Wataru Kousaka performs with Stereo Sanshin and Sarod

Dear Omers

Japanese musician Wataru Kousaka performed live for us at Om on the 17th of October. He played a traditional Japanese instrument called a Stereo Sanshin. The instrument is a simple 3 stringed instrument that almost resembles a banjo and uses nylon strings. He played the Sanshin with a delay pedal producing a unique sound. He had extraordinary control over his rhythm. He also played a classical Indian instrument the Sarod and is completely self taught. He used the bow of a Chinese instrument, the Erhu, on the Sarod to produce an exquisite haunting sound.

We packed the upstairs with over 20 people and it was a very meditative and enchanting evening. There were two sets where the Stereo Sanshin and the Sarod were played with a 20 minutes interval in between. We had people spending their last cent in their pocket just to come watch the performance and loved it so much that they wanted to buy the CDs but had no money!!! So they borrowed from others to pay for the CD! hehe… you know who you are….

It was a very cosy evening with food and drinks served throughout the performance and the audience were very respectful as in knowing when to slurp and munch, so there was no disturbance to the entire performance nor atmosphere. People then stayed on and hung out till late in our newly refurbished ‘upstairs’!!!

Thank you Wataru for your beautiful music and unassuming position.

Thank you Yuzuru Maeda for helping us arrange the concert for Wataru.

And Thank you to all who came and made it an enchanting evening…

If you want to know more about Wataru Kousaka and his music his myspace address is http://www.myspace.com/watarukousaka

Love and blessings from all of us at Om

An evening with Musical Peace Ambassador Jason Carter

Dear Omers,

We were fortunate to have a Musical Peace Ambassador, Jason Carter, perform for us at Om with his wonderful Harp Guitar. He even invited a Veena player, Aravinth Kumarasamy, to perform an Indian composition that they did together at a concert in the Esplanade. It was a magical performance and we were all moved by his remarkable compositions. Before playing a song, Jason shared with us an anecdote story about the inspiration behind each piece. He played a piece for us called “Recreation” which was inspired by how he accidentally chopped off the index finger on his left hand with a kitchen knife 2 years ago. This happened on an island off the Baltic Sea with 40 people and no professional medical help. To cut a long story short, the finger was sowed back on after 12 hours at a hospital on the mainland, but it was too late. A week later it fell off and he chucked it in the bin. It grew back after a period of 2 months but he wasn’t able to use his index finger to play guitar for half a year. So “Recreation,” a marvelous track, was composed from using the remaining fingers that he was able to use to play guitar.

If you want to know more about Jason and his music you can visit his myspace at http://www.myspace.com/jasoncarterguitar

Thank you Jason for your celestial music and your charming disposition, and to all those who attended for making it  such a magical evening…

Love and Blessings from all at OM!!!

Flea N Fun Raised A Very Well Done

Dear OMers

We manged to conduct a road closure on Haji Lane on the 29th of August to have a flea market fundraiser to support Sunshine Home, a small establishment in Changmai, Thailand for less privileged hill tribe orphans. The day was filled with joyous smiles radiating from all corners of the street and some wonderful live musical performances, the highlight being the Voodoo Drums group. First of all we want to say a huge THANK YOU to all the people on Haji Lane who came and supported the Flea and Fun Raiser and made the event possible. A big thanks to Barry Tan  from Going Om for conceptualizing, organizing and making the event a success. Thank you to all the stall owners and tenants on Haji Lane for supporting the event and helping to raise funds for Sunshine Home. For those of you who came for the event, we would love to hear some feedback from you on your thoughts about the event. Any general comments, suggestions or criticisms are more than welcomed for the team at Going Om. Let us know if you had fun, if you thought certain aspects could have been improved or whether you want us to organize another one. Please do share your ideas and thoughts with us and a big THANK YOU once again to everyone who made the Flea N Fun the successful fun event that it was.

Thanks to Stephen Lew for all the Photos

Love & Blessings

The Om Team

‘Flea & Fun’ Raiser

Just Another Excuse to Partay!!!

~ 29th August 2009, 12pm -10pm ~

Hosted by: Going OM @ 63 Haji Lane
Collab with: JAE2P & Positive Projects

Dear Go OMmers!

From the crew that brought you ‘Schools In Nepal Fundraiser’, we’re back with a bigger and better all-day event: ‘Flea & Fun’ Raiser!

Greta and Daphne went over to Changmai and came across Sunshine Home, a small establishment run by a local school director for less privileged hill tribe orphans.

The hill tribe people considered 2nd rate citizens, but by law, all children are given free education by the Thai Government. However, many stay in remote inaccessible places where dirt trails become muddy rivers over the monsoon.

Sunshine Home currently houses 8 hill tribe girls aged between 12 to 16, most of whom are too poor to afford daily meals, school materials and uniforms. It is encouraging though, that under the car of Mr Wit Chai and his wife, the two 16-year-old students have received scholarships for further education.

Mr Wit Chai and his wife shelters and feeds these girls for the duration of the school term (9 months). They have 2 daughters of their own. Mr Wit Chai pays for everything out of his own pockets and receives no funding from the government.

The future plans for Sunshine Home is to expand and eventually house up to 60 hill tribe orphans, but for now, we will do what we can to help with feeding them first.

Let’s put things into perspective here. This is how much it would cost to feed a child – approximately SGD$1 a day. It’s ridiculous isn’t it?

6 Baht – Breakfast
12 baht – Lunch
12 Baht – Dinner

So please do come on over for our ‘Flea & Fun’ Raiser! if you wish to set up a stall, it’s only $47. If not, just come on down and enjoy the great deals and all the activities we’ve got lined up for the evening!

The entire Haji Lane will be closed for us to hold our flea market. All the flea market stalls will be along the entire Haji Lane, and they’re now available for booking!

Each stall costs $47 and it will be funding the causes we support and future events like organizing educational trips and workshops for orphans.

The time will be from 11am (startup) till 11pm. When the sky turns dark, and we’ll be having even more activities after that! Drinks special, date auctions, musical performances, tribal drummers and fire spinners then take center stage.

Each stall will be 2m by 1m and whoever makes payment first gets dibs on stall location. No tables or chairs will be provided. Stall owners are to bring their own mats/tables/racks.

Stall booking will be confirmed upon payment. Deadline for payment: 15 August 2009 2359hrs.

To book, email Weiyan at cheeweiyan@gmail.com

Please note that we do accept donations and official receipts will be issued for those of you who wish to contribute monetary donations. Thank you!!

Love & Blessings
The OM Team.