Harmonies of Hope: The Gandhi Ashram School Concert Tour
The Strings of Hope Concert Tour Project builds on previous musical projects that have taken the school’s string orchestra on tour of the local towns and metro cities of India as well as put the choral program of the school into the limelight. This project was designed to further that initiative. The goal of the concert tour was to boost musical confidence in students, nurture performers, empower them with collaborative and professional experiences and fill them with hope for a future of possibilities and beauty.
The Concert Tour in 4 Hill towns of Darjeeling, Gangtok, Kurseong, Kalimpong and 1 plain town of Siliguri from May 1 to May 5 was organised by Gandhi Ashram School, Kalimpong (India), in collaboration with inTouch Brussels (Belgium) with funding from Huruma Fund of the King Baudouin Foundation.
The 66 performers included The Gandhi Ashram School Orchestra & Chorus (ages 10 to 16), alumni musicians and European volunteers,Young Indian classical dancers and musicians from Xavier Sangeetanjali (Matigara) and Young solo violinist (age 9) and cellist (age 15) from premier music institutions in India like the Neemrana Music Foundation, Delhi and Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) Academy, Mumbai.
We performed a wide ranging repertoire in various languages – Popular songs from the Hills and Western Rock & Pop, Western & Indian classical, film music and some original compositions.
Concert Video
00:00:00 When the Violin | Reena Esmail/ ed. Vijay Gupta
00:04:06 Adiemus – Songs of Sanctuary | Karl Jenkins/ Arr. Artem Kopylov
00:08:49 Kalimpong Soundscapes | Various/ Arr. Prajal Pradhan, Virgil Vihaan Sequeira
00:15:56 Estonian Lullaby | Arvo Pärt
00:18:15 Game of Thrones | Ramin Djawadi/ Arr. Larry Moore
00:20:46 Theme from Schindler’s List | John Williams/ Arr. Robert Longfield
00:24:50 Best of Queen | Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon/ Arr. Larry Moore
00:28:17 On n’y Entend (One Only Hears) – Heavens | Philippe Lamouris/ Lib. Rozemarijn Vanwijnsberghe
00:31:33 Le Cygne (The Swan) – Carnival of the Animals | Camille Saint-Saëns
00:34:58 Goodwill Song | Virgil Vihaan Sequeira/ Text. Silvia Scali
00:39:09 Eh Kancha | Amber Gurung/ Text. Pasang Bangbal/ Arr. Prajal Pradhan
00:42:56 Mountains Are Calling | Shubam Biswakarma, Virgil Vihaan Sequeira
00:49:04 Imagine | John Lennon, Yoko Ono/ Arr. Artem Kopylov
00:54:10 Ek (One): A Call for Equality | Virgil Vihaan Sequeira/ Text. Swati Modi
00:57:16 Belle Mama | Folksong from Africa
The concert schedule was as follows:
SILIGURI – Wed, MAY 1 – Maitri Hall Jesu Ashram, Matigara;
KURSEONG – Thu, MAY 2 – St. Alphonsus School Hall;
DARJEELING – Fri, MAY 3 – Hayden Hall Institute;
KALIMPONG – Sat, MAY 4 – Kalimpong Town Hall and
GANGTOK – Sun, MAY 5 – Tashi Namgyal Academy.
All concerts were Free and Open to all. Besides, the school also performed a private concert at St. Joseph’s Convent School, Kalimpong.
We worked on the repertoire through March and April.
About the School
Gandhi Ashram School is a unique and free school for the most vulnerable in rural Kalimpong, using music as a transformative tool. Started 31 years ago in 1993, by Fr. Edward McGuire, a Canadian Jesuit, the school is famous internationally for its string orchestra, the little children stealing the hearts of people wherever they play. Alumni have gone on to become music teachers nationally and internationally among various other professions including defence, medical, hospitality, agriculture and education. Besides Music, the school also teaches Drama & Fine Arts and academic subjects. It works closely with the community to create a far reaching impact. For more information, visit the school’s blog – inharmonygas.blogspot.com.
Support The Gandhi Ashram School, Kalimpong.
Contact: Virgil Vihaan Sequeira, Assistant Director and Principal. gandhiashramschool@gmail.com / +91 84519 97938
