When I first left Vancouver and began my teaching career on the other side of the world in Changchun, China, I was stunned by the fact that there are not many arts activities anywhere in the city. I was fortunate to be introduced to the manager of Bole Music Centre, Jason Zhang, who kindly offered several music-related opportunities for me and my students to explore.

 

In the past three years in Changchun, we worked together to provide students with various experiences to be connected to the outside musical world. Every year in December and June, my grade 6, and 7 students would join me to the music instrument museum provided by Bole where students have the chance to see and hear instruments from all over the world. In China, we also have the privilege to see many ancient Chinese instruments and hear live performance by the local musicians through this music outreach program which my former students in Canada would not be able to experience otherwise.

​

Aside from the museum tour, my students would sometimes receive drumming workshops and presentations on guitar or ukulele during the field trip to the centre. In return, my students would sometimes prepare performance for the staffs in the centre. Students enjoy these experiences a lot as these experiences are not usually happening in Changchun either inside or outside of the school.

​

In December 2017, after months of planning with Jason, I organized the first outreach experience outside of Changchun to Harbin, also known as The City of Music that was recognized by UNESCO. During the three day trip to Harbin, my students performed at two different venues for the local communities, watched an Italian-cast French opera in the Grande Opera House, visited the Conservatory of Music, the Jewish Synagogue, the Steinway Piano House, and learned about the music origin of Harbin.

​

Although these activities and field trips seem to be usual in the Western countries, however, not many students in Changchun were able to encounter such experience throughout their whole education. Through these music outreach activities, it not only gave the students a platform to express their talents in music, it also widened the students' horizon in the outside music world. The experience working as an organizer with Bole and Jason was definitely a unique one!