The Piano Association of Solomon Islands (PASI) gaining more help
Readers of my letters over the years will be aware of my keenness to see youths with musical talents come together and form a national youth orchestra with possible help from donor partners contributing musical instruments and music instruction and education.
There is no shortage of musical talent in the Solomon Islands which lies in part due to traditional and cultural practices and I am confident more could be done to harness talented and interested young people into forming a representative national youth orchestra.
The Piano Association of the Solomon Islands (PASI) which gives young musicians an opportunity to play musical instruments, music education and attain recognised achievements with official awards provides the ideal starting platform for a national youth orchestra, if only the association could be aided with a combination of government and donor aid to see its further development and its engagement with more youths that share my dream of Solomon Island’s very own national youth orchestra,
The association is currently run by volunteer’s trainers and educators who have worked tirelessly for several years with some help from supporters in Australia and where the association’s students receive their official music awards each year, albeit because of Covid some awards are still to be made.
It was because I saw PASI and the students as the nucleus of a greater national youth orchestra platform that I encouraged the visit to the Solomon Islands in 2020 of the British music ensemble the Dionysus Ensemble that had strong links with the UK’s Commonwealth Institute.
I wrote last week about the visit to Honiara of the Dionysus Ensemble’s highly successful month long training and music education time with the PASI students and the help received from the Commonwealth Institute, the British High Commission and Solomon Airlines.
Since last week’s letter, I have learned of new developments relating to PASI which I am pleased to be able to share with you.
The first bit of news is that the Dionysus Ensemble performed a concert in London early last week and both the US Consul and British High Commission held a watch party at the British High Commissioner’s residence, and used the occasion to raise some funds for PASI.
The Dionysus Ensemble has plans to further help PASI students with online music lessons and getting an electronic piano for the association.
I believe talks have been held about online music lessons and the acquisition of a piano but await further information.
I am most appreciative of the Dionysus Ensemble’s willingness and interest in furthering music education for the PASI students by way of online instruction.
I am also grateful to the British High Commissioner and the US Consul in Honiara for the recent fund raising for PASI, not forgetting the gift of sheet music by the British High Commissioner during the Dionysus Ensemble’s visit to Honiara.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
