US Embassy, Strauss School Hold Concert Against Violence Among Youths

The United States Embassy in collaboration with Strauss School of Music on Wednesday hosted a concert aimed at nurturing global peaceful coexistence among pupils and students at an early stage.

According to the Cultural Affairs Officer at the US Embassy, Sterling Tilley, the concert which had New York based band, the Huntertones in performance, is part of efforts to establish a connection with Nigerian youths.

Tilley added that the event would help the youths recognise the importance of creative and constructive activities rather than engage in harmful or violent behaviour.

Also, a member of the Huntertones band, Dan White, while speaking at the concert said they decided to use music to inspire young children so that “they can do anything they want to be if they work hard”.

Sharing the band success story White said Huntertones had encountered challenges at the start-up phase but became an international brand through its determination and hardwork.

“We are  here as cultural ambassadors to share music with Nigerians for a week. today we want the young children to be inspired, work hard and dream about what they could become. Because for the Huntertones inspiration was our driving force”, he said.

On her own part the Director of the Strauss Schools, Golda Obi, said they made music a key part of the curriculum because it prepares young children for the wider world noting that they had an extra edge over their peers who did not.

“Music is an ice breaker, it’s a story because education has become so universal, it’s expected that every child will be good in maths and English. But, I have found that the questions students meet at interview  is ‘what else are you about?’, and at Strauss we’ve decided that  we must give our pupils that what else to talk about”, Obi said.

A Strauss Parent, Ms. Too Attah, commended the concert, saying the programme will inspire the children to learn how to play instruments.

Meanwhile Huntertones with thier high energy, horn-driven sound genre that does a great job at bringing people together will once more take the stage at another event on Friday before heading back to New York.