The Winds of Change
Haasinee Halpe’ Andree
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Choir: Dangedera Jayawardana Maha Vidyalaya.
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CONCERT: To put a smile on their faces... that was the reason for a
concert in Galle right amidst the chaos of 12 Christmas concerts. So as
merely one of the little hopeful smiles of the creative team of the
choir and the orchestra of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya, I pen my
impressions of a concert with the Dangedara Jayawardene Maha Vidyalaya.
Our team, put together by the principal Sister Chandini Jayasuriya,
was headed by Rapthi Fernando, the teacher in charge of the HFC choir,
Edwin Mendez the school’s official accompanist and his wife Hope.
Margot Pinto in charge of discipline but really functioned as a
pillar of strength and I was the teacher in charge of the orchestra.
Rapthi had already started work with the Galle chief coordinator
Sanath, Sathischandra, the English teacher of the DJMV School and with
Lasantha R. Ipalawatta ably supported by their principal Mr. D.H.
Edirisooriya their team also had guest teachers from neighbouring St.
Aloysius’ Deepa Kudahetti and Anosha Niranjala Jayawardene, the music
teacher of Gintota M.V.
Visit to Galle
This meant a first visit to Galle, early January with our driver Lal.
What I didn’t know was that the entire staff of DJMV had each donated
Rs. 1,000 out of their government salaries. More was to follow that
would humble me and emotionalize us and so the world should know.
The dedication and untiring efforts of the entire staff of DJMV took
us from that first meeting straight to the heart of their singing room.
Ushered in over breakfasts and lunches to help out those shining faces
with the wonderful positive unity our principal Sister Chandani was
quick to notice as a lesson to all schools.
Ahh.... BUT the KIDS. We faced them, emotional about working together
all who had sadly been orphaned BUT WERE DETERMINED TO put this show on
the road... And so a few suggestions and a few changes which they soaked
up instantly we turned back.
And what of the event?
Seventy Familians and us on the staff headed by our own principal
were welcomed on a grand scale - from gifts to flowers to candles etc.
no detail was left unchecked.
May I say too that the kids from Colombo reciprocated in no small
measure working under pressure on time in the sweltering heat to work
thru a show nearly 4 hours long. As Hope said, the tears were in our
eyes - though of sadness too that out of the 13 schools from Colombo
that had been contacted we had been the only ones to respond.
Why has music become the privilege of a few? For that matter, even
education? This concert merely hints at the iceberg of the great great
divide between the big city and anything else. A big shame indeed, so a
few scattered teachers try to bridge it, this being merely one of the
more successful attempts.
It need not be, if I may humbly say so, coming from a family that
believes in education to the very core and from parents who have lived
this and who had their educational roots in Galle and Kandana.
As it seems in a world in which most of us are hell-bent on dividing
this was surely a shocker of togetherness. Sister Chandini highlighted
this citing the unity of the Holy Family our school is named after.
Working together with DJMV to bond the family of man... yes the winds of
change happened. Hope it happens again between more of us in the family
of man. |
