Delhi Children's Choir

It is a universally acknowledged fact that Music education is an absolute necessity for children of all ages. The statistics are clear and compelling.

• The schools that produced the highest academic achievement in the United States today are spending 20% to 30% of the day on the arts, with special emphasis on music. ~ International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement
• Schools with music programs have an estimated 90.2% graduation rate and 93.9% attendance rate compared to schools without music education, which average 72.9% graduation and 84.9% attendance.
• A study of 7,500 university students revealed that music majors had the highest reading scores among all majors including English, biology, chemistry and math. ~ The Case for Music in the Schools, Phi Delta Kappa
• Unfortunately government schools in India are not equipped as yet to include music or art education as a subject. And though the NCERT has recommended that Art Education be proactively included Primary and Secondary classes, the reality in classrooms is quite different.

Children from disadvantaged backgrounds don't have access to music education, qualified teachers or opportunities to perform to wider audiences. Despite abundant talent these children are unable to tap their creative energy.

At NalandaWay, we harness the power of the music to transform lives of disadvantaged children across India. The Delhi Children’s Choir, follows in the footsteps of Chennai Children's Choir. The Delhi Children's Choir is made up of children between the ages 7 to 17 studying in government schools. We identify talented children from low-income backgrounds and provide them intensive, structured music lessons. The choir learn the basics of music, voice culture, musical traditions etc. They listen to songs, learn new songs and rehearse for upcoming performances. We identify appropriate platforms and events for them to perform and give them an opportunity to have their voices heard and appreciated. Recently they recorded a Music video which went viral on youtube.

The Delhi Children's Choir is less than a year old, but we see huge changes in the members of the choir from when they started. Children are now able to sing together as a group. They are able to appreciate different musical cultures. Despite coming from different backgrounds they are able to relate to each other and feel like a part of a team. They have learnt important life skills like empathy, kindness, teamwork and being inclusive. Each and every child in the choir has become more confident and has found a sense of self-worth that will last them their whole life.