::: Star Weekend Magazine :::

Venture

The Power of Music

Elita Karim

In the middle of office buildings, a slow traffic honking non-stop and pedestrians trying their best to stay away from the notorious snake-women luring them with their sweet talk for a few takas, the Gulshan 1 intersection is an ever-busy section of the bustling city. In spite of all this, every weekend, young musicians attend music classes in one of the buildings there at the Sound of Music. Principal of the school, a music school located on Gulshan 1, Fawzia Z. Chowdhury along with the director of the institution, Md. Saiful Islam first launched the school on May 7, 2008.

In spite of the fact that Fawzia is not a musician herself, she still manages to nurture her love for music. “I love instruments and I look for different instruments wherever I go and try to comprehend the different kinds of music around,” she says. “I have travelled to many places and I truly believe that music is a universal language, strong enough to look beyond barriers and the many differences that we have.”

With the motto, 'Music is Power,' the school hopes to inspire its students to achieve the highest in musical expertise. “It has been proven in research that knowledge and appreciation of music enhances motor, mathematical and other skills as well,” says Fawzia. “The school wants to develop these skills connected to the playing and appreciation of music.”

The school offers classes in piano, violin, guitar and the sitar. “From September, we will have vocal training and drums as well,” says Saiful. A musician himself, Saiful has been learning the guitar with Kamal, the famous guitar player of Warfaze and Aurthohin. “In fact, we also have Kamal in the faculty,” he adds. The teachers at this school are highly talented who have had training in many different parts of the world.

Natasha Chaklader, from Russia, has been teaching the piano and recorder professionally for the last five years. Having completed Level-8 on the piano. She has designed her courses at the school accordingly for students belonging to different levels.

Philippe, from France, has been teaching the piano professionally for the last eight years and more in France, China and Bangladesh. Having completed his courses at the Classical Music Academy in France, he has also trained himself on Jazz music in China for two years.

Kamal is a famous guitarist and a rock musician who has been dominating the music scene for the last 15 years. Currently playing with Aurthohin and one of the founder members of Warfaze, his self-designed guitar curriculum at the school has attracted a lot of youngsters to this school.

Philip Hazra teaches the violin at the school. Having achieved certificates in the advanced violin and also in cello, he has also been a teacher at the Centre for Asian Arts and Cultures (CAAC). Currently, he is also teaching at the Alliance Francaise de Dhaka.

Imran Ahmed has been a piano teacher at the Dhaka International Music School and has completed a five-year course from the same institution. He has also had the opportunity to play in front of great dignitaries, foreign ambassadors and the prime minister.

According to Fawzia and Saiful, many more teachers will join the school, which now boasts at least 50 students who come every weekend to learn music. “I hope school children would soon be taking up music in their Ordinary and Advanced Level studies as well,” says Fawzia. “We have the resources, we have teachers and we have students who are passionate about it. Why not just do it then?”

The school charges an admission fee of Tk 2,000 and other monthly fees that range from Tk 1,000 to Tk 2,000 a month. Sound of Music hopes to follow its vision and unite the youngsters and the future generation with the power of music, adds Fawzia.

Location:
Sound of Music
House 3, Flat C4, Road 20, Gulshan 1.