Making a difference through music

The New Academy of Music Arts and Hindi (Namah), a socio-cultural initiative started by a group of volunteers has been involved in the mission of changing lives of less fortunate children through music since its inception 11 years ago.
Over the last 10 years, the NGO’s choral group has been organising an annual concert, all proceeds of which go towards supporting musical education for the Hamara School for street children, the Konseisanv Balgram Agnel Ashram, Verna, a home for orphans, and the National Association for the Blind (Goa).This year the group will be organising its eleventh annual mega concert titled ‘Rock Fusion’ at Kala Academy’s open-air auditorium on February 22, from 7pm onwards
The beauty of the choral group, says group member Joaquim Fernandes, is that it is made up of people from across the state, young and old alike, who love music and who volunteer their time and talent for the cause. “Also, there is no compulsion about prior musical training,” he says, adding that most of the choral group’s members have little or no formal training in either reading music or playing any instrument.
Thivim-based Bruno Fernandes, who has been a member of Namah right since the start, says, “Yes, there are many NGOs working in different areas, but what differentiates Namah is the work in the area of music. Our main aim is to use the powerful medium of music to make a difference in the lives of children who have been challenged by life itself at such a tender age.” Fernandes, who is also one of the music teachers in the group, says that they are looking at expanding their pool of music teachers to enable them to make a difference to as many lives as possible.
Apart from Namah’s choral performance, this year’s concert will also feature musical and dance performances by the likes of the band Sky High, pianist Nicole Williams, percussionist Carlos Gonsalves, sitarists Ustad Chotte Rahimat Khan and Mansoor Khan, cellist Anna Shabalina, double bassists Philip Meshcheriakov and the dance group Dance-o-Philia. Also in performance will be the choir of the National Association of the Blind, Goa, which has been trained by Namah.