Violist Daniel You (QLD), currently in his second year at ANAM, reflects on his recent involvement in a community engagement project at the Ashwood School. ANAM participates in several community engagement projects throughout the year. These projects bring ANAM musicians into a number of community led organisations.
Photo by Pia Johnson
My colleagues and I were recently given the opportunity to prepare and present a workshop which facilitated the creation of an original musical composition with the students at Ashwood School – a specialist school, dedicated to educating students with mild intellectual disabilities.
Providing opportunities to experience music in a variety of ways is so vital for its future. Especially in musical education – people should have access to high quality performances and the opportunity to create and interact with music. It would have been easy for us to present the performance only. However, involving the students in active music making, left an indelible impression on both the students and performers. It was so joyful seeing their curiosity, focus, and creativity light up in the process of making music.
There was one student who I was assigned to for the workshop. Off the bat he was a challenging and loud personality. He didn’t seem to appreciate some of the things we were trying to do; despite that I could see that he often came from a point of genuine curiosity and intrigue in his various interjections. I left the experience questioning the ways we engage and what could be done in a case such as that particular student: how can we work to foster individual curiosities and, in that way, encourage participation in the best possible way?
Musicians have a much bigger role in the community than it seems. By sharing music, we bring people together, creating and strengthening a sense of community. I think that the community engagement projects at ANAM take into consideration accessibility; we present our shows to include many communities: mainstream schools, performers at aged care facilities and individuals requiring additional learning needs. We are trained and equipped with important skills (thank you to project facilitator Karen Kyriakou) to communicate and engage with different communities. After every one of these projects, I usually leave feeling very fulfilled and thinking a lot about the potential of what we can achieve on a larger scale with music.
These projects are so important when making music, as I consider myself first and foremost a chamber musician. I enjoy collaboration and especially making music with my friends. I extend this idea even to my solo playing - I remember hearing someone say that playing solo is like chamber music with yourself. My musical interests cover most areas and continue to evolve, but I am particularly drawn to the style of works by French composers. My goals are to become as free as possible in my playing, and I would like to find and collaborate with artists who are daring, venturesome, and have interesting ideas, and to share these moments with as many people as possible.
Words by Daniel You.
First published in volume 49 of Music Makers.