The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: William
Date: 2012-04-09 16:28
I watched it "live" and was blown away what these ordinary people with little means were able to accomplish with donated and "rescued" musical instruments--and only ONE teacher, the conductor (who taught himself to play piano and cello, learning to read music at the same time). Amazing and inspirational--and a lesson for all of us that think we need the newest of the best on the market and private lessons to be successful. The members of this orchestra proved that anything is possible if you just believe and work hard. Music is certainly alive in this small Congo town. Congrats to 60 Minutes for bringing this story to us.
Got to go now and practice...............
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Sylvain
Date: 2012-04-09 16:51
I found it both amazing and appalling.
Although I was deeply moved by the role a symphony orchestra plays in brightening people's lives in an otherwise rather gloomy existence, I was also peeved by the outright declaration that Kinshasa and Congo are a cultural "no man's land" or in the reporter's words: “if you live in Kinshasa there is no culture life here”.
Congo has an enormously diverse culture, rich in tradition and has inspired musicians around the world. Reducing culture only to western classical music is patronizing and disrespectful to a community whose music was already alive and thriving before being introduced to Beethoven.
--
Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
|