachel has been teaching music, drama, dance and media in secondary schools for over 10 years. Throughout this time, she has realised the need for more inclusive practice and accessible curriculum for students from diverse educational backgrounds. This has informed Rachel's work in creating Breakthrough Music, with the purpose of providing teachers with easy to use resources that cater for a wide range of learning styles, academic levels and prior knowledge.

Rachel has worked in many curriculum and leadership roles including most recently as a dedicated Performing Arts Learning Specialist, working with staff to build opportunities for authentic and equitable teaching and learning practices in the Music classroom. With extensive experience working with EAL, refugee, low socio-economic, low academic and disengaged learners, Rachel is passionate about accessibility and inclusivity in all aspects of music education, and ensuring as educators our practice allows every student to take advantage of the many benefits we know music learning carries. Rachel’s experience in the VCE space as a teacher, exam assessor and Learning Specialist ensures that all of her students are provided equitable opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, and she is passionate about supporting others to build their assessment programs to support all learners to succeed.

Rachel has studied all facets of the Performing Arts, primarily music and dance, for over 25 years. As a vocalist, Rachel has performed in many venues across Melbourne, as part of vocal ensembles, cover bands and musical theatre performances. Rachel has been heavily involved in musical theatre over the past 10 years, performing in, musically directing, choreographing or playing in the pit for over 50 shows.

Most recently, Rachel has stepped back from performing as she has welcomed her baby boy Toby. Whilst on maternity leave she has had the opportunity to reflect on her career and launch into Breakthrough Music as a passion project. Rachel is committed to promoting and advocating for accessible and equitable music education in all contexts.