“Find what you’re passionate about and if you can take your community with you I’d say do it” – Amosa Lene Isara
Amosa Lene Isara is passionate about two things. His music and his community.
The first community is his church, Taita Methodist Church Wellington where his musical journey all began.
“I think the main reason why I learnt piano was because my family wanted me to play for church. So it wasn’t my choice to learn piano, it was a volunteer choice so yeah,” Amosa laughs while recalling his younger days.
In his church choir, he sits in his role as a “faipese” or choir master. Teaching and perfecting the vocals and harmonies of his beloved choir.
The second community is his family, a humble household located in Naenae in Wellington. Despite its peacefulness and serenity, you can hear the faint trickle of the sound of Amosa’s piano from his room.
His room doubles as his home studio, where he teaches his students both in person and virtually.
“At the moment you can tell there’s no bed here. I got rid of the bed like a long time ago so that I can do a lot of teaching,” he says, as he shows us the space.
Through the short tour he gives us, we notice the bits and pieces that add up to his journey as a musician.
In the garage sits a rugged old piano that’s seen better days but it’s become a mandatory part of the Isara household as it holds a lot of meaning for Amosa.
A gift that also ties into his relationship with his next community, his old high school of Rongotai College.
“This piano, this old antique here, this piano was gifted to me by my old music teacher at school. This is where it all started, this is where a lot of skills were learned.
“We’ve moved houses for like a couple of times, and this piano has been to every single house we have moved to.”
His father Matualoto Leaula Malietau Isara Isara, later confirms to us that they have moved a total of seven times, with the piano travelling each time. The pianos’ long service, a metaphor for Amosa’s years-long hard work and dedication.
Nowadays you will find Amosa at Massey University’s Wellington campus, learning about the different theories and compositions of classical music. It’s a total contrast to the world of his communities back at home.
Yet an opportunity to merge these worlds has arisen, through a collaboration between his church choir and the Malaga Sa orchestra in Porirua.
“Anything that I learn at school or at uni I always try and bring that back to choir or back to our church,” he says.
“It’s kind of like my way of giving back to the people who have always supported me, doing music.”
Malaga Sa is an all Pasifika orchestra and it’s also where Amosa plays the violin and piano. For him, being able to write the songs and bring it back in a full experience like this for his church was something he was grateful for.
“Our church choir has a lot of elderly people. We don’t have a lot of young people right now.
“I kind of wanted to do something to sort of give them a new experience. I wanted them to know what it’s like to sing with an orchestra or sing with a string group.”
The performance was a success but Amosa believes this is only the start of a journey for himself and his community.
“I think it’s really important that when people give you something that you give back something to someone else or back to that same community.
“Find what you’re passionate about and if you can take your community with you, I’d say do it”
