US embassy, Strauss School host music concert

The Strauss School of Music and US embassy on Wednesday hosted a concert on peaceful coexistence among pupils and students.

The concert, according to the organisers, is part of efforts to promote positive attitudinal change among the youth.

A New York based band, the Huntertones, performed at the event.

Sterling Tilley, cultural affairs officer at the embassy, said the aim of the programme was to establish a connection with the Nigerian youth, “recognising the importance of creative and constructive outlets as opposed to engaging in harmful or violent behaviour” .

“American Music Abroad artists represent the new generation of musical ambassadors; reaching beyond concert halls to interact with other musicians and citizens around the globe,” Tilley said.

Dan White, a member of the Huntertones band, while speaking at the concert said they decided to use music to inspire young children so that “they can be anything they want to be if they work hard”.

White said Huntertones encountered challenges at the very start, but through determination and hard work, they became an international band and that is the type of lesson they want the young children to learn through the music they play.

“We are  here as cultural ambassadors to share music with Nigerians for a week. today we want the young children to be inspired, work hard and dream about what they could become. Because for the Huntertones inspiration was out driving force,” White said.

On her part, Golda Obi, director of the Strauss Schools, said they made music a key curriculum because it prepares young children for the wider world.

According to her, students who learnt music and creative arts have an extra edge over their peers who did not.

She added that “communities are now about human interactions”.

“Music is an ice breaker, it’s a story because education has become so universal, it’s expected that every child will be good in maths and English. But, I have found that the questions students meet at interview  is ‘what else are you about?’, and at Strauss we’ve decided that  we must give our pupils that what else to talk about,” Obi said.

The Huntertones will perform at another event on Friday before heading back to New York.