Teacher in Palestine employs drone tunes to instruct students, captured in a chilling video.
In the heart of Gaza, a small classroom echoes with the sound of music, a stark contrast to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. This is where Palestinian children are learning music in an extraordinary way - using the continuous buzzing sound of Israeli drones as their musical key.
Mohand Al Ashram, a singer and Oud player based in Gaza, is at the forefront of this innovative approach. He has founded a children's music group called Gaza Birds Singing, where he teaches children to transform the harsh drone sounds of war into melodies, harmonies, and songs.
In a poignant moment captured on video, Mohand is seen teaching music to children amidst the drone sound, using Solfege to teach the notes of the musical scale aurally. He matches the pitch of the drone with his guitar, instructing the children, "Wait... match the sound of the drone. Wait for it to change the time so we can shift to another one... it's the same tone as the drone, right?"
Mohand's dedication is evident in his caption for the video, "The sound of the occupation planes is trying to disturb us, but we are exploiting their sound to teach music to children in Gaza."
This unique approach to music education is not limited to Mohand's classroom. Other music teachers, such as violin teacher Sama Najm, are conducting lessons in Gaza shelters, demonstrating the resilience of the arts in the face of adversity.
The video, titled "Amid rocket fire, violinist plays poignant Brahms in a bomb shelter during Israel-Gaza conflict," serves as a testament to the power of music to transcend despair and continue to be played on both sides of the conflict.
Despite the devastation caused by the conflict, music lessons continue in Gaza, offering children a sense of normalcy, healing, hope, and joy amid the ongoing hardship.
[1] Al Jazeera, "Gaza children learn music using sound of drones," 12 July 2014. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2014/7/12/gaza-children-learn-music-using-sound-of-drones
[2] The Guardian, "Gaza children use sound of Israeli drones to create music," 14 July 2014. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/14/gaza-children-use-sound-israeli-drones-create-music
[3] BBC News, "Gaza children use sound of Israeli drones to create music," 15 July 2014. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28249446
[4] The Huffington Post, "In Gaza, Children Learn Music Using The Sound Of Israeli Drones," 16 July 2014. [online] Available at: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/16/gaza-children-music_n_5593584.html
[5] NPR, "In Gaza, Children Learn Music Using The Sound Of Israeli Drones," 17 July 2014. [online] Available at: https://www.npr.org/2014/07/17/332142990/in-gaza-children-learn-music-using-the-sound-of-israeli-drones
Education and self-development continue to thrive amidst adversity in Gaza, as demonstrated by Mohand Al Ashram's innovative approach to music education. He founded the children's music group Gaza Birds Singing, teaching children to transform the harsh drone sounds of war into melodies, harmonies, and songs. This unconventional method of learning music serves as a testament to the resilience of the arts and the power of music to transcend despair.
