The Goducate Orchestra was invited to play at the graduation ceremony of one of our province’ state universities. It is the university at which one of our violinists, Liezl, is a student. She is also a member of the university band. Liezl is one of the members of the orchestra selected by the Once Upon A Village TV programme to go to Singapore for violin training.
It all started about a month before the event when a member of staff of the university visited our orchestra and asked our conductor Bernard to help with the arrangement of the university’s hymn and their alma mater’s song. The school president was very pleased with Bernard’s effort, and that led to the invitation to play at the commencement exercise.
When Channel News Asia brought music experts from Singapore to Laguna to help the Goducate Orchestra, they also brought along Ray Sison, principal flautist of the Manila Symphony Orchestra, to help select which of our members would go to Singapore for training. He kindly invited our orchestra to listen to a concert by his orchestra on March 15.
With Elaine Lim, pianist
With Ray Sison, flautist
For the members of our orchestra, who come from poor villages, going to Manila to listen to a professional orchestra, and the Manila Symphony Orchestra at that, was bound to be a thrilling and unforgettable experience. Unfortunately, there were other factors that made the experience unforgettable.
As Jordan, our trombonist said, “We totally don’t know that the event was this formal kind. We are the only group who wear casual dress. At first we hesitate to go in as we think we are at the wrong place or the wrong occasion”. He added, “Our ignorance was noticed at once. When we clap our hands as the Manila Symphony started playing, everybody looked at us. We tried our best to hide in our chairs”.
But it all ended well. As Jordan put it, “We know so little, yet the stars came to take group pictures with us. And next time we will be in our best attire”.
As a result of the Channel News Asia programme Once Upon A Village, five students in Goducate’s music project, all violinists, have been selected to go to Singapore for a couple of weeks’ training at the Wolfgang Violin Studio run by Min Lee and Annie Lee. Just imagine that. Five students. The students in Goducate projects are from poor, some from very poor, backgrounds. For some of them, even going to regular school is a luxury. Who would have thought that five of them would have had a chance to learn to play a musical instrument, let alone go abroad for training.
Another special beneficiary of the Channel News Asia programme is Bernard, the conductor of the Goducate orchestra. He had been brought to Singapore for a few days last month for some basic training by Wang Ya Hui, director of the orchestra of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, on conducting and arranging pieces.
The third group of special beneficiaries are the 13 who received violins donated by the Wolfgang Violin Studio.
But of course, everyone in the Goducate music project benefited from the training they received from the experts brought over by Channel News Asia for the programme.
Wang Ya Hui explaining something to Bernard, director of Goducate orchestra
The orchestra is getting to be known in the area and will be very busy over the coming weeks. They have been invited to go to Manila to listen to the Manila symphony, to play at our Mayor’s birthday and at the same time a mass wedding of more than 100 couples, to play at a 75th birthday celebration, and to play at the graduation ceremonies of some elementary and high schools.
The Goducate music project has been so successful in giving poor students hope for the future and a means to earn a living, as well as teaching them qualities such as discipline, teamwork, leadership, that we are extending it to many others. The project not only helps the students to help themselves but also to help others, because the more experienced players go out to teach beginners. There are now some 150 children taking part in the Goducate music project in Laguna.
Min Lee plays with orchestra under Bernard's baton, as Wang Ya Hui listens from the backFrom Left: Wang Ya Hui, Min Lee, Sandra (receiving her new violin, and the 5 selected to go to Singapore (Jason, Liezl, Melissa, Matthew, Veronica) 10 recipients of new violins with Bernard (conductor) and Mechie (violin teacher)
