event description

Department of Youth Welfare, Cochin University of Science and Technology organized a music workshop for selected students, both in eastern and western, during 23 – 25, August 2019 with a mission to awake and nourish the unique musical spirit that lies in every student. The objectives of the workshop were:

• To explore and demonstrate skills in understanding and appreciating music.
• To demonstrate knowledge of the variety of materials/media used to make music in varied settings.
• To demonstrate critical listening skills through the discussion of compositions using musical terms and expressions.
• To react and make informed criticisms about individual and group creative efforts.

Ms. Sajna Sudheer, known singer and Assistant Professor in Music, Government Women’s College Trivandrum was the key resource person. The workshop started with primary music education, which is critical in terms of the students’ musical development, including music literacy. Then the workshop developed into various aspects of skills in music education, such as, voice quality, sense of rhythm, types of pitch, aural skill, modulations, mic arrangements etc. After a detailed demonstration on all these aspects, she talked about differences and similarities between Indian and Western music. In the last day, students made their own small group productions based on the learning in the workshop.

As widely accepted, Music Workshops help to develop brain areas involved in language and reasoning. The workshop helped the participants to physically develop the cognitive part of their brain, known to be involved with processing language, linking familiar songs to new information etc. The three days experience increased their ability to think creatively and to solve problems by imagining various solutions, rejecting outdated rules and assumptions.

In general, students were in positive emotions – excitement, surprise, pride, joy – light up the faces of adult students. They enjoyed all sessions and it was an excited and innovative experience in their life.