SoundSchool

Overview

When Bob Dylan decided that "songs can't save the world", he obviously hadn't met Oli Mistry. After an eyeopening brush with the streetchildren of Delhi in 2009, this Sydney-based UK ex-pat grabbed a beer, two friends and an idea to create change through the magic of SONG.

SoundSchool is a music initiative raising funds to purchase musical instruments, teaching aids and tuition for the Salaam Baalak Trust children's shelters in India. With buds Jarrod Paul and Jay Hemsworth on board, Mistry and his visionary crew saw the joy and wonderment inherent in a child's love of music, as spontaneous street jams in Delhi brought a rare glimmer of optimism to a mere handful of the 44 million Indian children living in abject poverty. Jarrod Paul, co-founder of the project, believes empowerment of the creative kind is a skill worth funding. "We call on the music fans of Sydney to make our first SoundSchool a reality," he says. "The cost of a musical instrument in India is almost nothing in our world, so we just want to do something that matters."

With 15 years of media industry experience between the three, co-founder Jay Hemsworth cites the trio's passion for "playing, listening, learning and watching" music as a crucial element to their plan, as they endeavour to nurture this creative skill in less fortunate communities. The double-edged beauty of this worthy fundraiser is the unashamedly selfish benefits for the ticketholder at Bondi's Beach Road Hotel. Hosted by Channel [V] V-J Jane Gazzo, the inaugural raucous evening heralds the likes of horse-ridin' accordion-blarin' white-boy-blues swaggerers The Delta Riggs, New Zealand alt-rockers Midnight Youth and scarily thrusting Sydney mock rock crew Bigphallica, amongst a host of Sydney DJs for kicks. With all cover charge sales funding the creative programme and facilities to be installed in Delhi in November, Sir Dylan you may kindly sup upon those words o' yours.