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IC NEWSLETTER -
SUMMER 2009
10
They sang like they never sang before and they performed
like they never performed before. At least, that’s what the
seven students said upon their return – all shiny eyed and
exuberant – from Qatar.
“In this one Pakistani song, we had to sit on the floor,”
said one student as the others emphatically nodded in
agreement. “And,” continued another student “we got to
sing solos”. “And,” they continued enthusiastically, “we had
to improvise on the spot.”
“It was,” they agreed, “just amazing.”
The“amazing”concert was held in Doha as part of the AMIS
International Honor Band and Choir Festival and hosted by
American School of Doha on the 19-21st of March.
The festival, the 34th since its inception, was attended by 40
International and American schools from around the world.
Whilenoneof the students areparticularly novices to concerts,
theAMIS festivaloffersauniqueopportunitynotonlyof singing
with peers from various countries but being trained by world
renown conductors. At this year’s festival, the participants
were led by Elena Sharkova, director of the Symphony Silicon
Valley Choral in San Jose, California, conductor of Vienna Boys
Choir Gerard Wirth and Steve Peterson, director of bands at
Ithaca College in Ithaca, NewYork.
It was by no means easy joining the festival. Students have
to send in audition tapes. AMIS receives anywhere from700
to 800 tapes every year vying for about 120 spaces. Sixteen
students from IC auditioned. Seven were accepted – the
highest number since the school started participating
eight years ago.
Participants are then sent the music sheets in preparation
for the three-day event.
This was the first time that an Arab country was chosen to
hold the festival. One of the songs chosen was “Ya habibi”
by Fairuz. IC students found themselves the center of
attention. “It was great,” said Racil Labban, in 5th grade.
“Kids there said we were from a cool country. For once, we
weren’t looked at as ‘terrorists’”.
Rehearsals began in the morning and continued for eight
straight hours. “We were all on the same level,” said Thuraya
Zureik, 5th grade. “We all had the same passion for music.
If you’re humming to yourself, someone will come up and
harmonize with you. We never got tired.”
Among the youngest was Petro Hajj, who had attended
the Junior Amis last year. “There is a huge difference,” he
said. “This was so much more professional.”
The biggest treat, however, was being trained by Gerard
Wirth, the Vienna Boys’ conductor.
“He was emotionally driven,” said Haitham Haidar. “What
he feels at the spurt of them made him conduct us in a
different way.”
During one song, Wirth insisted that soloists sit on the floor
and take off their shoes. In others, students were suddenly
put on the spot to improvise. Best of all, anyone who
wanted to solo, could – if he or she were up to it.
The festival was especially poignant to Haitham, a six year
veteran of AMIS, who graduates in June. Haitham has been
accepted at UBC school of music in Vancouver to study for
an Advance Performance and Vocals degree.
Even Randa Sabbah, the head of music department who
accompanied the students to Doha, felt in awe at the concert.
When offering to help with the Arabic pronunciation for
international students, Wirth asked her to take his place.
“I didn’t want to take his place,’ said Sabbah taken aback.
“He asked me to sing it. I was embarrassed but I did it.”
In front of her eyes, Sabbah’s students grew. She looked
on as Julia Sabra’s voice filled the hall as she began the
Fairuz piece. “Her eyes were shining,” said Sabbah. “It was
wonderful seeing that.”
Julia herself admits being nervous at the beginning but
soon forgot herself. “It was beyond anything I expected,”
she said.
Back at IC, students and teacher were still on cloud nine.
“This festival brought back the Middle East,” said Sabbah.
“We were all so proud.”
An
“Amazing”
Concert