Vera Sarkisova, music teacher

We learn how to play piano, understand elements of playing sequences, play glockenspiel, and we have our own percussion emsemble.  We get acquainted with lives and works of different composers, attend concerts, and listen to various music.

            I used to consider good skills of playing piano as my main goal of teaching children. But now I see how children listen to music and then reflect their impression in painting. And I understand that the most important purpose is to develop their perceptions and feelings.

I talked to Ruslan about the life of the great violinist O.Kogan, about his work, his life in Germany, about his wife - cellist N.Gutman. Ruslan painted pictures that reflected his inner musical life. Luba has painted a picture ‘Moonlight sonata’, Lesha- ‘Little violinist’.

Once we were driving in the bus, the radio was playing, and at one moment children shouted ‘It’s Vivaldi!’. And then they were sitting very quietly and listening to music. A lot of them can already tell the difference between Bethoven and Mozart!

We study different musical instruments. Kids can try playing them, and you should see their shining eyes when they are touching violoncello! Once Chinese musicians visited us, they showed us Chinese folk instruments, Mongolian instruments. We listened to a record of «duduk» played by D. Gasparyan. Now children know that duduk is an Armenian folk instrument.

How strange it is that children with families often don’t want to study music, but our children come and their first question is ‘When is my turn???’

Also we learn dancing. With amazing desire and attention our children assimilate movements of waltz and tango. It’s unforgettable. They reach for music.

Not long time ago we visited a concert in “Rahmaninov Hall”, we went there with children from Chechnya, whom Maria visited on New Year. You should’ve seen their faces! Heda said she had never seen or heard anything like that! We got to hear R. Shuman «Quarter for piano and strings», Bartok.  The music was quite hard for perception but kids were sitting and listening without any movement!

           And of course the main point in our process is communication with these kind little persons. They talk so much to us about good and bad things. We listen to each one and share with them their good and bad moments, it is our common studio’s life.