Holy Trinity Church Hall, London NW3

Two reports (Kinga Bujakowska, Zita Újvárosi) and the full programme

Coming from a non-musical background, I found BBCM classes a great adventure which continued through the BBCM workshop. I did not know what to expect, apart from that I was prepared to sing.

Skilfully directed by Agnes, we started with a song of love for music: "Viva La Musica" by Praetorius; and indeed the love of music joined all of us together that evening. The gathered group was quite diverse, there were BBCM students of all ages and musical levels, parents, former BBCM students and friends. I watched with astonishment how Agnes conducted this heterogeneous group in order to create coherent musical pieces that everyone was happy to join.

One of my favourite pieces was Suzie Snail by Pál Járdányi; it is a nursery song about a snail being always late for school. It was sung by Agnes and the 3-year old group, afterwards it steadily transformed into an orchestral version involving older BBCM students with a solo by the youngest trumpet player Otto, aged 8. This piece was quite representative of Agnes' teaching, showing how she gradually uncovers the wonders of music for children. It seems that they acquire their musicality naturally just as they learn how to walk or to speak.

After finishing class material, we listened to the contributions by different families singing their national anthems or folk songs originating from their countries. Rather amazingly, there were representatives of 13 different nations! All of them were meaningful and they made a beautiful contribution to the peace march that was taking place the same day in London. What was also nice about them was that they were joint efforts by children and their parents. After those songs, we listened to young soloists who demonstrated their progress on their instruments. I remember that, as a child, I was dreading the moment when I had to stand up in front of the audience, however not the BBCM children. They all seemed born for the stage, they enjoyed playing and some of them did not seem happy having to leave the stage.

I was very glad to be able to come to this workshop; it was one of those moments when I would have liked to be a child again with so many years of studying still ahead.

Kinga Bujakowska
adult beginner, BBCM newcomer

Music has been the most ancient and most primal layer of culture in all ages and all over the world. Because from ancient times music was capable of expressing such concepts as joy, sorrow, belonging or loneliness: music could always express emotions. People try to express their emotions and thoughts by a variety of means: music is an excellent channel as it can address everybody regardless of any language.

Music is a healer as well as a source of joy even if we only listen. But singing or playing a musical instrument increases the pleasure, as obviously known to BBCM students who provided a pleasant and joyous afternoon for all who participated in their 19 March 2005 communal workshop.

Evidently Agnes Kory's BBCM programme facilitates singing and comprehensive musical studies for all age groups. During this communal workshop we heard excerpts from Bach's Peasant Cantata, Beethoven's Ode to Joy and beautiful melodies by Handel, Haydn, Mozart and Bartók (just to mention the best known of the composers). Everybody was drawn into the singing, for instance we all sung Frére Jacques, Three Blind Mice and the Mosquito song (a charming Hungarian folk song) in rounds. Individual contributions by BBCM students included a charming Japanese play song, an Israeli love song accompanied by a drum and Alfie's spellbinding virtuoso violin playing. 17-year-old Ilan Lazarus and his father John provided accompaniment to all.

Music as a world language was apparent when workshop participants of various nationalities sang their national anthems or much loved folk songs. We listened to Polish, African, French, Japanese, Chinese, American, Israeli, Scottish and Cornish anthems and folk songs. All were moved by the opportunity to sing in their mother tongue - and in the language of music - to others. And all understood each other...

I love music and this afternoon gave me and other visitors particular pleasure: the experience of witnessing children and adults singing and sharing the joys of music together was memorable. Thank you BBCM!

Zita Újvárosi
visiting Hungarian au-pair
(translated from Hungarian by Agnes Kory)

Full workshop programme:

CLASS MATERIAL

Praetorius: Viva La Musica

Pál Járdányi: Suzie Snail
orchestral version included Spark (Otto Saner), age 8, on trumpet

Bach: from Peasant Cantata

Handel: from Judas Maccabaeus

Haydn: Harmony Is Divine

Mozart: Oragna Figa

Beethoven: Ode to Joy

Bartók: Don't Leave

Hungarian Folk Song (Mosquito)
unscheduled, requested by a BBCM child at the workshop

Frére Jacques and Three Blind Mice (double round in minor)

Icelandic Folk Song with BBCM text

CONTRIBUTIONS :

Polish national song, originally a contender for the National Anthem
Kinga Bujakowska and two of her cousins

Scottish song: Flower of Scotland
Lewis Bungener and mother Janet, Natalija Elliott and father Donald

USA Anthem
Jordan Mutschler, mother Lynda
(accompaniment improvised by Ilan Lazarus)

Japanese Anthem: Kimigayo
May, Kay and Yumi Shigeno, Miteki Ochi and mother Miho

Chinese (Cantonese) Lullaby: The Shining Moon
Sam Hope and Sui Ming Hope

Yoruba (Nigerian) song: Oni Dodo (The Fried Plantain Vendor)
Duro Adebayo and father John Sharif Adebayo

South-African National Anthem: Nkosi Sikelele Africa
Ilan and Mira Lazarus with mother Shelley and father John plus Matthew Gold

Israeli National Anthem
Ilan and Mira Lazarus with mother Shelley and father John plus Sam Ellison and Matthew Gold

Hungarian National Anthem
Kata Oldland, mother Csilla, Kata's au-pair Zita, BBCM mother Katalin and Agnes (accompaniment sight-read by Ilan Lazarus)

French National Anthem (Marseilles)
Hugo and mother Valerie, Fabienne plus Sui Ming and BBCM mother Emily
(accompaniment improvised by Ilan Lazarus)

Newcastle Song: Blaydon Races
Hollie Gold

Cornish Song: Sailor's Song
Emily and Minerva (mother and sister of BBCM pupil Spark i.e. Otto Saner)

Japanese childrens' game: Antagat Dokosa
May and Kay Shigeno, Miteki Ochi

German Folk Song: Fuchs, du hast die Gans gestohlen
Spiritual: When the Saints Go Marching
Sam Hope and mother Sui Ming Hope, piano duet

Mozart: Oragna Figa
May and Kay Shigeno (violin and cello), Miteki Ochi (violin)

Y.Hadar/M.Dor: Erev Shel Shoshanim (Evening of Roses)
Mira and Ilan Lazarus, voice and drum

English Nursery Song: Pease Pudding
Hollie Gold cello

The Tide is High (Atomic Kitten)
Rose Bungener piano

Lars Wikfors: Minisnoa
Th.Bayley: Long, long ago
Kata Oldland violin

Hungarian folk music (violin): Legényes
Alfie Darlow violin, with instant improvisation over the violin line by Ilan Lazarus

Handel: sonata movements
Alfie Darlow violin
(accompaniment sight-read by John and Ilan Lazarus)