An international team of mentors is joining hands with 140 students in Mumbai to make their dreams of a world-class musical movement showcase come true
Violinist Mika Nishimura (right) instructs students. PICS COURTESY/Andres Buritica; MUKTANGAN
You’ve met students from Mumbai’s government schools in newspapers before, invariably in reports of city authorities dealing them the short end of the stick. Japanese violinist Mika Nishimura thinks these tiny hands look better wielding shiny violin bows. This weekend, a group of 140 students from government schools, NGOs and private schools will bow their strings in tandem to tunes like Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan and Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Nishimura, with a dream team of international mentors, has been working overtime to make a movement-meets-music showcase a grand success in SoBo this Sunday.
Guillermo Diaz mentors the children during an outdoor strength training session
At the Elphinstone Municipal School on Monday, Nishimura had a long overdue rendezvous with Spanish educator Katheryn Murillo of the Real Madrid Foundation (RMF). “I met Katheryn in 2022 at a conference in Portugal. I had already been teaching kids at Muktangan Education Trust for many years. I mentioned how the kids, while extremely bright, struggle with physical strength. Sometimes, they couldn’t bear standing with a violin even for an hour,” Nishimura recalls. The Elevate Camp, the duo’s music-meets-exercise brainchild, came to fruition three years later at the municipal school.
Andres Buritica
Fellow Spaniard and wellness instructor Guillermo Díaz of RMF, who was roped in for the job, gives us a post-session analysis from the sidelines over a Zoom call. “I introduced them to a Haka routine [traditional dance of New Zealand’s Maori tribes], to blend rhythm and movement. I was surprised how well they connected with an emotive indigenous art form that comes from halfway across the world.
We’ll be training one movement skill every day going ahead,” he says. On his first trip to Mumbai, Díaz is diving head first in its culture, we learn. “I was told that cricket is big here. I had to give it a swing in a gully match. Interestingly, one of the parents also mentioned the rise of judo in Mumbai. I’m keeping an eye on that,” he reveals.
Katheryn Murillo conducts a communication activity with students
Díaz is not the only one sweating it out at the camp. Nishimura has 13 pieces to arrange with Colombian conductor Santiago Ozlate before the showcase. “We’re looking at a mix of genres from Bollywood and Western classical pieces to children’s music and South American tunes. We’re going to have a blast,” she exclaims. Can’t be a two-man job, that. “Not at all. The children’s parents have been our pillars of support. They’ve been extremely accommodating. In fact, a group of parents will act as volunteers at the venue this weekend,” the violinist shares.
Katheryn Murillo
“It can get extremely tiring to be honest,” admits Murillo, adding, “We were exhausted by the time we reached Mumbai. But the children here are livewires. Their enthusiasm is contagious and instantly got us charged for the day.” While the students learn to move to the beat, Murillo is ensuring her visit’s impact lives longer than the weekend. “I am conducting leadership and communication programmes to teach them how to express their thoughts, emotions and needs effectively. They already foster a strong sense of community; we’re just giving them a push,” she says.
Mika Nishimura
After the camp’s debut at this school, the founders are eyeing to expand the camp to more locations in the city, and across the country. They could use a helping hand, though. “If you believe in the power of music, movement, nutrition and mentorship to shape future leaders from the often-overlooked sections of society, we’re here. Let’s keep growing this community,” Nishimura urges our readers who wish to collaborate and contribute.
You read it in mid-day first, but expect striking visuals and sneak peeks from the sessions to find their way to you on social media soon. Photographer Andrés Buriticá has been documenting proceedings at the camp, while simultaneously teaching a few curious students the ways of filmmaking. “Their innate urge to learn and dabble in every discipline has been an eye-opener for me. I’ve been thinking to myself how far I could have made it in life if I had the same curiosity as a child,” he laughs as we sign off... and ponder.
ON August 17; 10 am to 12 noon
AT Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
EMAIL hello@elevateimpacts.org (for passes; RSVP mandatory)
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