This summer, I took a leap of faith and volunteered for a two-week teaching assignment with American Voices YES Academy in Beirut. Though Beirut used to be known as “The Paris of the Middle East,” the Lebanese Civil War (1975 – 1990) and Lebanon’s conflict-ridden border with Syria have diminished Beirut’s allure as a destination. Despite my Armenian roots, that part of the world was never on my travel bucket list and is on the U.S. State Department’s “Reconsider Travel” list. I first learned about the YES Academy program when I attended Dr. Scott Donald’s session “Art in Difficult Places” at the 2018 MTNA Conference in Orlando. The title drew me in. Without even really knowing it, I had dreamed of teaching in a program such as this. I was enlivened by the challenge and the reward of getting out of my comfort zone and using my forty-two years of experience to do something positive in an entirely different setting. A month after the conference, I emailed the director of American Voices, Dr. John Ferguson. We Skyped late one night, and our discussion served as my “job interview.” John said, “There are two different reactions people have when they hear about this program; they either run as far away from it as they can possibly get, or, like you, they seek it out and embrace it with open arms.” So, after getting Typhoid and Hepatitis A and B shots, buying a long skirt and a modesty scarf, and packing every conceivable score and teaching aid my suitcase would hold, I met my new colleague, Peter Thoresen, at JFK airport. After an extremely long trip and harrowing cab ride from the Beirut International Airport, Peter and I arrived on the campus of Notre Dame Louaize. It was pure magic. The Mediterranean climate presented in full flower, complete with olive, pomegranate and nut trees, gardenia, lantana, all waving in the balmy winds, with a backdrop of rugged mountains with slate-roofed houses. Students came to the YES Academy program from all over Lebanon, Syria, and Pakistan. The financial burden of the trip was high for many students. In addition to the $200 USD tuition fee, students coming from Syria had to pay a $2,000 USD border fee to cross into Lebanon. Those who lived farther away stayed in hotels in Beirut. Students ranged from Junior Pianists as young as seven years old, to Intermediate Pianists and Advanced Pianists (who turned out to be extremely advanced and as old as 25!). Students could “major” in Piano, Voice, Composition, Broadway, or String Orchestra. Chamber Music, Baroque Orchestra, Music Business, and Wellness classes were also offered. All of the classes were taught in group settings, and there were very few pianos available in the classrooms.
I shared responsibility for the morning’s nineteen Junior and Intermediate pianists with Scott and assisted Scott and Dr. Seba Ali of Beirut with the twelve Advanced Pianists in the afternoon. We focused on sight-reading, basic rhythm training, listening skills, and ensemble playing. Students worked to polish their pieces for the public performance at the end of the program. Additionally, each student was paired with another for a duet that they learned during the program. For many, it was their first ensemble experience, and it was a huge success. My students learned to bow deeply and proudly, to keep going when they made mistakes, and to evaluate each other’s performances in a positive manner—something that is not common in that part of the world. It is impossible to chronicle the depth of relationships I forged with my students during those two weeks. They came with incredibly open hearts and minds, thirsty for anything that would help them improve. I can still hear the cadences of my students’ voices and the lilt of their playing, including some notes and rhythms that never quite got corrected. I still see their smiles and hear their bubbling laughter. My students from the YES Academy program have difficult lives. Though some even live under constant threat of attack, their spirits are unmarred, and their search for musical knowledge is a shining example to me. I left many of them with real music scores as gifts—something they don’t have access to, particularly in Syria. Furthermore, the staff at American Voices was beyond terrific. They stocked our guest house with coffee and treats and planned outings into the mountains and downtown Beirut to see mosques, Roman ruins, and cathedrals. They arranged for falafel wraps and pizza when we wouldn’t have time to go out for meals and supported our every teaching need. We also had the pleasure of working with wonderful teaching assistants, Yorgo Pano and Elie Swama, who translated, played at an extremely high level, and who are gifted teachers in their own right. Once again, I thank MTNA for enlightening and educating me and for leading me to this experience of a lifetime! If I am able, I know I’ll go back for years to come. Submitted by Alison S. Barr
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