Author: Myria Kalli

Blog Post #11

Exploring the Lullaby Project: Lullaby #5, Louise & Giorgos

by Maria Kouvarou

ā€œA recipe for loveā€

(Louise & Giorgos)

The lights are low, the night is rising, a baby is about to fall asleep, enveloped by the comforting sound of love as this is expressed through the melodies, the rhythm, the sonic images carried by a lullaby. Although this scene might be to so many an aspect of their daily routine, there is always something magical in that very moment when, safe and soothed by the voice of a mother, a father, a caregiver, a baby closes its eyes and enters the world of dreams.

And yet, the significance of a lullaby does not stop at that. For, lullabies are not merely love songs that aim to aid a baby fall sleep. They are vehicles that transfer, even if subtly, parentsā€™ experiences and beliefs and aspirations for their children. This becomes even more evident in cases of lullabies that are created by caregivers especially for their babies. As is the lullaby Louise wrote for her little boy.

Did you miss the first post for this lullaby? Read itĀ here.Ā 

One of Louiseā€™s main principles is her desire to be a good role model. In fact, she believes that women can be the most significant role models for a new generation that will make an effective change for a better future. As she has shared during one of our conversations, her mother was to her exactly that: a role model who she has always admired and of whose the positive example she does her best to follow.

She aspires that she will become an exceptional role model for her baby, too. That she will be able to set a positive example for her son, as her mother has done for her. So that her son will know that life is in his hands ā€“ and that he can achieve everything as long as he is a good human, a hard-working person who strives to achieve his dreams while also remaining respectful and kind to all other beings around him.Ā 

This is one of Louiseā€™s most significant purposes ever since she gave birth to her little boy. And, this significant purpose, aligned as it is with the essence of motherhood, might be what further strengthens her feelings of love, elation and hopefulness; what inspires her to sing

ā€œSince I gave birth to you, I have felt only joy and happiness in my lifeā€

Follow Sistema Cyprusā€™ social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram to experience the journey of Lullaby creation.

To find out more about Sistema Cyprus, please visit the website: www.sistemacyprus.comĀ 

Artist collaborating with mother:Ā Giorgos ChristofiĀ 

Lullaby Supported by:Ā EY CyprusĀ 

Follow Sistema Cyprusā€™ social media platforms onĀ FacebookĀ andĀ InstagramĀ to experience the journey of Lullaby creation.

Blog Post #9

Exploring the Lullaby Project: Lullaby #3,Ā Aurelie & Georgia

by Maria Kouvarou

ā€œLove of my lifeā€

(Aurelie & Georgia)

ā€œI dedicate this song to my baby, the love of my life, my hope for lifeā€¦ā€

ā€¦thatā€™s how Aurelie begins the dedication she has written to accompany the lullaby for her little baby. For the little miracle she carried in her womb for nine months; the one that she now carries in her arms. The little miracle to whom and for whom she has been singing.

Did you miss the first post for this lullaby? Read itĀ here.Ā 

In this seemingly simple dedication, Aurelie unveils and communicates deeper ties between a lullaby, a mother, and her child; between a lullaby, a mother, and the love of her life. For lullabies are, much too often, love songs ā€“ bodies of melodies, harmonies, rhythm and words that carry the feelings of unconditional love that parents and caregivers have for their babies. Love songs sung to lull babies each night, filled with affection and care and gratitude and hope for a life filled with light.

Her dedication reminds us, also, how lullabies can be seen as extensions, as sonic embodiments, even, of that connection between mother and child. When Aurelie was writing the lullaby for her baby, she was singing it to him, and he could hear it from within. An internal sonic bond that can only be experienced between embryo and mother, as extensions of one of the other. Now, Aurelie sings to her baby while holding it. And, her voice, becomes the extension of that extension ā€“ the extension of that connection, that aurally envelops the baby, creating a safe, comforting space.

And so, when one reads the full dedication of Aurelie:

ā€œI dedicate this song to my baby, the love of my life, my hope for life. You can go wherever you want, I will never be farā€Ā 

ā€¦we know that that bond, sonically embodied by their lullaby, is one that connects mother and child regardless of place, circumstances, and time.

Artist collaborating with mother: Georgia Chrystoforou

Lullaby Sponsor: XM Cyprus

Follow Sistema Cyprusā€™ social media platforms onĀ FacebookĀ andĀ InstagramĀ to experience the journey of Lullaby creation.

Blog Post #8

Exploring the Lullaby Project: Lullaby #2, ‘Y’ & Mostafa

by Maria Kouvarou

ā€œI want to singā€

(Y. & Mostafa)

They say that the only constant in life, is change. A change that takes all sorts of faƧades and unfolds in countless possible ways. Change is often present in lullabies in different forms, too. In the way caregivers sing about how the arrival of a baby has influenced their lives, in the way they express their hope for a better tomorrow for their children. Change is present even by the mere fact that the lullaby ā€“ sung before sleep ā€“ encompasses in itself a journey from today to tomorrow.Ā 

Did you miss the first post for this lullaby? Read it here.Ā 

At the same time, even in change, there are elements that remain constant. Elements that hold together the befores and the afters, threads that connect past, present and future, making them into complete wholes. And, the ā€œconstant in the changeā€ is something that is again characteristic of lullabies.

Historically, and in not few civilizations, one of the roles of lullabies had been to pass down cultural knowledge and tradition. This is a current noticeable today, too, although it does not necessarily happen purposefully. Rather, one could say that when a mother, a father, a caregiver creates a lullaby for their baby, they do it from the heart ā€“ from the purest corners of their being, from the depths of their experience; places where tradition often resides.

‘Y’ took a journey with his three daughters, a journey that brought them from Syria to Cyprus. Cyprus is home now, and, in this home, Y. writes a lullaby for his little ones. In the lyrics he weaves, in the Arabic language, words that express his love, his pride, and his aspirations for them. In the music he paints sonic images of tradition with an Arabic rhythm that is played with percussion instruments from his country; the doumbek, the riq…Ā 

ā€œGod protect them for me

and make their dreams come trueā€ā€¦

ā€¦he sings, gazing to the future with his daughters. And he does it in the present, but without losing the connection with the past.Ā 

And, by experiencing the interplay between continuity and change through the lullaby Y. has created, we are reminded that, while the world undergoes rapid changes, new generations replace older ones, and tradition is ever-modernized, some things remain constant and universal: the unconditional love of parents and caregivers for their children, and the heartfelt way in which this love is expressed when they lull their babies each night.

Artist collaborating with mother: Mostafa Ismail

Lullaby Supported by: European UniversityĀ Ā 

Follow Sistema Cyprusā€™ social media platforms onĀ FacebookĀ andĀ InstagramĀ to experience the journey of Lullaby creation.

Blog Post #7

Exploring the Lullaby Project: Lullaby #1, Dioh & Andreas

by Maria Kouvarou

ā€œAdorable Childā€

(Dioh & Andreas)

Ā 

ā€œIā€™ll always love you, remember

You will be mine forever

Youā€™ll be attached to my heart

No one will take you apartā€

ā€¦sings Dioh, and in her lullaby she captures the majesty of maternal love. That bond between mother and children that is eternal, unbreakable, and universal. It defies geographical locations, cultural backgrounds and historical specificities. Dioh speaks as a mother, and her words resonate with every mother of this world. She speaks to her children and her melodies unfold to embrace every child of this world.

Being a mother is a significant aspect of who Dioh is, as is evident to anyone who has seen her spreading her love to her three little angels ā€“ her mother, her coucou and her mee-mee. At the same time, she is a woman; a creative person who loves to sing. She comes from the English-speaking South-West region of Cameroon and she carries many melodies, traditions and stories in her from Ndian division, Bamuso sub-division.

All these melodies, traditions, and stories ā€“ along with the love for her children ā€“ reside in the lullaby ā€œAdorable childā€, even if they are not immediately heard. Because the lullaby itself is part of her, her story, her experience, her existence. An existence that glances upwards when she sings every nightā€¦Ā 

ā€œBright stars over the sky

Sweet dreams my beautiful childā€

ā€¦and knows that under that same sky, hundreds of other children are being lulled to sleep, or ought to be. And, with all the maternal love she has within, goes on to sing for all the children of the world,

ā€œSleep tight on this splendid nightā€

Artist collaborating with mother: Andreas Michalopoulos

Lullaby Supported by: Frederick UniversityĀ Ā 

Follow Sistema Cyprusā€™ social media platforms onĀ FacebookĀ andĀ InstagramĀ to experience the journey of Lullaby creation.

Blog Post #6

Exploring the Lullaby Project: Lullaby #5, Louise & Giorgos

by Maria Kouvarou

ā€œA recipe for loveā€

(Louise & Giorgos)

Ā 

ā€œMy love, doudou, I love you with all my heart

and I pray to the Lord everyday to protect you

and make you an intelligent personā€ā€¦

ā€¦Louise sings, and she sings from the heart, in the lullaby she wrote for her little boy. And, although the lyrics she wrote are in the Bassa language, the song itself ā€“ as the majority of lullabies ā€“ preserves its universal tinge. And it resonates. It resonates with all the mothers and the children of the world.

Louise loves to sing. She loves to sing from the heart. She loves to bake cakes, too. Combining different ingredients to create something flavoursome, enjoyable, soothing. A pinch of this and a spoonful of that. Separate elements mixed for the creation of a meaningful whole.

In the lyrics quoted above, Louise creates the base with boundless love (ā€œI love you with all my heartā€), goes on to add the hope that her son will be protected and safe at all times (ā€œI pray to the Lord everyday to protect youā€), and follows with the wish that he is blessed with intelligence (ā€œmake you an intelligent personā€). These three elements are strong indicators of parental affection and of the dreams they have for their childrenā€™s future

And, as ingredients, all three elements have been used in just the right amount here ā€“ so as, when sung, to be able to ā€œserveā€ the very essence of the lullaby. Louiseā€™s lullaby for her son and every parentā€™s lullaby for every child. The essence of the lullaby as the carrier of parental affection.

And this is the perfect recipe for love!

Ā 

Artist collaborating with mother: Giorgos ChristofiĀ 

Lullaby Supported by: EY CyprusĀ 

Follow Sistema Cyprusā€™ social media platforms onĀ FacebookĀ andĀ InstagramĀ to experience the journey of Lullaby creation.

Blog Post #5

Exploring the Lullaby Project: Lullaby #4, Sofie & Annita/Marios

by Maria Kouvarou

ā€œUnconditional Loveā€

(Sofie & Annita/Marios)

Ā 

ā€œLive, love, dare, fall, and have no fearĀ 

cry, laugh hard, and win, and lose,

I might have given birth to you,Ā 

but be a child of this worldā€

Sofie lulls her daughter with words of care and resilience, with notes of hope and strength, with messages of perseverance and happiness. She does not paint images of uninterrupted happiness ā€“ although every parent wishes that for their child; she paints images of the beauty of life, with all the reality that this beauty entails. For, she wants her little girl to know that any difficulty that might be met on the way is ā€œpart of lifeā€ and should be embraced fearlessly and, hence, it shall be overcome.

The element of empowerment is a common feature in lullabies. It manifests itself in the seemingly simple melodies, it is weaved in words full of joy and dreamy splendor. Because a mother, a father, a caregiver knows that life is full of challenges, and they know that one way to protect their little angels from hardship is to instill in them the certainty that they have the strength to endure and to rise above difficulties, should such difficulties be met.

So does Sofie. In the lullaby she composed for her little girl, she shows how the unconditional love of a mother does not turn a blind eye to the struggles of this world. And, indeed, in the lullaby she composed, does not promise her daughter a utopian world ā€“ one that she cannot provide, as much as she might want to. What she does promise is that, in this non-utopian world, she will always be there to offer support, nurture, guidance, and love. In her words: Ā 

ā€œDo not be afraid to get hurt, everything is lifeā€™s part

and remember always, you have your motherā€™s loveā€

Artist collaborating with mother: Annita Constantinou and Marios KoloniasĀ Ā 

Lullaby Supported by: University of NicosiaĀ 

Follow Sistema Cyprusā€™ social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram to experience the journey of Lullaby creation.

Blog Post #3

Exploring the Lullaby Project: Lullaby no.2, (‘Y’, father & Mostafa)

by Maria Kouvarou

ā€œI want to singā€

(‘Y’ & Mostafa)

Lullabies are usually sung to babies when the night is falling, the dark is arising and the doors to dreams are about to open. And still, regardless of this indirect association with the darker hours of the day, lullabies abound in light. It only takes some hearings of lullabies from around the world to identify the prominence of images of twinkling stars, of the moon, and of countless other references ā€“ direct and indirect ā€“ to luminous manifestations.

The reference to light, as this appears in the intimate form of lullabies, mirrors the light that floods the relationship between parents and their children, in itself a multi-dimensional construct that projects its sparkle to different directions.Ā 

In the lullaby he wrote for his three daughters, Y. sings…Ā 

ā€œI am proud of you,

you who lit up my lifeā€

… emphasizing one aspect of this luminous association. The happiness, the hope, the fulfillment parents experience through the relationship between themselves and their babies. Y. finds in his daughters the light that brightens his life and the strength to move on, taking a journey that will create the possibilities for a better future for them all.Ā 

Original lyrics of the lullaby ‘Bedi Ghani’

This, in itself, reveals another dimension of how light plays a central role in the relationship between parents and their children. And that is the brightness the parents want and wish for their children to have in their lives ā€“ both in the sense of enlightenment, as well as in the form of the light that will cast all darkness away along their way. Whatever the circumstances one might be facing, whatever the conditions one might be living in at times, light ā€“ in its literal and metaphorical sense ā€“ remains important for the well-being, the safety, the confidence we need as we navigate through life. Parents feel that deeply, and they express it by so often making references to it in the lullabies with which they sing their babies goodnight.

Follow Sistema Cyprusā€™ social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram to experience the journey of Lullaby creation.

To find out more about the Lullaby Project, visit the website: www.sistemacyprus.com/news

Blog Post #2

Exploring the Lullaby Project: Lullaby #1, Dioh & AndreasĀ 

by Maria Kouvarou

ā€œAdorable Childā€

(Dioh & Andreas)

ā€œThis lullaby ā€˜Adorable Childā€™ is dedicated to my children [ā€¦] not leaving out all the children of the globeā€, Dioh writes, and in just a sentence she encapsulates the very essence of lullabiesā€™ universalism.

One of the most intimate forms of connection between a caregiver and a child, lullabies have been lulling babies to sleep for centuries. Their content, both lyrical and musical, specific as it is to a home, to a culture, to a locality, is at the same traversing boundaries, entering a pool of lullabies that are being sung worldwide, lulling babies to sleep in different homes, cultures, localities. This pool unfolds in a wave of love, shiny stars, peaceful sleep and fairytale dreams that sweeps all over the globe, warming the hearts of caregivers and children worldwide, under any conditions and any circumstances.Ā 

The LULLABY PROJECT as initiated by the notorious Carnegie Hall in 2011, and as it progresses into embracing families of various backgrounds all over the world, reflects on this universalism of parental love that is carried through music in the form of lullabies. In the process, it connects past, present and future and becomes the melodic line that sings children, regardless of space and time, to sleep.

From the universal to the personal again, Dioh, a mother from Cameroun who is currently residing in Cyprus, composed the lullaby ā€œAdorable Childā€ for her three children. She sings to them:Ā 

ā€œBright stars over the sky

Sweet dreams my adorable child

Bright eyes over your smile

Sleep tight, my caring childā€¦ā€

ā€¦expressing how she wants them to be happy, calm, playful and smiling. A wish she extends to all mothersā€™ children, when she writes in her dedication ā€œMay God bless the children all over the world, to grow up brave, strong, caring and loving individualsā€.

Follow Sistema Cyprusā€™ social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram to experience the journey of Lullaby creation.

Blog Post #1

The young musicians of Sistema Cyprus share their thoughts

by Cassandra Kamberi

Let us meet the young people who have been changing our lives from day one. The students at Sistema Cyprus have inspired us, they have become friends with each other, they are learning how to be part of an orchestra and they are being shaped by all the experiences and people they encounter here.

Sistema Cyprus not only aims to teach these kids how to play music, but it also strives to cultivate themselves and show them that they can dream big. Music at Sistema Cyprus is something special. The fact that young people learn how to play instruments they grow to love with a group of individuals they enjoy being with, is indeed quite extraordinary…

Today we attempt to help you meet some of our wonderful kids by asking them some questions!Ā 

Let us see what they came up with!

  1. DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 3 WORDS:

These questions always scare people out, however, kids have a very fun and interesting way of answering this. “Smart, happy, funny, crazy, lazy, kind, friendly, helpful” were just some of the words that came up. While many of us tend to beat ourselves up, it is important to remember how to embrace who we are.

Society often labels individuals based on their actions. It pushes people into judging each other and this results in inauthentic behaviors and the typical ‘self-doubt’ that we present both in front of others, and ourselves.Ā  Being lazy should not be accompanied by shame and acknowledging that you are funny, or smart should not be perceived as arrogant.

2: WHAT DOES MUSIC MAKE YOU FEEL?

‘Music acts as a soother’ some of our kids said. For others, music translates into emotions of happiness. When we asked them, this question the most common answer we got was that music makes them calm down. If you think about it, music can enhance your already existing emotions or to flip the way you feel right upside down.

One student from Sistema Cyprus said something very interesting. They told us that when they are stressed or they can’t think of something, music helps them focus. Another interesting answer we got was “It’s like your friend ā€“ you can go to it when no one understands you, or when you don’t have someone to talk to ā€“ MUSIC UNDERSTANDS!”

3: WHAT IS THE MOST VALUABLE/IMPORTANT LESSON YOU LEARNED FROM SISTEMA CYPRUS?

We wanted to see how the kids themselves perceive their time here at Sistema Cyprus. Some of the kids are very thankful that they learned how to play music,Ā the percussion musical instruments seem to be a very popular valuable lesson among the kids. Someone told us that music isn’t as easy as it seems, and someone else proceeded into explaining that learning how to play was harder than they thought it would be and that music gave them passion and made them dream about becoming a musician.

Another great answer we got, was that when something hard happens ā€“ both in life and in music ā€“ the whole orchestra works together to solve it as a team… We believe that this is invaluable. If we learn from a young age that being united means we are stronger, then life will be made a lot easier for us in the future.

4: WHICH CONCERT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE ONE?

This was a very controversial question. The kids talked about 2 concerts. The one at ‘Skali Aglantzias’, and the one with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra. What they seemed to have loved so much about the concerts was a feeling of pride that came with playing in front of an audience. It seemed like they enjoyed every aspect of it, together. They felt powerful, they felt happiness and excitement about those moments, and things to come.

Whenever it comes to concerts, it is normal for a feeling of stress or nervousness to be present, however, when you are having fun all of that just goes away. Music is not about making a mistake or messing up in front of a crowd, music is about enjoying yourself. What we have learned up to now is that, when you play music and you genuinely have fun and get lost in it, then this is translated to every person in the room…

It all starts with you.

5: WHAT WOULD YOU IMAGINE YOURSELF DOING IN 10 YEARS?

This we believe was the most challenging question. It requires lots of imagination and the ability to dream and believe that everything is possible. If one of Sistema Cyprus’s goals is to help the kids dream, then maybe one of our goals is gradually getting fulfilled. The answers we got to this question were amazing.

Some kids answered that they imagine themselves playing percussion, playing the cello, or playing with big orchestras in concerts. Some others want to pursue careers in computers, physics, anatomy. Others expressed that being happy is how they imagine themselves in 10 years, taking care of the family they will create. Some kids said that they imagine themselves being successful ā€“ and when asked to define ‘success’ they said ‘not to struggle in any way, having a good job, being happy…’

Others are still inĀ search of their passion, their dream ā€“ and in 10 years’ time, they hope to be pursuing this yet undiscovered passion.

An answer from one of our younger students was: I imagine myself in a big hotel with my friends, being a hairdresser, and having 2 dogs. It is beautiful to observe the answers changing from one person to the other, and from one age group to the other.

These questions and their answers helped us understand a bit better what is happening inside of the heads of these beautiful kids. How do they perceive themselves, their future, and Sistema Cyprus? What does music really mean to them? Well, we must say that we got inspired. If someone has the capacity to dream big and believe in themselves ā€“ then the sky is the limit… Oh, wait, no. ThenĀ ā€“ there is no limit.

The kids taught us that…Ā 


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Inspirational

"Let us reveal to our children the beauty of music, and music shall reveal to our children the beauty of life" -Ā JosĆ© Antonio Abreu, Founder of El SIstemaĀ 

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