To believe in music you need to hear it! And who has not heard music? Words can’t describe this amazing force of nature that can lift you up and transform your day and your life. However it is the healing power of music that interests Shalini Wickramasuriya the Founder of an initiative called “The Music Project” that aims at touching, healing and transforming the lives of children from the North and Kurunegala who have been affected by the civil war in Sri Lanka. However the healing power of music can be applied to any individual who is experiencing a difficult time in his/her life. Daily News met up with Wickramasuriya to discuss this initiative of hers called “Music Project”.
“I have worked in the field of education for several years primarily at the University of Edinburgh and subsequently for INGOs where we worked in Post Conflict Education Reconstruction. And in relevance to the Music Unites Project, we saw that these children who are suffering from Trauma needed psycho social counselling. They needed to be able to get on track and get on part with their peers. This meant that we needed an additional initiative other than accelerated learning programs and catch up educational classes,” said Wickramasuriya.
That is basically how this Music Unites Project came into being. While living in Edinburgh, Wickramasuriya had seen a similar initiative called “The Big Noise Project” that involved working with disadvantaged children of Stirling Scotland. Here children were experiencing difficulties when it came to education because of personal challenges.
“I saw a music program set up to empower the youth through music, giving them opportunity, exposure, motivation and a sense of pride in their own personal achievements. Music is a great equalizer, so we decided to replicate a similar project in post conflict Sri Lanka. Initially it took us a while to get permission from the North because many NGOs had not been given permission. So because of these stringent rules we started working in Kurunegala where we got funding very easily. So till we got the ability to work in the North, we started in Kurunegala,” stated Wickramasuriya.
So the idea came to her that music can be used as a link language. So they started with three schools in Mullaitivu and three schools in Kurunegala. The children were taught how to play musical instruments. And the response was phenomenal! It was wonderful to see these little children opening up and feeling the warmth and transformative power of music.
“The children were starting to respond to something that was holistic, therapeutic, fulfilling and beautiful. It was something so sweet in former war torn territories. We were privileged to have many specialists and volunteers coming and supporting us. What we have seen and done after the conflict has completely changed us,” pointed out Wickramasuriya.
Wickramasuriya and her companions work with children in the North and Kurunegala who are from farming communities all affected by the Civil War. You can see the devastation in those regions when it comes to physical infrastructure. These children have all lost loved ones in these regions. In Thunukkai Mullaitivu 400 families were displaced. For these children, music was taught to provide a holistic form of recovery.
Learning music makes these children feel included. And at such as small age having experienced such trauma it makes them a feeling of normalcy. It makes them feel a part of society. It makes them a part of humanity.
“The main reason I took up this project was because I felt Post Conflict Sri Lanka was at an all- time low. I felt that if we could touch some of these children with the gift and joy of music, it would be worthwhile,” explained Wickramasuriya.
The Music Project Unite Program will showcase the talents of 200 children from schools in Mullaitivu and Kurunegala who will perform in Pollonnaruwa. It will be a sponsored free concert. It will take place on the August 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. This will be the 10th Unite Program of the Music Project. It is the flagship program of the Music Project. The children have been working very hard to put on a stellar performance. They have come a long way in this journey of theirs.
“In our Orchestra program there are over 450 children, learning Orchestra instruments. The Orchestra program is the core project. The methodology we use is the Suzuki Method – the mother tongue approach to language learning that has been applied to music. We apply the Suzuki method in teaching music, which is totally different to the normal way you learn music. We have seen progress with learning. The children learn very quickly and successfully with good intonation. Music is a global language and a lot of these communities have become isolated due to the war. We have specialists from all around the world, who have converged on Sri Lanka, from countries like Australia, Japan, UK, USA and France. This means a lot because it make these children feel loved and cared for. It makes them feel like global citizens when they get this exposure and opportunity,” said Wickramsuriya. You can visit www.musicprojectsl.com to get a better idea of this project.
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