By: Dahlan Iskan
Teaching music in Shanghai! How ironic that Anastasia is still needed to season the vast ocean.
But that’s the reality: Anastasia isn’t just skilled at playing the piano.
She’s also beautiful – with five ‘i’s. Young. Cheerful. Agile. Graceful. Radiant. She possesses all the qualities one would expect from a girl like her.
It was Hody Zacharia who introduced Anastasia to me. We had dinner at Madina, a Xinjiang restaurant near my hotel in Shanghai. Both of them were single. I, too, was unexpectedly single – my family had gone to Disneyland and wouldn’t be back until evening.
Quite a commotion.
Anastasia is a talented storyteller. She has been in Shanghai for 14 years, since graduating from high school in Medan – from Sutomo 1 High School.
She is the only girl among seven siblings. A rarity. The others had to play basketball, but Anastasia was not allowed to participate in sports. It was as if she were incubated to avoid developing muscles. Instead, she was enrolled in piano lessons from a young age, and she enjoyed it.
Anastasia’s father, as it turns out, is someone I know. We are both old – though I am much older. He was a prominent basketball player, part of the national team in his time. In 1986, I was already the junior basketball manager for Indonesia, competing in Beijing. That was my first time in China – when their poverty was far behind ours.
Initially, Anastasia was supposed to study music in Medan, so the only girl wouldn’t be far from her parents.
But after the entrance test, her teacher was astonished. “You should go directly to music school in Singapore, Shanghai, or Beijing,” said the music teacher in Medan.
Anastasia didn’t want to join her siblings in Singapore. She wanted to go to Shanghai. At that time, Shanghai was a top destination.
“There will be a World Expo in Shanghai,” Anastasia recalled.
In short, Anastasia was accepted into the best music school there: the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She was the only student from Indonesia. There was one more foreign student, from France.
She brought her cheerful personality to Shanghai. She wasn’t a shy girl. Anastasia was very confident, even in class.
Whenever a teacher asked a question, Anastasia raised her hand. If a teacher demonstrated something with their hands, Anastasia mimicked them. She became the star of the class.
“Students here are similar to those in Indonesia. If asked if there are any questions, no one asks,” Anastasia said. “I always ask whenever there’s an opportunity to ask,” she added.
Anastasia was often asked to be a teacher’s assistant.
It was from there that Anastasia received a scholarship from Shanghai to study music education up to bachelor’s level.
As you already know, being a music teacher requires not only musical skill but also teaching ability.
Unfortunately, I am not Liang: I can’t ask many questions about music.
I really wanted to call Liang to quickly join us for dinner with Anastasia that night. And occasionally, I would tap his foot to encourage him to keep asking Anastasia questions.
In essence, be a cheerful teacher like Anastasia. A favorite among students. A teacher who can ignite the passion of lazy children.
She plays with the children. Sits with them. Even lies down if necessary. Then she incorporates body music – whether or not this term is correct. What’s correct is body percussion.
By that, I mean Anastasia actively moves both her hands, hitting different parts of her body, producing sounds from her mouth – tonal sounds. Different parts of the body touched create different sounds and tones.
I asked Anastasia to stand up. I asked her to demonstrate how to teach body percussion.
She got up from her chair. Made dynamic movements with both hands. Touched many parts of her body. Her mouth produced notes and tones of the song “Yam Korambe” from Papua. I was amazed. I forgot to record it.
She had actually composed “Yam Korambe” in Shanghai. She combined it with classical music and performed it when entrusted to take the stage.
Anastasia not only has many students but is also endorsed by the best piano manufacturers in Germany. She is often asked to play their pianos in front of consumers or potential customers.
She mentioned the brand, but I forgot. Anyway, the piano is the most expensive. It’s also self-promotion. At the same time, she teaches the children of wealthy people who can afford to buy such pianos.
Remember: Steinway & Sons pianos. You already know. That’s the dream piano for pianists.
Just looking at the piano makes the heart flutter. What’s more, being able to touch its keys. Anastasia can collaborate with it.
“Hmm…” Anastasia murmured, imagining playing it again. Her eyes closed. Her cheeks blushed. Her body wriggled. That’s a piano with a long history.
You already know: it started being made in 1820. In a small town in Germany. Then they immigrated to New York. They began producing pianos for America in 1853. The 200,000th production was gifted to the White House. Then replaced with the 300,000th production. In 2000, they had already produced the 550,000th.
Now Anastasia has taken up dancing. She has been into street dance for two years. I asked her to demonstrate this type of dance – I have never seen it before.
“I want to create a world street dance championship in Bali,” Anastasia said. “If possible, this year,” she added. She knows many street dance enthusiasts in various countries.
That night, I indeed failed to meet Princess at Disneyland Shanghai. No regrets: I met Princess Anastasia at Madina. (Dahlan Iskan)