Philippines – Page 104 – Goducate … Go And Educate!

2011-03-252011-03-29

Goducate Orchestra’s unforgettable experience at Manila Symphony Orchestra concert

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.

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”.

2011-03-212011-03-21

Goducate Training Center prepares for opening

The Goducate Training Center in Iloilo, Philippines, is almost ready to take in its first batch of trainees.

Work is going on at a frantic rate to complete the main structure of GTC—namely, the MultiPurpose Hall in time for our “soft opening” on April 9. This large modern facility will be where our trainees will attend classes, eat their meals, and sleep (on the floor).

photo(6) — Entrance to MultiPurpose Hall

photo(7) — Interior of MultiPurpose Hall

We are hoping to have a pilot intake of 25 trainees. They will be men who desire to serve the poor living in inaccessible and inhospitable communities in Asia. These trainees will be trained for approximately 8 months to learn the necessary skills to help the communities in which they will eventually work in. Since many poor Asians live in rural communities, a large part of their training will be in basic agricultural skills.

We hope to take in batches of several hundred trainees, men and women, in subsequent years.

Goducate believes in dreaming BIG, starting small, and building deep.

2011-03-092011-03-09

Goducate Music Students in Laguna Meet The TV Crew

Finally it was time for the music students in Laguna to greet and meet the TV crew from Singapore’s Channel News Asia. The first thing on the programme was to garland the two music experts who had been brought over to assess the students—classical violinist Min Lee, who is programme director of Wolfgang Violin Studio, and Wang Ya Hui, director of the orchestra of Singapore’s Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.

Then came the real business. The students had to play for the experts. They had a chance to watch Min Lee play. They were told how they would be assessed in the selection process for candidates to be sent to Singapore for training. They were given tips on their playing. They could ask Min Lee questions about music. Some (students as well as trainers) were interviewed by Sheryl the Channel News Asia producer.

And then came the real fun part, when they collected autographs, and when they turned the tables on Sheryl and interviewed her—with questions such as “Why are you still single?” “What qualifications are you looking for in a boyfriend?”

What did the students have to say about their experience? Well, they told me how much they learnt, how much had been corrected, and how they overcame their initial fear of Min Lee as a teacher once they had a chance to chat and have fun with her. Referring to what they learnt of the strict training that Min Lee underwent as a child, they said, “Now we understand why Ma’am Mechie [their violin trainer] is so strict with us”.