SAISA is an organization which brings together international schools from across South Asia and West Asia to compete against one another in sports, music and other non-core curricular activities. SAISA events enable students to represent their schools at other schools abroad. They also provide students an opportunity to visit other international schools in the region and to sample and experience homestays with other families.

As a higher level IB music student, I decided to take part in SAISA Band and Choir this year.I play the cello in the school band and and I take piano and cello lessons outside of school but I have never taken voice training lessons or sung in a choir before. I thought that this would be a good opportunity for me to learn what it’s like to sing in a choir.

It was a challenge to me at first because even though I can read music it was hard for me to sing because I am an alto tenor and I always got lost because I had to switch from alto to tenor or tenor to alto. We had rehearsals once a week for five weeks before we left for SAISA with our music teacher Mrs. Duncan and it helped us to get an understanding of the different genres of music the songs were from.

This year, SAISA music was hosted by Lincoln School, Nepal and the theme was “What is Your  Story?”. The songs and pieces chosen had some connection to the theme. The songs were Homeward bound, Song De Camaguay, When the Earth Stands Still, Nisi Dominus, I Sing because I’m Happy and You Will Be Found. Before we left the music department of Lincoln School asked us to send them a picture which tells a story about us and we had to fill a survey answering a couple of questions.

 

DAY 1-Friday

We travelled the dusty roads of Kathmandu arrived in school at 7.45 in the morning. It was freezing cold so everyone was rushed into the Globe Theatre for the opening ceremony.  All the students were given a Nepali silk shawl to keep.Then we were off to our respective ensemble rehearsal. This year the choir director was Mr. Joshua Grandland, a music teacher from Los Angeles. He was very energetic, engaging and fun to work with. He did a lot of exercises during the rehearsal to help with breathing and pronouncing consonants. We also got multiple breaks between rehearsals to meet up with students from other schools.

After lunch we were divided into 13 teams. Each team comprised of students from every school and we had to do a quiz. The team I was in came first! We were asked to sit with our team for dinner. Dinner was fun because the music department had printed out the pictures we sent them and the team members got the chance to take a look at them and write a comment on it. This was basically to share our story with the others.After dinner we went back to our host families.My host family was THE BEST host family! They were awesome!! The kids were lovely and I love them!

Day 2

Day 2 was more intense than day 1. We had more rehearsals on day 2 and a combined rehearsal with the band because the choir and band were performing “Homeward Bound” together. By this day everyone had made friends with people from other schools and it was very nice to hang out with them and to get to know them better.In the afternoon there was a solo and ensemble concert. Many students participated It was a good opportunity to see the talent all of the friends I had made and we all supported them!

I was being hosted with another girl from my school and she decided to go out with a couple of friends in the evening and they wanted me to come with them but I was too exhausted. So I stayed back at home and played with the children. The host family was a Danish family so we played some Danish games and chilled out. I really connected with a children and I knew that I’d have a hard time saying goodbye to them but I didn’t want to think about that.

Day 3

This was the day of the final concert. We had a combined rehearsal in the morning and then ensemble rehearsals. Most of us were tired because by this day we had had 15 hours of practice. The concert went off very well. Everyone had fun which is what is important. After the concert there was an afterparty where a Nepali band performed and all the participants made a big round and started dancing!! It was very very sad to say farewell to all the amazing friends I made. I still miss them. Little did I know that we were meeting up again the next day to go sightseeing.

DAY 4

Finally the day had come. I wasn’t looking forward to this day at all. I didn’t know how to say goodbye to my host family because they are lovely people. We took a couple of pictures outside before we left and the kids even made cards for us.I couldn’t take it anymore so I started to cry after I got into the school bus.

We arrived early in school and all my friends were there too. We then left school to go to Boudhanath. This place had a lot of stupa with prayer wheels and local Nepali shops surrounding the Boudhanath stupa. Me being a jewellery lover had to stop by one of the stores to get something to remember this memorable trip.

This trip taught me simple but important life lessons. I usually keep the alarm and snooze it and never wake up on time but this I had to wake up on time so that I won’t miss the bus. Singing in a choir has made me realized the difference in  playing an instrument in a band and singing in a choir because when your’e playing in a band although you play with the others it’s you and your instrument but when you singing in a choir is almost like having a big conversation with everyone.

SAISA Music was a great experience. I learnt so much, made awesome friends, saw amazing places and what more do you need?

I will definitely do SAISA Music next year just to meet my friends who come from different parts of the world and come together as one and share the same passion for music.