By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
DAVID Pal’s mother had suffered from a stroke and didn’t have long to live when she gave her son a request 12 years ago.
“She asked me ’why don’t you teach your children music’,” David said this week.
“Her dying wish was for her grandchildren to learn how to play music and sing.”
Fijian-born David is now the Secretary of Satyam Shivam School of Music in Endeavour Hills, an institution he created with the current president of the school, Satish Prakash, in 2003.
Satyam Shivam School of Music is not-for-profit, relying on fundraising, and has in the past unsuccessfully applied for state government grants.
The school’s luck changed last week when Casey Council donated a combined total of $1500 to Satyam Shivam in ward allocation funds.
“In February 2002 I flew to San Francisco to say goodbye to my aging sick mother as she succumbed to a stroke,” David said.
“During my conversation mum inquired about my three sons and she urged me to do more in teaching culture and music to the boys.
“Also upon learning, she wanted the children to entertain within our community, especially our senior citizens.
“Not able to teach myself, I was haunted by the words of wisdom from mum to do something.
“Upon my return I narrated this story on air and we were offered professional tutoring from within the community.”
Born from his mother’s request for her grandchildren – Jay, Ray and Roy – to learn how to play instruments, David started up the school which teaches music to its students for free.
“It was recognised very early in the piece that being so far away from our homeland, our culture would take a hit as Australian born generations grew up,” David said.
“One way of enforcing our culture is through music, specifically musical instruments.
“It was this thought that gave birth to our school.”
David thanked the City of Casey for its generosity in allocating ward funding to Satyam Shivam and said the school would welcome the support with open arms.
“We’re really on a shoestring budget.
“It can make it hard to pay for the hall hire and tutors and we need amplification like microphones,” he said.
“We labour to get the school going so this money is great.”
Satyam Shivam operates twice a week and lists its objectives as teaching students how to play musical instruments, singing, public speaking and encourages them to entertain the community – particularly senior citizens.
The school has professional trained tutors who teach keyboard, harmonium (a type of organ) and tabla (a drum), to a group of students who range in age from seven to 75.
There are currently 14 students in tabla class and 12 in harmonium class.
David’s mother, Gyan, was granted her final wish.
For more information, contact David on 0421 083 187.
