May 20, Kathmandu Nepal
It’s my first time travelling with a suitcase of music instruments, I’m here on a mission attempting to bring out the joy of music making with the local children in a school and a trafficking shelter.
There were around 20 children in the shelter, after a program full of singing and dancing they prepared for us, we prepared a surprise for them. Unloading the suitcase to present the assorted musical instrument in front of them was one of the magic moment. I saw their eagerness to rush in front to try and take their pick, their faces brightened up, nothing can hide their excitement.
Our team started a song, the children eagerly followed the rhythm with their percussions. The musical force was so strong that the two groups were connected right away at that moment.
We did some call and response and some improvised singing. The room was filled with songs sung at the top of their lungs, music that’s so loud that I had to control the volume with my body gesture.
One can observe a lot about each culture by the way people respond to music. Music cannot lie. You see someone’s true emotions, personality and culture upbringing right away in a simple act of playing music. Are people spontaneous? At ease with improvising? At ease with using their voice and instrument? Creative? Confident? Are people at ease to be themselves in front of a group?
Despite what the children have gone through, most are the victim of human trafficking and earthquake survivor who have lost their parents, I saw the amount of joy and liveliness on their face in that present moment.
Are we living in the present moment? Are we willing to let go of the past or use the past to propel us forward?
Esther Y.W.Wong-Music Therapist/ Multi-Instrumentalist/ Composer 