Emirates news agency – Ras Al Khaimah Music Zone awards 16 scholarships to flying students

RAS AL KHAIMAH, October 30, 2021 (WAM) – Music Zone, the largest music school in the United Arab Emirates, has offered scholarships for guitar and violin lessons to 16 budding musicians in Ras Al Khaimah, each of whom was educated at the state. state-of-the-art facility which recently celebrated its first anniversary.

The group – eight children on guitar and eight adults on violin between the ages of eight and 40 – recently completed their 10-week program, during which they thrived under the direction of Sreten Jovic, who holds a master’s degree in musical performance from the University of Belgrade, Serbia.

From now on, the basic lessons – guitar and vocals for adults and keyboard (from 8 years old) and violin (from 9 years old) for children – are open to the public from November 1 after the success of the scholarship pilot .

Music Zone was created by His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, to encourage communities in the emirate to use music as a means to improve their skills and well-being. , while discovering and developing talents in a school. which serves as a distinguished center of excellence for music education.

Part of Music Zone’s mandate is to engage with local communities and empower Emiratis to develop their talents. The facility now has 27 regular Emirati participants, including three enrolled in the scholarship program, which has been brought in to pilot a new way of learning that Music Zone CEO John Robinson calls the “musician’s journey”.

Robinson and his team identified the need to develop methods of learning music. So they compared various music programs globally and from their findings created a unique program framework for those who want to follow their dreams and learn to play an instrument at Music Zone.

Robinson said: “We wanted to open up a new learning experience through larger groups that provide students with a greater variety of opportunities and, so far, this experience has taught us that there is a multitude. talent in Ras Al Khaimah; all they needed was a place like Music Zone to discover their abilities.

“Music Zone is a place where people of all ages and abilities can come and learn an instrument in a safe, friendly environment with the best equipment and trainers you can imagine.”

Safa Al Shehhi, a 27-year-old law graduate from the University of Sharjah, who received a scholarship to play the violin, said: “At first I thought it was impossible but after a few weeks I got better. . The fact that the lessons are in a group is useful because this format gives us the motivation to continue and to chat with and learn from our colleagues. “

Nine-year-old Omisha Shetty from India is one of the children who started playing guitar and she flourished during her scholarship. “I really liked it. It was so much more than taking guitar lessons because it was so much fun. If I didn’t come to Music Zone my life wouldn’t be so fun. I love it so much. that I want to keep playing when I’m older and focus on rock music, ”she said.

Jovic said: “The idea is to help students become aware of the concepts and structures of music, of what it means to be a musician and to see the possibilities of what they can achieve as individuals and as a group.

“It’s not just a music lesson and learning to use musical instruments, it’s a way to communicate and build an artistic community in Ras Al Khaimah.”