First impressions with ready made choirs in Mumbai

Hello!

I've been in Mumbai since 26th July because I am based at the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation! They are so lovely over there and take great care of me.

They have a project called "From Barcelona to Mumbai": three conductors/teachers (singing) have come with an organiser, all from Catalunya and teach three groups of choirs from 5 different schools. All from the scratch: the kids don't know the songs and don't read the music and don't know the pronounciation of the languages (catalan, "maori" from New Zealand, german, italian, and some in english of course). I have been accompanying all of them and there is only a month for a lot of music in different voices, so it's litterally work every day!

I had my two first students yesterday and today. They are both teenagers, talented, hard-workers and very motivated! The first played Prokofiev "Vision Fugitive 8" and Chopin "Polonaise" and the other two pieces from Fantasiestuck (Schumann). The MMMF has given me the most advanced students for now because I have a lot of work with the choirs for the month of July. So I should have more to say on other students in August!

I have already been to a Marvadi wedding (beautiful saris and decorated horse for the groom), to Elephanta Cava where I got sunstroke on the boat (and it is bad, so all! be careful and don't stay in the sun!), marine dirve for the sunset and Taj Mahal Hotel!

But enough on tourism! The children here are very enthusiastic for the most and a funny thing is their way to say yes with their head. It is a mixture of yes and no!! Hopefully we can make videos for you. The school (MMMF) is a school of Western Classical music and they are very interested into new ways but like all children, they have their own tricks of course. Shy at the start, very happy by the end of the workshop or class.

The two students I have had so far already have their own ideas on the music they play, choose what they want to play. I have a lot to learn from them as well! i have also met a little boy who composes on the piano and his sister who is only 8 just loves the double bass and is learning it with so much passion!!

Juliette (4th July 2010)