Flute, Recorder, Piano
A life of music and art began many years ago for John. He loved singing and playing music from early in his childhood. He joined many church choirs in elementary school, and played keyboard and recorder during high school. John loved to hear flute music because his uncle was a Flautist who played both western and eastern music.
In September 1990 he decided to study music performance and education. Flute and piano were his specialty when he attended Helwan University in Cairo, Egypt. In short time he succeeded to play flute in the Orchestra of the opera, Cairo opera House (1997), which encouraged him to continue studying flute pedagogy. He was taught by many expert flutists for example; Mrs. Korin, a Dutch flute player and teacher, who played in the Holland symphony Orchestra. During his education, he found that teachers easily discover solutions for students’ problems while players cannot. Therefore, he decided to intensively study different methods of teaching. He finished his master of music education in 2001 and obtained a scholarship to get his PhD from University of Music Drama and Media, Hanover, Germany (2005).
Teaching has been his joy and challenge since his first teaching experience and exposure at Faculty of Music Education (FME), Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt as a University Lecturer (1995–2005) and University Assistant Professor (2005-2013). He felt very comfortable to teach flute through different methods to undergraduate and graduate students and recorder and piano to beginners and intermediate level. He also taught Orff-instruments to small group of children.
Dr. Sokar performed different concerts for example; playing Flute (Orchestra of the Opera, Cairo Opera House, 1997), playing Flute (Solo and in Orchestra of the Faculty of Music Education, Helwan University 1992 – 2000), Tenor singer (“Akabela Choir”, Cairo Opera House, 2000-2001 and 2005-2007), playing flute (Germany private orchestra Hannover, 2001 – 2005), playing flute (German embassy, Cairo), playing Flute, piano, choir accompany (Private German school, Cairo 2006 – 2014), Flute solo (desert party, culture events, Cairo 2012 – 2013)
His teaching experience in Music pedagogy and related fields also includes seven years working as a Coordinator of Music and Art department and music teacher in Private German School Cairo. This challenge and opportunity has given him a sense of a call and vision to compose a ballet for the children named “Puppen Traum” in June 2010. Moreover, he conducted a PDSK School CDs production, “PDSK Auf-Takt I” and “PDSK Auf-Takt II”, 2008-2009. He rearranged the music, conducted the choir, made the sound recording and designed the cover and the poster.
Dr. Sokar believes that tone and sound control are very important for every music student because music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. He encourages students by emotional performance and helps them choose suitable and preferable pieces. With patience and by using different teaching methods he always conducts his lessons to include duets, accompaniment music and special exercises written by him.