By Abdellatif Sharaa

Lina Bakir Music Academy held candlelight concerts at Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Cultural Center theater that included four performances, one on Thursday and three on Friday. The night was amazing as children as young as three let their tender fingers run over the piano keys as an orchestra played in the background.

The event by advanced students on Thursday was for a private audience, where a young child came on stage and played. “I have put an amazing child who is three years old to showcase that we are the only academy that takes them at this age and we are able to train them to perform with an orchestra,” Academy President Lina Bakir said. The performance also included a 4-year-old and 6-year-old, while the other performers were advanced students.

Bakir said a few days earlier, the academy produced the youngest Kuwaiti, who at 4 years old won the first prize at an international event. “Music teaches you everything. It really does wonders. Kids can take anything you give them and we see the results as we work with them,” Bakir said.

She said this is the first time in her history of teaching that she is holding concerts back-to-back. Three concerts were held on Friday, the first for toddlers, the second for intermediates and the third for advanced students. Bakir said parents’ cooperation is amazing and they love to see their children grow with the academy. “Parents crave and want these things to happen. They hope the doors will be open for many more to come,” Bakir said, adding “we have huge numbers on the waiting list and look forward to having more teachers”.