mmg.com.au

When Jorja Bromley took to the stage last week, more than half a million people sang along.

The 16-year-old led the Shepparton performance of the Music: Count Us In program.

It was an initiative that saw more than 600000 students, teachers and parents perform the same song at the same time on the same day.

The Year 10 Shepparton High School student was asked to co-write the song for this year’s program with two other students and singer-songwriter Josh Pyke.

The result was Different People (Stand Together), performed in schools across Australia on Thursday.

Jorja said she was proud of her achievement.

‘‘It was awesome,’’ Jorja said.

‘‘It feels pretty amazing.’’

Shepparton High School music director Lachlan Gallacher said almost 300 students from Shepparton High School, Cobram Secondary College, Wanganui Park Secondary College, Kyabram P-12 College and Verney Rd School participated in the event.

‘‘It brings awareness to how important music is in education,’’ Mr Gallacher said.

‘‘Kids that learn music improve in other areas as well.’’

Program ambassador John Foreman said the program had triggered many more music activities in schools throughout the year.

‘‘What’s so clever is that it is simultaneously huge and intimate,’’ Mr Foreman said.

‘‘There aren’t many programs that involve half a million people where there’s also a place for a proud group of 10 students and one teacher in an outback school.’’

The program, which began in 2007, is designed to celebrate the value of music education to students’ development.

According to the program’s website, music improves students’ team skills and self-esteem and helps their progress in areas such as maths and English.