Thereza’s Convent High School, Ganapoga-Raia is a rural school motivating young girls to play difficult wind instruments like the baraton that is hardly performed by any of the male dominated brass band musicians playing at tiatrs

St Thereza’s Convent High School, Ganapoga-Raia is a rural school motivating young girls to play difficult wind instruments like the baraton that is hardly performed by any of the male dominated brass band musicians playing at tiatrs. ‘MUSIC runs in the blood of every Goan’ is a very popular adage that still runs true! Almost every household in Goa had a musician with some prominent Goan musicians even achieving fame internationally including in the Bollywood film industry!Earlier, Goan musicians playing the wind instruments like the trumpets, saxophones, clarinets, trombones, etc. were quite common. Now, this dying trend is being quietly revived in Goa with young teenage girls literally blowing their trumpets, saxophones and other such wind instruments. Motivating them to excel and continue to play the unique traditional Goan percussion musical instrument known as the ghumot besides the other musical instruments is the management and teaching staff of St Thereza’s Convent High School. This rural residential co-ed school situated in the quiet scenic village in Ganapoga-Raia is managed by the Roman Catholic nuns affiliated to the religious order of the Handmaids of Christ (HC). PIPES in the young female baraton player Tavia Minoj, “I feel good playing the baraton. I started playing the baraton in the school band. At first, it was difficult to play it but after practicing, it is not so difficult now. I really enjoy playing the baraton especially playing it in the school band.”The young female trumpeter duo comprising of Meliska Fernandes and Viberly Colaco also echoed her sentiments. Meliska chimes, “Yes, I enjoy playing the trumpet. When I play the trumpet, I really like the tone of the trumpet which I’m playing. When I’m playing the notes, I can feel the vibration of the notes through my body which gives me a thrill. I started playing the trumpet when I was in Vth Std. The interest of playing the trumpet grew from my cousin because my cousin is a trumpet player.”Viberly gushes, “Yes, I love to play the trumpet. I learnt to play the trumpet for my school marching band. I feel very happy and proud to play the trumpet specially for my school band and it is an amazing experience.” Another proud achievement of St Thereza’s Convent High School, Ganapoga-Raia is that their popular rural ‘All Girls’ School Band’ which is the first in Goa for the last three-four years had represented the State in a national West Zone event also bagging a prize. This band has also been invited for various government functions including the athletics meet held at Bambolim. Besides, performing the brass band music instruments such as the trumpets, saxophone and baraton among others, the female students in this band play the drums, too. Recently, on Saturday, August 27, the St Thereza’s Convent high school students commemorated the annual Teachers’ Day celebrations on the theme “Teacher, You Are A Glowing Lamp” which began with a short prayer service followed by an inter-house one act play contest for students of Class X as well as a specially composed song sung by a group of students paying glowing tributes to their teachers through the verses. Headmistress Sr Crasto, HC then felicitated the teachers who were bestowed with handcrafted posies painstakingly prepared by her as token of appreciation for their commitment and dedicated service in the field of education.Thus, St Thereza’s Convent high school, Ganapoga-Raia has quietly achieved several laurels and has set a benchmark for its contemporaries in the educational field to emulate especially the revival of the traditional Goan musical instruments particularly the wind instruments, besides empowering women in this hitherto male dominated area.