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‘Cantaram for the Community’ Concert Revives Konkani Music for Students and Specially Abled Adults

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Panaji, November 2025: Classic Konkani melodies came alive for a special audience of students and differently-abled adults during a unique musical outreach concert held as part of Cantaram for the Community—an initiative by the Dona Paula-based Communicare Trust celebrating its 20-year legacy of cultural engagement.

Held at Santa Cruz High School on November 8, the concert welcomed over 60 enthusiastic participants, including visually-challenged students from the National Association for the Blind (NAB), differently-abled adults from Little Angels Home, Chorao, and students from the host school. The programme aimed to revive timeless Goan musical heritage and reconnect younger generations to legends whose melodies have defined Konkani culture for decades.

A Journey Through Goan Musical Roots

“This objective of the concert was to reach out to communities like the NAB and the specially-abled wards from the Little Angels Home,” shared Nalini Elvino de Sousa, Manager at Communicare Trust. She added that the hands-on interaction helped children understand the charm of music from past generations:

“NAB students got to touch and feel the vinyl and shellac discs that played popular Konkani songs. Only one percent of children today know this music, and we hope to change that.”

Blending live performances with rare archival recordings, the concert was a nostalgic experience crafted through a thoughtful collaboration.
The beloved band Entre Nos—featuring Omar de Loiola Pereira, Nigel Vales, Nadia Rebelo, Ginelle Fernandes, and percussionist Nahil Flores—performed classics like Molbailo Dou, Claudia, Pixem, and the lesser-known gems Pipirmit and Moga, Aiz Pasun Hanv Ankvar.

Complementing the live music, record collector Leaxan Freitas played original vinyl and shellac discs featuring works of iconic musicians such as C. Alvares, Joe Rose, Frank Fernand, Ophelia Cabral, Oslando de Souza, Robin Vaz, and Antonette Mendes. He also demonstrated how a gramophone works and shared fascinating stories of Goa’s music greats.

Music, Memory and Inclusion

The sessions struck a chord with the audience, many of whom were experiencing gramophone music for the first time.
Teacher Gioma Rodrigues expressed,

“It brought back a lot of memories and gave our students an unforgettable learning experience.”

Mizba, a visually impaired student who touched the vinyl discs, shared her excitement:

“I could feel the tracks and hear the music. I had never heard these songs before, but now I think I will.”

Celebrating Goa’s Cultural Heritage

‘Cantaram for the Community’ continues to expand its outreach with the mission of preserving and passing on Goa’s rich musical history to the next generation—through schools, community groups, and inclusive cultural experiences.

Events in Goa

‘Cantaram for the Community’ Revives Goa’s Musical Heritage for Students of 17 Schools

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Panaji, August 2025: Goa’s rich musical legacy resonated through classrooms-turned-concert-halls as students from 17 schools and colleges experienced ‘Cantaram for the Community,’ a cultural outreach initiative by Communicare Trust to mark its 20th anniversary. The twin events, hosted at Carmel College, Nuvem and St Xavier’s College, Mapusa, introduced a new generation to the timeless magic of Konkani cantaram.

The programme featured captivating live renditions by the musical collective Entre Nós, who performed classics like Molbailou Dou and a Claudia medley. Vinyl record collector Leaxan Freitas offered students a rare look at vintage music formats — from shellac discs to analogue gramophones — sparking awe among those who had only read about such devices in books.

Through music, stories, and interactive quizzes, the event revived the works of legendary Goan composers and singers such as C. Alvares, Frank Fernand, Chris Perry, Ophelia Cabral, and Antonette Mendes. Performances included beloved pieces like Nachom-ia Kumpasar, Sobit Amchem Goem, and Bencdaita Pai, reintroducing students to melodies that once defined Goa’s soundscape.

Dr. Glenis Mendonca of Carmel College highlighted the event’s camaraderie and engagement, noting how students even danced to the tunes. Student Sofia Haokip described the joy of seeing a gramophone and vinyl in action for the first time.

Manager at Communicare Trust, Nalini Elvino de Sousa, explained that the initiative was designed to bridge the gap between generations, showing how music technology evolved while celebrating Goa’s cultural roots. Supported by the Maria Crescencia Menezes Memorial Educational Trust, ‘Cantaram for the Community’ continues the Trust’s mission of preserving and promoting Goan culture for future generations.