Voices of Tomorrow
Adelaide band The Sundance Kids supplied the soundtrack to UniSA’s inspirational Tomorrow video.
Linda Hein speaks to band member and UniSA graduate Jason Shepherd.
It looks like a big future awaits the members of Adelaide band, The Sundance Kids. Guitarist and vocalist Jason Shepherd is busy making the most of it all but keeping his feet firmly on the ground with his other great love – teaching.
A graduate of UniSA’s Bachelor of Education (Junior Primary and Primary), 24-year-old Shepherd also works as a relief teacher at an Adelaide Hills primary school and says that, for him, combining music and teaching is the best of both worlds.
"Working with the kids is just fantastic. It’s a humbling experience being around kids and you learn a lot from them," said Shepherd, whose roles have ranged from out-of-hours school care to relief teaching,
"When you’re teaching you’re passing on knowledge, skills and attitudes and shaping people, and when you’re playing music you’re doing the same - just using a different medium."
Shepherd works to balance his teaching and music careers, as the opportunities for The Sundance Kids go from strength to strength.
The band has regular tour dates in Melbourne and Sydney and singles soon to be released. One of the band’s original songs, All you need to hear, has been chosen by UniSA as the soundtrack to Tomorrow, an audiovisual presentation that explores some of the world’s big challenges and opportunities and how the Uni is working to meet them.
"We were really pleased to be a part of this project. It was a great opportunity for us and we liked what Tomorrow was saying as well - it has real impact and the images make really strong statements."
Shepherd is open to whatever the future holds - music, teaching or a combination of both – but he is keen to share his experience with the kids whenever possible.
"My focus at the moment is obviously on the band and running with the opportunities that come up, but teaching is a great constant.
"Music’s part of my life but I think I’ll always be teaching. Just the experience working with kids is great."
Tomorrow can be viewed on UniSA Virtual and on YouTube.