Founder Fr. Edward McGuire, SJ Principal Fr. Divyananda, SJ Founded 1994 | Director Fr. Paul D'souza, SJ Gender Co-educational | |
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Established 1994; 23 years ago (1994) Staff Kamal Gurung (Conductor) Address SH12, Kalimpong Khasmahal, Kalimpong, West Bengal 734301 Similar St Augustine's School, Dr Graham's Homes, St Joseph’s Convent, Rockvale Academy, Loreto Convent | ||
Kalimpong kids sing christmas carols
Gandhi Ashram School is a Jesuit Mission school in Kalimpong, India for disadvantaged children from the locality. It was founded in 1993 by Father Edward McGuire, a Jesuit priest from Canada. The school aims to provide a good formal education and at the same time let the children explore their talents, especially through music in the form of stringed instruments. It has become a tourist attraction and some of its players have performed in Europe.
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Pbs newshour gandhi ashram school
History
"Violin strings are the bootstraps that will pull these kids up." -Fr. Edward McGuire SJ
In 1954, Fr Mc Guire came to India as a young Canadian Jesuit priest. He taught in St. Joseph's School, Darjeeling and St. Robert's school, Darjeeling and in St. Mary's School in Kurseong before coming to Kalimpong in 1990. In 1993, the Jesuit Region superior asked him to start a school for the underprivileged children and Gandhi Ashram School was born.
It began with 23 children from the neighbouring areas. Fr. McGuire invited Rudra Mani Biswakarma, who he had trained in Darjeeling, to take charge as the Music Teacher and the Conductor. In 11 months, the Orchestra put up their first performance in Western Classical Music.
Today, there are over 180 students in the school from Kindergarten to Class VIII.
The musician students of Gandhi Ashram School perform in various parts of the world as "Fiddlers on the Thatch".
Weltweit Klänge
Students from the School Orchestra participate regularly in Weltweit Klänge, (roughly translated as 'Sounds of the World') a music project organised by the Jesuit Mission Procurator Office in Nuremberg, Germany. The Project brings together young musicians from across the world to collaborate on a music platform. The Gandhi Ashram School Orchestra members playing Violins, Viola and Cellos are trained and conducted by Maestro Luis Szarán and perform across Western Europe.
In 2007, Kushmita Biswakarma, Jokhim Lepcha, Jennifer Khawas (Violin) and Ajay Darjee (Cello) represented the school. In 2008, Sushila Subba, Indu Sarki, Pasang Tamang, Kushmita Biswakarma (Violin) and Urbanus Lepcha (Viola) participated in the Music Experiment. In 2010, Subham Biswakarma and Bikram Subba made it to Weltweit Klänge. CDs of their performance are available online. and it has been the subject of a Spanish documentary and PBS coverage in the USA.
Music volunteers
Volunteers from Germany, Switzerland, France and the United States help teach the students in the stringed instruments every year. The school is also fortunate to have skilled craftsmen from Europe volunteering to mend and repair the instruments used.
Strings - tour and concert
The Xavier College Chorus of St. Xavier's College, Mumbai in collaboration with the Gandhi Ashram School Orchestra organised the Strings Concert in January 2011. The tour repertoire of the Orchestra in 2 Churches, 2 schools, 2 colleges and a concert in the city consisted of Western classical music, Blues, Bollywood, Nepali folk and national songs.
The Concert at St. Andrew's Auditorium, Bandra was a culmination of months of preparation and 10 days of rigorous practices and touring in Mumbai. Maestro Luis Szarán conducted the South American Baroque pieces and Rudra Mani Biswakarma conducted the Indian and Nepali pieces. The Concert was assisted by a crew of the most talented persons in the field of concert production in Mumbai like Etienne Coutinho and Roger Drego.
Concerts have become a regular part of the children's schedule.
Future plans
Due to various environmental reasons, it became necessary to move the School to a safer location. The new location also provides for expansion and to upgrade the facilities of the School.