“Music makes you wonder.”
One of our graduate students participated in a social musical project led by Deutsche Radio Philarmonie and Institución Músico-Social 2.
At 21 years old, Pedro Panesso plays with the Deutsche Radio Philarmonie, one of the most important philharmonic orchestras in Germany. He is studying music at the Hochschule für Musik Saar in Saarbrücken and he is also working as a saxophone teacher. In fact, he was also a teacher at Institución Músico-Social 2. We talked to him.
Tell us about your work as a teacher.
“The project went on during 2022 and it ended on January 27th. We were looking for young people from troublesome social contexts who wanted to get close to music. We wanted them to write a musical piece with us. We got together every week to talk about things like the reasons for writing a song, or our contributions to society and the world. We created a new framework and a new theme, and depending on their context, they wrote their songs”.
What did this job mean to you?
“It was a unique opportunity. I had dreamed that this would happen in a distant future. Our work had a big regional impact. Deutsche Radio Philarmonie is an international orchestra, it is very different from the university world, it is the real world. This opportunity only presents itself once in a lifetime”.
What are your thoughts on the social bond created by music?
“This is a very important point. The impact of these musical projects goes beyond musical influence. These are projects in which we can exercise self-discovery. Every art form facilitates a self-discovery process, it makes you wonder. It is also about being part of a group with a common objective. That teaches you a lot in life. These are projects that encompass much more from life”.
Let’s talk about responsibility as a teacher.
“This is something I have a lot of respect for. I have taught music theory and saxophone to young students at the Institution. That makes your wonder, am I qualified enough to explain this in different ways? The teacher must learn as much as the student. Knowing is one thing, learning how to transmit knowledge is a completely different thing”.
Why is music important in the DSM curriculum?
“Because it teaches you to be tolerant, it shows you different genres that you might not necessarily like. There is value in everything, and everything has something to teach us. One thing to note is that, in today's fast-paced world, music can offer a sense of tranquility and relaxation. Music is an open window towards art. Depending on how you see it, it could be not only a simple activity but also an active meditation. It’s about finding the time to focus on that activity, to take a break”.
