How about a guided tour around the world by 140 tiny tots?
Students of the Harmony International Music Foundation have put together a special musical, Cadence 2013, in a bid to spread the joy and celebrate Christmas.
These little ones have practiced day in and out to stage a performance that will help raise money for Red Ribbon Revolution, an initiative to eradicate the stigma and discrimination associated with children living with AIDS, and Educate -a scholarship fund set up to provide education for underprivileged children.
Cadence is a musical punctuation. “The idea was conceived last August. This year's curriculum introduced the kids to the music and culture of five countries (Japan, Spain, India, Germany and France). While studying about music from Japan, students explored Japanese painting techniques, sushi making and origami. For Spain, Spanish Phrygian modes were taught, while children could enroll for Spanish mosaic making and Flamenco dance. They also learned about Germany, France and India," informs Sandra Oberoi, the director of the concert.
Anezka Kurien, a student of the music school wrote the script for the play, which is a takeoff on the theme of the Jules Verne novel, "Around the World in 80 Days". Sanjna Kartik, another student composed the music for the Japanese Christmas piece, based on one of the 12 Japanese pentatonic scales.
What's most endearing about these kids is that, each of them know the motive behind this concert. They were made to understand the reason behind the performance. “Rivika, a six-year-old who sings and plays the violin came for all the rehearsals inspite of an injury that required her to get six stitches. She also asked eight of her friends to come for the concert because the money raised from the tickets are for a noble cause," adds Sandra.
The musical is about three siblings, Sarah (Aryehi Bhushan), Sam (Yohaan Verghese Joseph) and Sally (Tiara Oberoi), who are stuck at home on Christmas eve, as their mum and dad are awfully busy with work. While looking for ways to entertain themselves they chance upon an old dusty book that is titled "Around the World in 80 Minutes: Celebrating Christmas the World Over". From Russia to Brazil, Australia to India. The stage resonates with harmonies from 12 different countries. Choirs, a string ensemble, ballerinas, flamenco dancers, even African drummers, mesmerise the three children.
“Through all that's happening they discover what similarities and differences of Christmas music and celebrations are," states Sandra. Don't miss out their enthralling performance tomorrow at the Jyoti Nivas Auditorium.
