ASMF regularly works with young musicians around the world on bespoke projects and through residencies as part of our international touring. All of ASMF’s practice is informed by the idea of creative empowerment which runs through the organisation: through this, our players are able to train and coach younger musicians in a way that ensures the musical growth is intrinsic and student-centred.
This month, Judith Herbert, ASMF cellist, reflects on the latest education project in Macao at the Macao International Children’s Camp, and the power of music across cultures.
I was lucky enough to have participated in the inaugural Macao International Children’s’ Music Camp, part of a wider festival for children and the arts. This was a new cultural endeavour aimed at the musical development young strong players between the ages of 11 and 18 mainly from China and Macao who had auditioned to participate. Four ASMF players were charged with the task of coaching and teaching the 40 successful musicians over a period of one week, culminating in a performance directed by Joshua Bell, who joined the rehearsals on the last 3 days of the course.
The idea of pairing the students with Western European musicians was to allow us all to learn about each other’s culture – so on most days we would all visit various cultural sites and landmarks together to learn about Macao’s rich history, and in particular it’s unique character – a melting pot of East and West, with the stamp of Portuguese culture still strongly felt, since although originally a part of China, it had been a Portuguese colony for centuries, only being handed back to China in 1999.
“The ASMF Musicians are all very attentive. I think this experience will be a new starting point for me.
It broadens my international perspective and raises my horizons to the next level.”Sun Ziqi | viola student
What a complete privilege it turned out to be! Many of the children did not speak English, but somehow we all managed to communicate through the music. Whilst all the musicians were all very accomplished, some had more experience than others. It seemed clear from the outset that despite their individual very high standard of playing, they were not used to playing in a self-directed group where instead of being told what to do by a teacher they needed to rely on their own instinct and judgement and had to take the initiative regarding when and how to play. We worked with them in the way that we work in ASMF – without a conductor, and approaching the playing as we would a small chamber ensemble where everyone takes responsibility for their own part and plays freely yet always listening to what everyone else is doing in order to play with the group. The ASMF players had the chance to continue to reinforce this new and different approach to their music-making through giving daily individual instrumental lessons. For these young people, it came as something of a shock to realise that the mastery of their own individual parts was just a starting point. And it was also a shock to us, since the very first rehearsal felt chaotic – it was hard to get a sense of how we could learn to play together.
The change by the end of the week was astonishing. We could not have predicted just how quickly this new mindset of collaboration and listening collectively was to be completely assimilated. This of course was underlined by playing in such close proximity to Joshua Bell – the opportunity to work so closely with such an absolute musical and creative master was something that they will surely never forget – and his commitment and patience was touching and inspiring in equal measure. The final concert was fabulous – it had not only great technical skill but also showed just how far the students had come in such a short space of time, learning to play together and really listen in a new way. It was clearly a seminal moment for them all, and one which left them feeling empowered.
All in all it was a very moving experience – a reinforcement of the power of music as a force for unity. The children were clearly inspired and changed by the week’s work, and it felt personally very gratifying to have been a small of it.
“Working with the musicians has inspired me and made me think more earnestly about what music should be like and how I should express it.
Being with them gives me a clearer direction on how to strive harder”Zhang Hanyue | violin student (performing with Joshua Bell below)
