A selfless east Auckland school pupil is helping talented and creative youngsters to achieve their musical dreams.
Ormiston Senior College student Aadi Golchha is the founder of the charity Soundraise, which donates free musical equipment to schools across south Auckland.
His organisation’s most recent event was staged at his school on August 19 and attended by National Party leader and Botany MP Christopher Luxon as guest of honour.
It featured a concert by students from the eight lucky schools that were to receive the $20,000 of musical and performing arts equipment Soundraise was giving away.
“Before the event we reached out to the schools and talked to their music teachers to understand their requirements for their departments,” Aadi says.
“They gave us a list of the stuff they needed.
“We then managed to procure those items and we have them here to give away.”
Aadi says the charity works with sponsors including the Mazda Foundation, Auckland Airport and supplier-sponsor MusicWorks to purchase the needed equipment.
“Our motto is ‘changing lives through music’,” he says.
“Our belief is money should never be a barrier to education, especially with things like music.
“Often there’s not enough room in the [school’s] budget, which is reserved for core subjects.
“Some schools don’t have adequate, if any, musical instruments.
“Our goal is to work with them to develop and deliver music programmes in schools and make sure they have everything they need.”
Luxon told the young musicians he wanted to congratulate Aadi and Soundraise’s volunteers for their efforts.
“It’s a great example of young people getting deep into mission and purpose and saying ‘I’m going to go change something in the world’, and they care passionately about it.
“I thank you for what you are doing here.
“You got turned onto music in this school and through your life and really got joy and pleasure from it.
“The fact you thought about others and the places that might have less positive circumstances and fewer resources and you decided to do something about it, I think it’s fantastic.”
Luxon said one of the things people should do in life is think about what they can’t stand, want to do something about, or change, and “then go and do that”.
“That’s what Aadi and the team at Soundraise have done.
“Thank you so much for what you’ve done.
“It’s incredible for someone so young.
“All of you and your team are determining that you can change the world.”
The concert featured energetic performances by the pupils of songs including Michael Jackson’s iconic hit Beat It, a song by Kiwi group Six60, a variety of Pasifika music and more.
For more information on Soundraise and its work go online to www.soundraise.co.nz.
