YOUTH ISN’T wasted on the young, indeed.
It is when kids are nurtured as early as they start to walk and talk.
Take the sharing of knowledge of young music teacher and fashion designer Erick Valena to the children who want to learn more about advancement in the arts.
Erick, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Music from the Conservatory of Music of the University of Santo Tomas, has been teaching music to preschoolers, kindergarten and elementary pupils to hone their singing talents either for professional training or simply enhancement of one’s skills.
“Because I believe that every person is gifted with musical talents, especially the innate qualities of Filipinos as musically minded people,” opined Erick.
One of the music schools Valena is employed as a teacher is the Nika Studio which has a tie-up with Yamaha Music.
“We are training the youth to prepare for professional singing on TV or school programs.
“I never get tired of developing the voices of those kids who are open for training,” said Erick who has mounted recitals every now and then at the end of his students’ workshops.
It is a collaboration among him, his proteges and their parents.
“The willingness of both parents and students is important in learning music to prepare them for public performances.
When Robinsons mall approaches Yamaha Music to stage showcases of kids’ know-how in music, Erick readily prepares them for public exposure.
“Basically, the children’s musicality is publicly shared and development of their personalities are works in progress,” Valena quipped.
Last Sunday’s recitals of pupils like Prince Roland Gazo and some of his female classmates at the RKids Rhythm Camp in Robinsons Galleria had witnessed their upgraded versions of singing prowess not to expose them to star in concerts or multimedia shows but basically to test as well their personal attitudes on human relationships like audience contact and correct interpretations of musical pieces.
Prince Roland is a student at Nika Studio in Makati and guested at the Camp.
“As a teacher, I also teach my pupils the right emotional rendition to a song,” shared Erick who is also prepping up a bridal fashion show in Tagaytay on May 9 and 10, 2026.
“Fashion designing is like teaching kids music. We determine the type of dresses to be sewn and worn to fit our models just like what kind of music best suits our students,” Valena compared and contrasted.