I have a new view from a new balcony in a new flat in a new part of Goa. Wanna see?
Of course, non of it is new in any objective way. This flat and balcony have been here for maybe three decades. The view and the area have been here a considerable time longer. But after a year of living in my distant flat in Candolim two days of the week and staying with Martin and Beena for the days I’m teaching, it’s all new to me.
This view, like any other view, also has some weight and depth beyond what the eye can see. My previous living arrangement almost made me feel displaced. The flat in which I was living in Candolim was so far away from where the rest of my life was, in Santa Cruz (where Martin and Beena and all three children’s homes are), that I was neither here nor there. But here I am, living in Santa Cruz, around the corner from my brother and sister Martin and Beena. But more on the flat in a moment.
Starting Music Theory Classes
At the beginning of February I had the utmost pleasure of setting off a new course for 9 of the senior boys in a formal music education. The Trinity College London syllabus of grade 1 music theory is the perfect step up for some of my existing students.
Nine generous sponsors in the UK gave £35 each to nine students who are currently taking two 30-minute lessons every week in how to read and write music. I’ve always promoted the study of music theory in all musicians as it gives a backbone of understanding to how music works. It makes learning an instrument so much quicker and easier. All nine boys are loving their course along with their new books and stationary. In May they will be taking their exam and I’m expecting all of them to pass.
Grade 1 Music Theory Class at work
Special Guests and Donors
The day after the first theory class we had a visit from a couple from the southern state of Kerala (most people I meet in Goa seem to be from Kerala). They made a road trip of some 16 hours, with a pregnant belly, and a mission to give a pack of laptops, books and a projector to Bethesda Life Centre children’s homes. I was given the honour of giving them a tour of all three homes and introducing them to the children whos lives they’re changing. It was nice even for myself to visit all three homes within a couple of hours. The girls home was definitely the noisiest one in comparison – everyone agreed. Those girls are pure energy. Who run the world?
A couple from Kerala donate laptops to the girls home
At the junior boys home, all the junior and senior boys gathered and were given a performance by the King’s Barbers – an a capella group from King’s Ely in the UK, who were in Goa to perform at the Ketevan Music Festival. They sang and entertained so well, singing songs ranging from negro spirituals, to contemporary classical vocal music, to Coldplay. They also donated a fair amount of cash and some professional cricket gear.
The King’s Barbers donate pro cricket equipment to the boys
Yesterday I got an email from the choir master saying that all the choir boys agreed that meeting the BLC boys was the highlight of their trip. The senior boys all got together and taught them ‘This Is Living’ by Young & Free and the choir loved it so much that they wanted to do an arrangement for them when they got back to the UK.
As the choir were leaving to go, all the junior boys gathered around me and, pointing at one of the choirboys, white and wearing shorts and t-shirt, said, “brother Will, can you tell that boy that he is very handsome”. I’m sure the mosquitos would have agreed. When I went up and told the unassuming young man about his admirers, he was very moved and delighted by the innocence and simplicity. It was a charming moment. And funny.
The Kings Barbers perform at the junior boy’s home
The Engagement, the Wedding and the Funeral
During the course of the month it was announced that a couple in the church, Anthony uncle and Sebastiana auntie, would be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows and having a big celebration. On the following Sunday, another couple in the church would be holding a big engagement ceremony. Now, you have to understand that in Goa neither wedding nor engagement should be anything less than extravagant. But something else you should know is that in Goa, planning and communication are so poor that it is a source of regular frustration for me. If Goa ever hosted the Olympic Games they would make the craziness of the 2016 Rio games look like the 2008 Beijing opening ceremony. Seriously, on the day that the King’s Barbers performed, I’d spent the morning planning my day’s music lessons, unaware of any kind of kings or barbers coming later.
Celebrating a golden anniversary – Anthony uncle and Sebastiana aunty
Both parties had asked for songs I didn’t know, in languages I didn’t speak well – Hindi and Konkani. So learning these songs required a long period of committed studying time. One of the songs (Soglea Kalzan) is nowhere to be found on the entire internet – I had to retrieve the words from one person (thanks Stacey), the melody and chords from someone else (thanks Dipak), and a translation from a third person (thanks Nancy). Still, it’s really great to sing a song in a local language which is passed down exclusively orally.
Then on the day of the wedding, we arrived at 5pm for a 7pm start with all our gear and instruments believing that the speakers we were using would be set up already by the hired tech team. The tech team didn’t arrive until 6.30pm! I’ve never known such a laid back, unprofessional group of people. The event had to be delayed until 7.30pm, without soundcheck or rehearsal. I was barking orders at the guy on the mixer between lines during the first song. Once the event got going it was beautiful and full of crazy customs involving a pinata and a line dance. Amazing.
The Glorious band at the wedding anniversary
The engagement had similar problems, but instead of the tech crew being late it was our rickshaw driver (carrier for our equipment) who decided an hour after he was supposed to arrive that he didn’t want to work that evening. There were no rickshaws in the village either. We had to pack all the cars we had available and make a couple of trips. Again, in all of the stress, sweat and blood it all turned out ok in the end. No rehearsal, but the band are getting good at just going with it. Maybe they’re used to it by now. It was all so up-in-the-air that at one moment at the end of the ceremony I was waved back on stage to play some impromptu celebration music, then while I was a minute into playing, the keyboard player from the party band just started playing his own thing. No warning. For a split second I had an out-of-body experience.
Packing the cars as full as possible after the rickshaw never showed
In all of this planning and mayhem, the mother of one of our church members died at the grand age of 97. The funeral was held in her home straight after the church service on the day before the wedding. Martin asked me to take a guitar and lead everyone there in a few songs. When I walked into the front room of the house with the guitar, I was shocked to find the body in an open casket – something I’ve never seen for real with my own eyes. To see daughters, granddaughter and grandson of dear Antonette gathered around her body, weeping and wailing, was moving on a level deeper than can be explained. I didn’t know the deceased well at all, but to see such raw grief and to hear that sound of everyone in the room uniting their voices, singing, “and now let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich because of what the Lord has done for us” still speaks beautifully and deeply to me in a way my spirit understands but my brain doesn’t have to understand. “Deep calls to deep…” I don’t think I’ll ever forget that day.
The Importance of All of This
Still, I think about how much life I see around me, and how much our encounters with both life and death invite us closer, to experience deeper, to love more openly. In all of the craziness of the past couple of weeks, I moved house into a flat that needed a LOT of cleaning. I’ve been mopping walls, scrubbing cupboards, cleaning cat pee out of mattresses, ridding holes of cockroaches whilst learning Hindi and Konkani songs and planning the music for these events. I’ve had to spend so much on things for the flat (plates, pans, ironing board etc) that I’ve had to cut down on how much I spend on food and petrol. Most days I’ve been having noodles because they seem the cheapest and quickest. I’m often faced with the thought of running out of money – flights, visa extensions, rent. Nothing is clear and uncertainty stalks me like a shadow.
It has been a constant challenge, especially so this week. But then I walk out onto that balcony and I see the reason. You see, right in the middle of that view is an area covered by trees and in the centre of that area is the senior boys home where I teach. I look at that panorama and my heart is filled with joy and I’m reminded of why and how I’m here – a road paved with miracles. I remember all the people who have given to my work so far and all the things that can only be explained as an act of God and I know full well – everything will be ok.
Needs
Thank you for reading this far. I deeply appreciate it.
- I’m believing for a visa extension as my current visa runs out in November. Please picture that approval stamp going down.
- I’m in real dire need of financial support – small monthly giving or a one-off gift – anything is welcome. Here are the three ways to help:
- Amazon list – to provide for a specific need;
- hello@willadammusic.com – email me for standing order details;
- JustGiving – to donate one-off.
Your giving will go towards living costs (food mostly) for myself and for providing the children with the musical equipment they need. Thank you. Love you. Peace x
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