ANAGI GUNASEKERA
Deakin Vice-Chancellor’s Scholar | Educator | Learning Designer | Musician | Founder of Goodville
Choral Leadership, Mentoring & Music Enrichment Whyteleafe Academy, Colombo
My work with Whyteleafe Academy has given me the opportunity to explore music education beyond individual instrumental teaching through choral leadership, mentoring, workshop design and adjudication.I designed and facilitated choral workshops that combined vocal development with movement, body percussion, breathing exercises, articulation, ensemble games and conducting activities. I wanted the sessions to feel energetic and enjoyable while still developing important skills such as posture, stage presence, listening, ensemble awareness, confidence and musical expression. A key part of my approach was gradually moving responsibility towards the students. I often worked through an “I do → we do → you do” progression: first modelling a skill, then practising it together, before giving students the opportunity to apply and lead it themselves.
One activity that became especially memorable focused on conducting, posture and stage presence. Students worked in groups and had to deliberately include a few incorrect performance habits while conducting, without the other groups noticing. Their peers then had to observe carefully and identify what was wrong. During the activity, one student called it “Spot the Imposture!” and from that moment, it became our “Imposture Challenge”!! I loved this small moment of co-creation. The learning intention remained clear, but the students added their own humour and identity to the activity. It became a good example of the kind of student agency I try to encourage: creating enough structure for students to succeed, while also leaving space for them to shape the experience themselves.
I also incorporated varied repertoire and musical influences into workshops, including familiar songs, Western repertoire and culturally diverse musical ideas. This allowed students to experience choral music not only as a technical activity, but also as something expressive, collaborative and connected to different musical traditions.
Alongside the workshops, I have also contributed as a mentor and adjudicator for instrumental and choral competitions. When giving feedback, I try to go beyond evaluation alone by recognising students’ strengths, offering practical performance advice and encouraging them to see each performance as part of their continued musical growth.These experiences have strengthened my understanding of musical leadership as a balance of direction, facilitation, encouragement and relationship-building. I want students to leave a rehearsal, workshop or performance feeling not only more capable musically, but also more confident in contributing their own voice to a group.
Music Day Workshop for Colombo Schools
I designed and facilitated an interactive workshop for music students exploring the many ways music can shape skills and experiences beyond performance itself.
Drawing on both my own musical journey and the experiences of the students, we explored connections between music and study, ensemble participation and teamwork, composition and creativity, performance and confidence, and music and culture.
I wanted the session to feel light, participatory and enjoyable rather than lecture-based, so I built in constant opportunities for students to contribute. The workshop included questions and discussion, group responses, singing in harmony, practical musical exercises and shared reflections, allowing students to engage with the ideas through both conversation and music-making.
Rather than presenting music simply as a subject or extracurricular activity, I encouraged students to think about the wider skills they were already developing through it including discipline, consistency, collaboration, self-expression, creativity, confidence and cultural connection.
I also drew on my own experiences across performance, ensembles and cultural music to make the discussion personal and relatable, while inviting students to reflect on the different roles music already played in their own lives.
For me, the workshop was an opportunity to use music education as a space for participation, reflection, connection and personal growth helping students recognise that the value of learning music can extend far beyond simply learning to play or perform.
