“EVERY student in the nation should have an education in the arts.” This is the opening statement from the document ‘The Value and Quality of Arts Education: A Statement of Principles’, which includes important educational organisations such as the American Association of School Administrators and the American National Education Association.
Although this rather basic statement is unlikely to be challenged by anyone involved in education, the harsh reality of limited time and funding often leaves the inclusion of arts, and especially music education, to take a back seat.
In America, The ‘Art, Ask for More’ campaign has been running in print, television and radio for just over three years and has received more than $110 million in national media donations from more than 367 American based partners with the success of the campaign attributed to the hundreds of locals. Now imagine if we were to do the same… even on a ‘small’ island, it can be achieved. The significance and importance of music education is under-estimated by many, with comments such as ‘we don’t have a history of classical music’ frequently heard from the so-called ‘higher echelons’ of society who should know better.
Music and its power surround us on a daily basis, creating deep emotions. Skills such as team-working, communication, self-esteem, creative thinking, calm attitudes, discipline, imagination and study skills are all qualities improved through the study of music. Knowing all these facts, and that young children can be helped through music education to be successful in society and life, is it not our duty to encourage and help students to master these skills through quality arts instruction?
Every human culture uses music to carry forward its ideas and ideals and a study of the arts assists children to be empathetic towards other cultures, providing a bridge across different cultures.
The non-profit organisation ‘The Pharos Trust’, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education and Culture, has taken the responsibility of giving school-going children country-wide the benefit of educational concerts with top calibre artists who come to perform in Cyprus. These music education activities were initially organised in 2004 and have developed substantially, reaching over 10,000 students in the last three years.
The programme is based on the philosophy that music enhances the quality of life and that by reaching out towards young people and offering unique musical experiences, their appreciation of the musical art as a vehicle of non-verbal expression of feelings and thoughts can be developed and used as a coping mechanism in their everyday life.
This year, with the initiative and co-operation of the Inspector of Music, Mrs Maro Skordi, the Pharos Trust organised the first music competition for secondary school students.
It was held on April 26 at the Pancyprion Gymnasium and had 24 students participating from a number of secondary schools in Nicosia. This year was restricted to Nicosia, but the organisers hope to include all the other cities in future years. The competition included questions on an assortment of musical topics and fields such as aural tests, music morphology and history, general music knowledge and musical analyses of specific works which were presented throughout the year at the Trust’s educational concerts. The works studied included Beethoven’s String Quartet Op 18 No 6, Haydn’s String Quartet in F major Op 77, Beethoven’s Sonata for Cello and Piano Op 102 No 1 and Bizet’s Habanera from the opera Carmen.
Some of the 35 questions from the closed book exam included “How many oratorios did Haydn compose?” and “What are the musical characteristics of Beethoven’s Cello Sonata and from which period does it stem?”
The first prize winner of the 1st Pharos Music Competition was Eleni Kappa from the Pancyprion Gymnasium, second prize went to Zoe Stylianou from Apostle Varnavas Lyceum and the third prize to Edwina Hatzihanna from the same school. The winning students and their respective schools benefited from the £1,000 prize money donated and presented by Mr Garo Keheyan, President of the Pharos Trust, in a ceremony at the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Music is a powerful tool which can dramatically improve and enrich everybody. It makes sense to push music education and to allow young generations to gain these wonderful benefits – higher intelligence through increased creative thinking, problem solving and physically stronger brains, a higher perception of life including better attitudes, a higher self esteem, better developed discipline, study skills, concentration, communication and team skills. Can we afford to let any opportunities slip by?
CLASSICAL TRAVEL CLUB –
*All arrangements are subject to availability at the time of booking. Prices are per person sharing.
1. Puccini Festival in Tuscany – £1,095 p/person sharing
Departing July 26. La Boheme and Madama Butterfly
2. Paphos Aphrodite Festival – from £180 per person sharing, includes two nights’ accommodation / breakfast daily / opera ticket
Full details on www.cyprusclassical.com
JOKE
How do you make a double bass sound in tune?
Chop it up and make it into a xylophone.
FAMOUS QUOTES
Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.
Albert Einstein
A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?
Albert Einstein
MUSICAL TERM
Chorale – A hymn sung by the choir and congregation often in unison
THIS DAY IN HISTORY – June 17
* Birthday of Igor Stravinsky – 1882
* Death of Johan Wagenaar – 1983
* Premiere of Stravinsky’s Agon in Los Angeles 1957
* Premiere of Weber’s Clarinet Concerto No 2 in E flat major in Germany
EMAIL ME: [email protected]
Do email me your comments and/or suggestions and forthcoming events.
PM Classics on CYBC Channel 2
Classical music every Monday to Friday with English, Greek and Turkish announcements.
91.1 FM Nicosia ** 96.5 FM Paphos ** 94.2 FM Larnaca** 92.4 FM Paralimni
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Investing in culture
The Pharos Trust
T. 22663871
www.thepharostrust.org
