By Selin Ozgur
Anisa Mansour was born in London, England and lived there until the age of 10. At the start of grade six, she moved to Canada and subsequently joined Collingwood School, the school she has called home for the past five years. Music has always been a key part of her life, as well as her siblings’. She says that “we have all been involved in music from an early age. We started playing piano at the age of four, and now all have our own instruments that are of key interest in.” This is why her family has been a source of inspiration for her music ever since she was a young child. Anisa’s mother is especially a role model, as she comes from a large family, which is deeply rooted in music and its form of expression. Music has been the key to connection in her family, as it holds a dear place in each of their hearts.
Anisa has been immersed in the world of art - specifically music - for the past 11 years, during which she has been playing the piano. Currently, she is playing at the grade eight level. While living in England, she actually received the opportunity to sing on BBC TV and perform for a variety of enriching competitions. This is what first lit Anisa’s passion for music, and is what pushed her to try new forms of music as well. For this reason, while in England, she also learned the violin as a part of her school orchestra. This experience was an amazing way to connect with her friends. After moving to Canada and joining the Morven campus, she also took up the clarinet. Compared to the piano, which is an instrument that she has been very devoted to for the past 11 years, she only played the clarinet for one year, she says that “it was a fantastic experience for me as an instrumentalist. Now, I sing in three choirs. Mr. Buchan is a great source of inspiration for me. Despite the early 7 am start three times a week, he never fails to put a smile on my face and inspire me to challenge myself and appreciate the beauty of music.”
With all of the dedication that she has devoted to music, she has grown as a pianist and an artist in general. Anisa feels as though art has changed her, whether this be through taking more risks or meeting new people and being more accepting, it has allowed her to branch out and develop overall as an individual. This was especially established when she went to Peru for exchange, where she was exposed to a variety of artistic styles, therefore, opening her eyes to the vast culture that this foreign region had to offer. It also fostered her continued love for Spanish music, which she continuously plays and listens to. Through music, Anisa has found beauty in imperfection and making mistakes. What she loves about music is that mistakes and blemishes often make a piece rawer and more meaningful.
As for the future, Anisa is not considering music as a career pathway but still hopes to keep it a part of her life. Whether music is an outlet for her to express herself, of a safe space to connect with others, she hopes to prioritize music and even join a choral group at University. Overall, she feels that “music will always be in her home, and be an important part of her family life.”
Anisa Mansour was born in London, England and lived there until the age of 10. At the start of grade six, she moved to Canada and subsequently joined Collingwood School, the school she has called home for the past five years. Music has always been a key part of her life, as well as her siblings’. She says that “we have all been involved in music from an early age. We started playing piano at the age of four, and now all have our own instruments that are of key interest in.” This is why her family has been a source of inspiration for her music ever since she was a young child. Anisa’s mother is especially a role model, as she comes from a large family, which is deeply rooted in music and its form of expression. Music has been the key to connection in her family, as it holds a dear place in each of their hearts.
Anisa has been immersed in the world of art - specifically music - for the past 11 years, during which she has been playing the piano. Currently, she is playing at the grade eight level. While living in England, she actually received the opportunity to sing on BBC TV and perform for a variety of enriching competitions. This is what first lit Anisa’s passion for music, and is what pushed her to try new forms of music as well. For this reason, while in England, she also learned the violin as a part of her school orchestra. This experience was an amazing way to connect with her friends. After moving to Canada and joining the Morven campus, she also took up the clarinet. Compared to the piano, which is an instrument that she has been very devoted to for the past 11 years, she only played the clarinet for one year, she says that “it was a fantastic experience for me as an instrumentalist. Now, I sing in three choirs. Mr. Buchan is a great source of inspiration for me. Despite the early 7 am start three times a week, he never fails to put a smile on my face and inspire me to challenge myself and appreciate the beauty of music.”
With all of the dedication that she has devoted to music, she has grown as a pianist and an artist in general. Anisa feels as though art has changed her, whether this be through taking more risks or meeting new people and being more accepting, it has allowed her to branch out and develop overall as an individual. This was especially established when she went to Peru for exchange, where she was exposed to a variety of artistic styles, therefore, opening her eyes to the vast culture that this foreign region had to offer. It also fostered her continued love for Spanish music, which she continuously plays and listens to. Through music, Anisa has found beauty in imperfection and making mistakes. What she loves about music is that mistakes and blemishes often make a piece rawer and more meaningful.
As for the future, Anisa is not considering music as a career pathway but still hopes to keep it a part of her life. Whether music is an outlet for her to express herself, of a safe space to connect with others, she hopes to prioritize music and even join a choral group at University. Overall, she feels that “music will always be in her home, and be an important part of her family life.”
