Jay Joshi
Goa has no dearth of musical talent, and if tapped at an early age, it can create wonders. In other words, the film School of Rock is not totally off the mark from reality when it comes to Goa. Neil D’Cruz, a music teacher at Vidya Vikas Academy Margao, has made it his mission to spot and train young talent in music from across The project, called ‘Uncut Diamonds’, showcases the talents of Neil’s students who will now be giving their first performance as a band under the name that is already well-known in parts of Goa
“We chose the name Uncut Diamonds because they are still young and raw”, says teacher D’Cruz. “They are diamonds that need polishing.”. That said, the band it not limited to a particular genre. Instead it is open to incorporating all influences from Indian Classical to Rock, says the teacher, who is himself a trained vocalist, having completed grade 8 in vocals from Trinity College, London, and has close to two decades of experience in musical field. Explaining how the band came about, he stresses the need to provide exposure to good talent. “I am a musician myself, and I travelled the world, but I got the opportunity later in life. However, I have realised that today’s kids need to be given such exposure as early as possible. If we start training early, then, by the time they are 17-18 years old, kids are transformed into accomplished musicians” he says.
Apart from offering training in music, D’Cruz encourages his students to write and perform their own songs. “This will help create lots of original artists from Goa.” says the musician. However, there are challenges in keeping the dreams alive, he notes. “At some point the students may become career oriented and give up music, but my effort is keep the fire burning as long as possible.” But even as he is passionate about creating opportunities for students of music, he does not see TV reality shows as a good platform for their talent. “Reality shows bring in elements such as competition and politics. What we do here is just pure fun. Here, the students express themselves through music.” The YouTube channel Uncut Diamonds by Neil D’cruz has been attracting audience both at home and abroad. The video of Dhiti Lotlikar, a class IX student singing Konkani song Apghat by Lorna has become an Internet sensation, gaining over 1 lakh views in 24 hours. And now, the band is ready to officially present itself on stage. The band Uncut Diamonds will present their first rock show at The Farmhouse on August 14.
