Performance of a lifetime

Education support assistant by day, supporting rock legends Coldplay by night. 

Sam Goddard works with special needs kids at the Armadale Education Support Centre. She successfully uses her love of music, and her experience performing live, to inspire many of her special needs students.  

This Sunday though, that love will play out on the biggest stage she could ever imagine performing on, after the indie pop/rock band she plays in, King Ibis, won a competition to support Coldplay during their Perth performances.

The competition was Coldplay's idea.

A shortlist of 20 entrants was compiled by a panel that included representatives of Coldplay management, concert promoter Live Nation, Perth radio station RTR-FM and Warner Music.  

The shortlisted entries, including King Ibis’, featured on Spotify and promoted to Coldplay's more than 40 million social media followers. 

While Ms Goddard deals with her own opportunity, she said she believes that musical study can also have a tremendous impact on the lives of students living with disabilities. 

She believes her passion for music, combined with her personal experience as a performer, have made her an effective mentor for her students. Understanding their fears and anxieties is crucial in helping them overcome other challenges.  

Ms Goddard says she can see the growth in her students’ musical capabilities, social skills, and confidence.  

“It helps me relate to the students,” she said. 

“I know how nervous I get before I go on stage, something that I’ve never truly gotten past. 

“But you find ways of dealing with the stress and I try to show my students how that can be done. 

“They form a little community. There is lots of teamwork and collaboration, and it has helped build bonds and friendships with the group we have.”  

We wish Ms Goddard and King Ibis all the best for their performance this weekend. 

For those who missed out on tickets to Optus Stadium, King Ibis will be performing at Subiaco as a part of the Sundays on the Deck series.  

You can also check out a video taken from one of Ms Goddard’s music lessons on our Facebook.