Kohima: Yimlimongla Pongen was awarded the 13th music award of Rev. Dr. Neiliezhii Usou’s Memorial Award at a function held at Rev. Dr. Neiliezhii Usou Memorial School, Kohima today.
The award is one of the highest percentage scorers in music in HSLC examination 2021 conducted by Nagaland Board of School Education.
Theja Meru, advisor, Task Force for Music & Arts (TaFMA) handed over the award to Yimlimongla Pongen of The Vineyard School, Kohima. Pongen received Rs. 25,000 along with citation.
Pongen In her acceptance speech, encouraged everyone to keep doing “what you are doing because one day you will reap what you sow.”
“My mother has always been a huge fan of music- so one day when I was in the second grade, she introduced me to the piano. I immediately fell in love with music. I began going to classes more often and music became dear to me. Today, it has been 9 years since I started playing the piano and since music became part of my life,” Pongen said.
Pongen said that she will continue to work hard and strive to be “the best I can be.”
My dream right now is to successfully finish 12th grade and pursue a bachelor’s and perhaps even a master’s in music performance in a foreign country, she said.
Further, she encouraged anyone, young or old, who may be interested, to just go ahead and do it because there is no age barrier, especially to learning music. “Music is a universal language. It speaks to everyone and everyone feels music. It is such a beautiful thing because music connects us with other cultures and new people and even animals,” Pongen said.
About Rev. Dr. Neiliezhü Usou Memorial Award
Akobu Usou Ralsun said that Rev. Dr. Neiliezhii Usou was a lover of music, cheerful with full of lively sounds in and around him with every move involved in praises and music.”
“His name will continue to live on in the minds and voices of young ones through the School of Music- the Rev Dr Neiliezhü Usou Memorial School (RDNUMS) and his Music Memorial Award in his honor,” she said.
She said Rev. Dr. Neiliezhü Usou Memorial Award for Excellence in Music was initiated in the year 2009 under Rev. Dr. Neiliezhü Usou Memorial Society.
This Award is a permitted Award under Nagaland Board of School Education and as in the present, the Memorial Award is considered to be the only music award for the highest scorer in HSLC level in the subject of music.
The purpose of the award event is to keep the legacy of Rev. Dr. Neiliezhü Usou alive and encourage the young minds to follow their dreams in their interest, skill and profession in music, she added.