Workshop on Music Therapy
The Hansori Choir from Korea conducted a Music Therapy workshop at St. Stephen's on the 13th of February 2016. The children were acquainted with several musical instruments like the tambourine, hand drum, shaker and hand xylophone.
There was a splendid show by the Korean group in the evening which transported the audience to another world. Brilliant pieces of music were played which kept everyone enthralled. The Hansori choir began their performance with soulful tunes which were quintessentially sublime and skilfully crafted. The piano solo performances too were captivating. They brought to light the fact that music speaks no language, it only has to be perceived sensually.
The introductory pieces of the Korean group were 'Whispering Hope' and 'Spring of my Hometown.' They renewed the feeling of hope by ushering the advent of spring, bringing the promise of green fields, blooming trees and flowers and giving the once dormant life a nudge to awaken. This flow of life itself and nature was translated through the Hansori choir in a most subtle and poignant manner.
The junior students who had been trained by the Korean group presented the lyrical piece, 'Somewhere over the Rainbow' with hand bells and other rhythmic instruments. It was a fluttering sequence that drifted the audience into a utopia of pastoral bliss. Our very own musical mavericks presented solo guitar and piano recitals. The senior students gave a breathtaking performance and recaptured the charm of the retro tune, 'Do Re Mi Fa' with hand xylophones. The evening was enlivened by a violin and flute ensemble based on the classical maestros, Mozart and Beethoven, followed by the spiritual ode, 'You Raise Me Up', by the Hansori choir, acknowledging God's eternal love for mankind.
The show concluded with a blend of contemporary and classical elements; and with improvisations that left us spellbound. Every emotive melody resonated with hope and burst with life. It was a truly memorable evening.
