By --Courtesy of Lex Majoros | volunteer cellist
Dear Friends,
In the summer of 2016 Lex Majoros, a young cellist at Moses Brown School in Providence Rhode Island and the RI Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, joined the Rock-Paper-Scissors team on our annual trip to Vietnam. Lex, an incredible talent, worked exclusively with one of our newest cello students named Linh, a painfully shy young boy. The two work closely together for a month, and what resulted was a profound transformation for both.
This past March, Lex shared his experience with Arete, the Moses Brown School monthly newsletter, and we would like to share that with you all. Your continued support is evidence of your belief in the power of music education and the belief in our program. Please share this story with your family, friends and coworkers, and always remember, without this support, none of this would be possible.
Take care,
Patrick O'Brien
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Go
Vietnamese travels thanks to Owen Award
Art makes the world a better place, we know, but how does music, poetry, or painting help people in extreme poverty? A cellist, actor, and dancer, Lex Majoros ’17 faced this question last summer, on an arts-service trip to Vietnam made possible by an Owen Award.
Lex was invited to join a group of the Rock-Paper-Scissors Children’s Fund, a Rhode Island-based nonprofit that serves poor, rural Vietnamese children through art and music programs. The team – music teachers, a violinist and repair technician, photographers, yoga instructors, and five high school artists and musicians, including Lex and classmate Sabine Angier ’17 – embarked on the 30-hour journey to Ho Chi Minh City, and on to the village of Cam Duc.
Music and art lessons were held at the community center. “I began teaching cello to a 12-year-old boy,” Lex says. “Linh was self-conscious about his speech impediment, so we were equally awkward in trying to communicate through our translator. The language barrier pushed us to connect physically and audibly: mimicry, facial expressions, and opinionated grunts on my part. We got a lot done!” Some afternoons were spent with children in nearby villages, painting, dancing, and performing. He reflects, “It was wonderful, but I wondered, did these kids really need something as ephemeral as music or art when they lacked basic necessities?”
In the city of Hue, the group visited an orphanage. “As soon as there was music, kids ran to show off some crazy dance moves,” Lex laughs. “There was nothing formal about it – dancers jumped in and out of the fray as they pleased – but it was pure joy. Art fosters not only joy, but compassion, a sense of community. This brief experience reminded me why I love what I do, and how grateful I was to be involved with Rock-Paper-Scissors.”
At the final concert, Lex’s student played four pieces with some young violinists. “Linh played perfectly and hugged his friends after they bowed,” he recalls. “Once too embarrassed to speak, he was engaged with the group. His uneasiness was gone, and what was left was familial sense of belonging. It was hard to leave them the next day. Among the rewards of the experience was the opportunity to question and personally clarify the value of the arts. I’d like to thank Rob Owen for making this adventure possible.”
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