Joseph Byron Trpkosh

“Music is a universal language.”Notes are notes, music is music, right? While the basic concepts of music are universal, the finer mechanisms are a little more varied. Upon arrival at SMAN Sumatra Selatan Sampoerna Academy in January, I was thrown into the classroom routine almost right away and was immediately asked to adapt a curriculum for the students. As a first year teacher, that is terrifying! I did not have any other option, though, so that is exactly what I did.

I began with teaching basic music notation, trying to get away from the number system the students were so used to. We have worked hard on rhythm: dictation, notation, and listening and the students have adapted to this western system, though some a little more begrudgingly than others.

In addition to rhythm, we have been working on reading and writing notes on the staff. Through mnemonics and some friendly competitions, students fully understand this concept. Overall, the students are keen to learn and willing to try new techniques, even when my activities are experimental.

As our new academic year draws nearer, I hope to utilize more practical means for teaching. The first step in doing this is to acquire new resources. While I develop a new and more organized curriculum for next year, I hope some new supplies, i.e. instruments, will be available to us. In addition to this, I hope to incorporate music club and music class a little more. With this unifying of structures, I believe we’ll be able to have regular concerts, develop our musical ability, and expose these students to more a varied selection of repertoire.