Violin virtuosos

To be Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra's most talented musician, Lea Melki, 16, has had to put in years of effort. Notes learns more about the young violin player and the man, Riad Kudsi — the orchestra conductor and her teacher — who helped get her there.

A life of music

Melki, a Lebanese national, was born in Luxembourg and began playing the violin at the Luxembourg conservatory at five.

"My sisters play the piano but when I went to see German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter play, I decided to play the violin," said Melki.

When Melki's family decided to move to Dubai she was unhappy as she thought there wouldn't be any opportunities for her to continue her violin lessons. However, she chanced upon Riad Kudsi, founder and conductor of the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO). "I came to Mr Kudsi when I was nine and I was really happy to continue playing. When the EYSO became quite big I really enjoyed high level pieces with others."

Excellence did come at a small price. Melki often gave up going to birthday parties and fun outings with friends so she could practise. "Sometimes you have to choose between having fun with your friends and even though this is a hobby, it's very important to me in my life," she said.

Music benefits

Where some people have meditation, sports or yoga to de-stress, Melki has music.

"I go to school during the day but in the afternoons I play and I have something else to think about. It really helps relieve my stress."

Music, Melki said, has taught her to think differently and gain an edge over other children who haven't had classical music training.

"When you play in concerts you have to have a good memory and be able to concentrate for long periods of time. Music has also made me more cultural and knowledgeable about the history of artists and composers."

Before Melki starts learning a piece of music, Kudsi tells her about the composer, why he wrote the piece, the musical period or movement during which it was written. "You cannot play perfectly and with emotion if you don't know why the composer wrote the piece and what he was feeling when he did," said Melki.

Although Melki is quite talented she has chosen to pursue a different career path. She plans to study bioengineering in Paris next year but hopes to play with the Paris orchestra.

Bringing the arts to the UAE

Kudsi came to Dubai in 1986 and established the EYSO in 1993. Year by year the orchestra has grown and in 2000 it went on a world tour of Oman, Kuwait, Paris Euro Disney and the Czech Republic. Melki was part of the tour.

This led to the annual EYSO festival, which is now in its fifth year and is made up of children of about 25 nationalities who are based in Dubai. The festival is supported by Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as an honorary patron and other government organisations such as the Dubai Cultural Council and the UAE Ministry of Information and Culture.

Kudsi said nine of his students are music professionals around the world. One of them, an Indian student who attended the Jumeirah English Speaking School, is now with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The others are part of American, French and Russian orchestras.

Tough training

Syrian-born Kudsi started training from the age of seven when his father, a music lover, gave him basic violin lessons. It was fortuitous when the Ministry of Culture opened a music institute near his home in Alipore.

"I applied, they accepted me and I magically progressed there. I had a Russian teacher who said I showed much talent," Kudsi said.

Despite his talent, Kudsi ended up studying architecture at university and practised music while there. When he heard about music scholarships being offered by the Ministry of Culture, he applied. He went on to study for nine years in the Czech Republic conservatory, one of the most prestigious in the world.

Kudsi still recalls his first lesson while playing with the symphony orchestra in the Czech Republic. The young Kudsi requested lessons with an accomplished teacher who gave him a series of pieces to play for the first lesson. "I just started playing the violin and he yelled 'stop' and threw out my music. He then said: 'Now you must pay money for the lesson.'"

"Over there music is not fun and they do not joke with anybody!" said Kudsi with a laugh.

According to Kudsi many of the young students he teaches are not prepared for the kind of discipline that classical music demands. "Mothers allow children to do what they like. It's just for fun."