Kodaikanal International School is located at 2133m in the peaceful Palani Hills of South India, a region known for its rugged beauty and cool temperate climate.KIS combines an ambitious, challenging academic program and a rich range of extracurricular activities within a Christian values framework that draws on a variety of cultures and prepares students for global citizenship.
The Social Experience program at KIS aims to blend a comprehensive classroom teaching program with a variety of community oriented activities providing students with abundant opportunities for enriching personal growth, enhanced civic awareness and a progressive global outlook. Classroom teaching focuses on topics as diverse as climate change, child labour, tribal culture and village justice, the digital divide, animal rights, deforestation, women’s issues etc, through seminars, video presentations, “take a stand” activities, story telling and lectures. The emphasis is on sustainability and empowerment. Students are encouraged to develop an approach of mutual and reciprocal interaction with the community.
CORSOCK’s Mercy Home presently houses 18 residents providing them with basic food, shelter and clothing. The Social Experience department at Kodaikanal International School works with the Mercy Home on a regular basis and KIS students are involved in a variety of activities at the home.
There is an urgent need for better infrastructure {bedding, lighting, plumbing, solar heating} and better medical care {consultations and specialist referrals eg: Eye care, Hearing aids, Cardiology consults; preventive medicine and screening including bone densitometry; dental care; medicines for Epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Hypertension, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, etc;}. Footwear, toiletry items, duvets, frame walkers etc are also needed. A kitchen garden is being nurtured to supplement their diet and a herb garden is being planned to provide for simple home remedies. The driveway needs to be paved and the terracing and maintenance of the grounds needs attention. An inverter is needed in view of the frequent power cuts.
KIS students visit Mercy home every weekend and interact with the residents. The emotional bonding that takes place benefits both the residents as well as the students and activities include playing caroms, collecting firewood, massages for aching limbs, music, dance, art, simple exercises, maintenance work etc. The Mercy Home experience continues to be an enriching educational experience for KIS students and is a pillar of support to the residents.
KIS staged a music festival in aid of Corsock’s Mercy Home to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first Kodai Music festival held in 1989. The 4 day program included daytime master classes and workshops for intermediate and advanced guitar students followed by evening concerts featuring world renowned artists.
The following musicians performed:
Andrew York {winner of the Grammy award with the LAGQ in 2005} who is considered to be one of the greatest composer- guitarists of our time,
Andrew York is one of today's most visible and innovative classical guitar composers, and a former member of the GRAMMY winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
In 2006 Andrew recorded and performed with the Atlanta symphony for the opera ”Ainadamar” by Osvaldo Golijov. The recording of ”Ainadamar” (Deutsche Gramophone) won two GRAMMY awards.
Andrew received his Master of Music degree from University of Southern California, and is the only USC graduate in the school’s history to twice receive the Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award
Oliver Rajamani, a KIS alumnus currently based in Austin, Texas who is famed for his groundbreaking multi-instrumental performances that trace the 1000 year old migration of the gypsies from India to Europe,
The music of Rajamani is of so called many traditions and not of any one tradition. Thus it unites all human beings spiritually, stripping one of all illusions to lead you back into your heart and soul. It is a sound that is at once foreign and familiar. Drawing upon ancient Eastern traditions, his music resonates in a deep place within its listeners, while remaining accessible and satisfying to the Western ear.
He has performed and recorded with internationally known artists such as Glen Velez, Gypsy Kings, Lara and Reyes, Arthur Brown (the God of Hell Fire), Aloke Dutta and many other traditional world music, folk, rock n roll, and country artists. He has given musical accompaniment for great poets and story tellers such as Coleman Barks, Robert Bly and David Whyte on stage. He has also performed for the Maharaja of Jodhpur, Gaj Singh II
Bangalore’s maverick rock band “Thermal and a quarter” [TAAQ] led by master guitarist Bruce Lee Mani who will perform an acoustic set.
Thermal and a Quarter is the musical voice of modern India that speaks the languages of the world. They are the only rock band from India to be featured on national public radio’s All Things Considered. They have also supported Jethro Tull and Deep Purple on tour.
The virtuoso guitar and violin duo of Louise Southwood and David France from Bermuda.
Louise was born in Paris in 1978. Her guitar playing began at an early age with many competition successes and performances throughout the UK. In 2000 she was awarded a Bachelor of Music (Hons) from The Royal College of Music in London
After a year of travelling and performing throughout Australia Louise returned to London where she and Daniel Chandler formed an acclaimed guitar and flute duo. Performance engagements within the UK were highlighted by appearances at The Trinity Chapel, Cambridge and The Dillington Guitar Festival.
She currently holds a position of classical guitar teacher at The Bermuda School of Music. Since arriving in 2004, she has been fully involved in the island’s musical scene and has released her debut CD ‘Emergence’.
The Kodai Music Festival was one of a kind, a rare and unique musical feast in one of India’s most beautiful hill resorts. All of the proceeds from the festival and all related donations and contributions went directly to CORSOCK’s Mercy Home.
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