Flutes, saxophones, trumpets, piano, drums are going to shine like gold for what is seemingly a first in Mauritius: Roche-Bois based Moz?art School of music, directed by José Thérèse, is starting on March 31 a national tour for the first time in schools. The first event will take place at Le Bocage School, Moka. It will be followed by a series of concerts in other schools - Northfield School, Loreto Saint-Pierre, Loreto Mahébourg, Saint-Mary?s, Rose-Hill, College Père Laval, Sainte-Croix, and in May, the Centre Culturel d?Expression Française, Curepipe, will host a public concert.

These concerts will be an occasion to promote Moz?art?s latest album, Teens? hope, a series of arrangements of jazz standards from José Thérèse pen and played effervescently by students, now of an average age of 20 years. Hearing José?s ?kids?, as he calls them, on that beautifully presented album, one can guess that they will influence some youngsters to try hard to become musicians. The album, recorded live in March 2005, and launched last December, will undoubtedly continue to sell (it will be on offer at Rs 300, a special price for the present tour). It has a unique sound (Mo?zart means ?my artistry?in Creole).

<B>Competition in Paris</B>

But the motivation, as José Thérèse says, is not only here. ?As many already know, Moz?art School is somewhat unique in Mauritius. The aim of my work is to prove that those so-called dropouts from schools are not doomed to failure. What my students achieve in that album is like a plea against all attempts to make our society an elitist, class-minded one, where those who are not favoured from birth are just cast out and regarded as hopeless cases.?

José can be proud of his achievement. Youngsters smiling, progressively opening up to discipline and creativity, learning and enjoying, with the miraculous power of music: like in this documentary made by French TV5 in 2003, which he shows us. The outcome of his benevolent work is pure enthusiasm. ?Once they become curious, I just push them, never letting them go and accompanying them. And hear, now that they are on track, how they perform.?

This talent is not recognized only locally. José, who graduated from Copenhagen National conservatory, will take some of his students to Paris in July. They will take part in an international competition with the Paris Jazz Big Band. If they win, they will accompany the band on a tour around France. Not a ?rat race? scholarship, but the patient harvest of the cream of our drop-outs.