Goducate … Go And Educate! – Page 192 – Helping Asians Help Themselves

2011-03-112011-03-12

Goducate music students from Laguna to go to Singapore for training

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.

PICT0115 — 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 back

From Left: Wang Ya Hui, Min Lee, Sandra (receiving her new violin, and the 5 selected to go to Singapore (Jason, Liezl, Melissa, Matthew, Veronica)

P3060051-400 — 10 recipients of new violins with Bernard (conductor) and Mechie (violin teacher)

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”.

P2260182-400 — Min Lee demonstrates how to play the violin

P2260180-400 — Annie Lee, Min Lee's mentor and director of student development at Wolfgang Violin Studio, points out something to student.

P2260192-400 — Student Melissa being interviewed by producer Sheryl

P2270226-400 — Producer Sheryl being interviewed by students

2011-03-07

Goducate music students in Laguna gear up for TV appearance

Channel News Asia was coming from Singapore to Laguna to film our Goducate music students, so the day before the film crew arrived was the last chance to practise, practise, practise. What’s more, Channel News Asia was bringing two expert musicians to watch our students play, which increased the tensions for the students. They were at the location chosen for the next day’s welcome ceremony. All were busy, the junior recorder players, the winds, the strings, all the way to the orchestra. They were rehearsing, focusing, helping one another, looking for a place to practise. And, as part of the discipline process, they also had to jog —well, it’s good for the breathing too.

The programme, Once Upon A Village, will be aired in Singapore on Channel News Asia on Mar 12. The two experts, classical violinist Min Lee, who has played with well-known orchestras around the world, and Wang Ya Hui, director of the orchestra of Singapore’s Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, were in Laguna to assess how best their skills can be transferred to the people in the music programme in Laguna. Essentially it is by selecting candidates for training or work attachment.

A sequel is planned, for about a year’s time, to show the impact of the skills transfer on the Laguna programme.