In March this year, Channel News Asia brought two experts from Singapore, violinist Min Lee of Wolfgang Music Studio and director of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music orchestra Wang Ya Hui, to Bay in Laguna Province, The Philippines, to see Goducate’s music project and to suggest what might be done to give the project a boost. This visit was for the first of a two-part programme called Once Upon A Village, which was first screened middle of this year. Min Lee and Wang Ya Hui suggested that 5 of the music students be brought to Singapore for some intensive training and to prepare them for some music exams.
Goducate’s music project was started to attract street kids back into some form of education. The scheme turned out to be so attractive to children and so successful that it has been extended to any child in very poor communities, not just out-of-school kids.
Through music the children have been taught discipline, teamwork, and leadership. Through their musical ability some have got scholarships to go back to school or to continue schooling. The more advanced students have formed two orchestras. The senior orchestra has been invited to play at local functions, which has given the students a chance to earn some pocket money. Students have thus been able to help themselves. And in line with Goducate philosophy they have also been using their ability to help others, because the more advanced students teach the less advanced ones in their own or in neighbouring villages. Currently there are more than 250 students at 12 areas in 7 villages in Laguna province participating in the Goducate music project.
Preparatory to the trip of their lives, the 5 shortlisted students underwent many sessions of training by Elaine Mallari from the Manila Symphony Orchestra. They finally arrived in Singapore chaperoned by their conductor on Oct 22. Channel News Asia will be filming them while they are here for the second part of the Once Upon A Village programme.
Wolfgang Music Studio had kindly arranged for Asian Cultural Enterprise (ACES) to sponsor the trip for the Goducate musicians.