"You'll feel your way"

Upon entry to the Aisha music Academy I am met with a rapid name call of all the members of the school and then ushered into the office of John Raphael, the Principal. After we have become better aquainted, the other members of the school leave the office. I take this as a cue to reveal my plans for the coming two months!

I begin to splurge about the techniques that may improve posture and the particular aural tests I had prepared, I talk about extending repetoire and developing composition skills, listening to this Beethoven Symphony or that Liget Etude and nature of listening to music as both an expression of the artist and as a product of society. John leans back in his chair, after watching so many words being squashed into such a little time, he looks exhausted. In silence he reflects upon my ramble with more consideration than is due and then he waves it aside, "You'll feel your way". He makes it clear to me in far fewer breaths that his only aim is for his pupils to love music and have it as a companion for life. He is not interested in them passing grades as much them playing with passion and capturing the spirit of the piece. I nod in agreement: that's what I meant. He then goes on to teach me a jazz arangement of twinkle twinkle little star.

The first day showed more talent and variety than I had been led to expect. There were both naturally talented grade-oners who could sing back any melody I played to them and others like a boy called Mayank who played the first two movements of a Haydn Sonata with both intelligence and flair. Then there are those who hope for lessons in the area closest to my heart, composition. In the first day I set two assignments, the first to a young girl, Uensoung, who will write a piece inspired by a T.V show she watches (The Princess Diaries) and the second to a teacher at the school, Nisako, who will write a short Fantasy on the first bar of a Haydn piano Sonata in no more than 40 notes. However, those who I feel could benefit most from the lessons were those least likely to want my help: a mix of children who were fixated on pasing their grade 8 before they were 14.

The path ahead for each of these students will be different, but with each student I hope that I can help them develop a relationship with music that will be rewarding and long lasting. All that I can hope is that I continue to feel my way.

Theo Vidgen