A group of volunteer piano teachers has discovered a passion for music in the hearts of a remote district’s children that is unlike anything they expected.
Four years ago, Kaohsiung Liouguei District Public Health Center Director Lin Hung (林鴻) worked with Liouguei Social Affairs Bureau Director Lu Ching-hsi (呂清喜) to acquire second-hand pianos and start classes for underprivileged children in Liouguei District (六龜).
The class, which began with 24 students, exploded in popularity, reaching more than 80 students, with more on a waiting list.
Photo: Huang Chia-lin, Taipei Times
The program has attracted the participation of professional teachers, who volunteer their time and supply equipment.
Hung Tsui-feng (洪翠峰), a piano teacher from Taichung who is participating in the program for the second year, this time as head teacher, said she had enlisted the help of pianists Su Shu-hua (蘇淑華), Chang Han-i (張瀚藝), Chen I-chen (陳怡蓁), Wu Ssu-ching (吳思靜), Shen Hsing-tzu (沈杏姿) and Wang Wan-jou (王婉柔), among others.
The group has produced 12 texts to help with the lessons and has collected 40 roll-up electronic keyboards for students to practice their finger work while they are waiting for instruction, meaning that no student is ever left unable to participate, Hung said.
The organizers have been effective in managing the explosive growth of the course, dividing the students into four classes, with each group getting one day of instruction per week, and all of the students attending a group session on Fridays, she said, adding that four or five assistants help the main teacher in each class, allowing students to get individual guidance.
Given the remoteness of Liouguei, teachers are put on a seven-week rotation, with each teacher spending one week in the district at a time, she said.
However, some of the teachers from Taichung are unable to stay in Liouguei and must make the 500km round-trip commute every time they have class.
This year’s program is three weeks into classes and Hung has already made the commute for two of these, but she feels that “when you see the longing for study in the children’s eyes, this small trek becomes completely insignificant.”
“When these kids come back to class after lunch, they are running toward the classroom,” Hung said. “They aren’t being forced by their parents to learn the piano, it is completely of their own volition.”
She said she is moved by the children’s expression of passion for music.
On Aug. 19, the children are to put on a performance to mark the finish of their classes.
“Although we started these piano classes with little in the way of resources, the teachers’ perseverance has paid off. These teachers — coming not only from outside the area, but also from Liouguei and Meinong (美濃) districts — are all working together so that music can flourish here,” Lu said.
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