MENTORING THROUGH MUSIC
Conceptualised in 2018, Mentoring Through Music is an ongoing community impact project based on the ethos that music being a universal language is a powerful tool for social change which transcends boundaries and disparity. A Ketto Fundraising Campaign enabled a variety of initiatives that were completed both pre and post pandemic. The initiative has worked consistently with four NGO’s and impacted students at low income and NDMC Schools and the vulnerable elderly at old age homes, through the creation of musical spaces. It has also aimed to impact students within The British School through the formation of music club and band. Jaiveer has reached a wider audience through awareness building performances and as the youngest author for The Daily Guardian, where he authored a monthly column on musical recommendations during the first lockdown in New Delhi. Measurable impact includes:
- Maitri India – 170 elderly widows
- Nirmal Primary School – 220 students
- Atal Adarsh Prathmik Vidalaya – 217 students
- Saint Hardyal Educational and Orphans Welfare Society (SHEOWS) – 300 abandoned elderly
- The British School Music Club: Currently 22 active members – with outreach to 500 students
- ‘On The Beat’ Monthly Column in The Daily Guardian-Wide readership Pan India
Working with Low income Schools
Creating A Music Corner at Atal Adarsh Prathmik Vidhlaya, New Delhi
(January 2021)
Atal Adarsh Prathmik Vidhlaya is an NDMC School where 270 children receive an education from nursery till class five. A music corner was created to the side of the stage in a large auditorium space as this would be easily accessible by all children at the school. The musical instruments included a large drum set, a keyboard, bongos, tambourines and Manjeeras. These instruments were chosen keeping in mind the fact that while some students were able to play the keyboard, others expressed a desire to learn simpler instruments. It was a pleasure to be able to interact with at least a few students who had been allowed to come in for special lessons as the school took to a hybrid model.
Building A Music Room at Nirmal Primary School, New Delhi
(January 2020)
Nirmal Primary School has been permanently recognised by the New Delhi Municipal Committee. It educates approximately 300 students from Nursery to Class V. No fees are charged from the students. An fully functional music room was completed equipped with 2 keyboards with stools and stands, a tabla set, a harmonium, flutes, harmonicas and two acoustic guitars for the music room. Stickers, posters and furniture completed the requirements. This was inaugurated by the Principal of The British School in January 2020 and marked the beginning of musical learning at the school.
Jazz & Blues at Nirmal Primary School and Maitri, New Delhi
(September – October 2019)
This interactive masterclass was specifically tailored to students within the 5 to 15-year group. Shared on a PPT, the lesson simplified both genres and detailed the work of musicians, instruments, and background history of the genres. Emphasis was given to two performing artists from each field and their songs and style were explained through sharing music videos and discussion. Students were then required to fill out a booklet with simple questions to gauge their understanding of the lesson. The content for the lesson was translated into Hindi as this is the medium of instruction at the schools. The masterclass lasting an hour and a half often ended with a sing along. “Rock On”, the iconic Hindi movie hit, was a popular choice during the sing along, where students often found connections between the song and jazz!
Working with Old Age Homes
Creating a musical corner at the Maitri Old Age Home for widows in Vrindavan
(January 2021)
Maitri’s old age home offers a safe, hygienic, and comfortable home for 150 elderly widows. A holy city in Uttar Pradesh, Vrindavan is popularly known as the ‘city of widows’. At the old age home, devotional music forms an extremely important part of the daily ritual, one that provides solace and peace to the residents. Many know how to play a variety of Indian Musical instruments and towards this end based on Maitri’s suggestion’s the old age home received, harmonums, dholak’s, manjeera’s, chimtas and daflis.
A musical initiative for SHEOWS Old Age Homes in New Delhi and Garhmukteshwar
(July 2020)
A detailed proposal sent to Saregama India Pvt a company convinced them to donate 15 portable “Carvaan” music players to SHEOWS. These players have a pre-loaded play list of songs, specifically relatable devotional and Hindi movie songs from the golden era of music which provides an umbrella for two old ages homes in New Delhi and Garhmukteshwar, Uttar Pradesh, for the abandoned elderly that are home to over 300 residents. Inspired by the initiative, Saregama India Pvt Ltd launched a pan India campaign where they pledged to donate portable Carvaan players to old the homes across the country.
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