Only a few months in, 2021 has already been an adventure, full of both sleepless nights and productive days. It was just about a year ago that I wrote a two-part series blog on “What to Do During Quarantine.” Seeing how we have all made it out alive from the grasps of boredom, it’s safe to say that we’ve adopted this new “pandemic norm”. Schools have adjusted to distance learning, masks are forgotten far less frequently, and hands are sanitized in a blink of an eye. The slump that existed at the beginning of quarantine seems to have disappeared, especially since we’ve now acknowledged that this isn’t just a two-week or one-month situation. Yet, we’ve learned to appreciate our past memories, now enjoying the passing little moments while feeling hopeful for our future days. In one year, Oclef has grown significantly as a school, with an increasing number of students, classes, and various projects that showcase our efforts going beyond just piano.
While I’d love to ramble on and on about Oclef’s growth (with much-appreciated thanks to all of you :)), I want to highlight a specific accomplishment – Emma Rahardja, one of our S3/4 students, has successfully developed a Path Project.
About Path Project
Path Project is a course that Oclef offers to students in Stages 3 and 4. We believe that students in these stages benefit from developing a portfolio of projects. Students who take this course will pitch to a panel, asking for resources to accomplish their project. These projects should showcase the student’s independence, passion, and creativity while benefiting the Oclef community.
Examples of projects include launching an album, publishing a book, publishing compositions, developing and launching an education app, creating a video portfolio of performances, and organizing a concert or event. We encourage students to aim for realistic, yet challenging projects that will teach them about project management, pitching, entrepreneurship, and much more. Path Project is a required course for all Stage 4 students at Oclef and an elective course for Stage 3 students.
Dreamcatcher
On March 20, 2021, Emma released her second album “Dreamcatcher,” which features 9 arrangements of songs that illustrate her interpretation of a good dream, combinations of slow and hypnotic, light and upbeat, or majestic and grand. Dreamcatchers are believed to capture good dreams and pass them down to the person sleeping beneath them – the album aims to do the same to its listeners. In expressing her creativity, Emma has gifted us all with music that leaves us with pleasant emotions, whether it’s feeling relaxed or even nostalgic from recognizing the melodies.
Listen to “Dreamcatcher,” now available on Apple Music and Spotify! Additionally, to learn more about Emma and her process in creating “Dreamcatcher,” check out the video interview below.
Happy Easter,
Adele Nguyen, Oclef Piano Instructor
