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Music: Construction Of Gyumri Music School In Full Swing

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  • Music: Construction Of Gyumri Music School In Full Swing

    CONSTRUCTION OF GYUMRI MUSIC SCHOOL IN FULL SWING

    Mediamax
    Sept 14 2012
    Armenia

    Yerevan/Mediamax/. The construction of N6 Music School in Gyumri is
    in full swing. The school is built within the framework of a joint
    project of Mediamax, the Fund for Armenian Relief and Australian
    "Do Something" organization.

    The school foundation is almost ready, concreting works will be over
    in a couple of days after which the wall construction will start. The
    framework of the building should be ready by winter.

    The construction is carried out by "Kanaka" company.

    The ceremony of laying a memorable capsule in the building foundation
    will be held on September 25.

    The school will be put into operation in 2013.

    ***

    The story started 23 years ago.

    A few months after the devastating Spitak earthquake that killed 25
    thousand Armenians and left hundreds of thousands homeless, 24 year
    old Jon Dee organized the Rock Aid Armenia project in London. British
    rock stars recorded a top 40 cover version of Deep Purple's Smoke on
    the Water and helped to release the special "Earthquake Album".

    Revenue from the single and album sales was contributed as aid
    to Armenia.

    In 2009, the Armenian Mediamax media company decided to honor the
    participants of Rock Aid Armenia and contacted Jon Dee who lives
    in Australia and heads the Do Something organization that he set up
    with tennis star and former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash. As Jon was
    planning to re-release Rock Aid Armenia's Smoke on the Water to raise
    additional funds for Armenia, Mediamax and Do Something joined forces
    to implement the Armenia Grateful 2 Rock / Rock Aid Armenia project.

    In October 2009, Mediamax invited Ian Gillan from Deep Purple, Tony
    Iommi from Black Sabbath, Geoff Downes from Yes/Asia and Jon Dee to
    Armenia. Under the Armenian President's decree, they were awarded
    an Order of Honor. It was later that Brian May from Queen and David
    Gilmour from Pink Floyd were given their Orders of Honors by the
    Armenian Embassy in London.

    Ian Gillan, Tony Iommi, Geoff Downes and Jon Dee visited the Octet
    Music School in Gyumri during their trip to Armenia. If there has ever
    existed a painful blend of poverty and talent, then it was vividly
    exposed at the Gyumri Octet School of Music. Many of the students come
    from underprivileged families in Gyumri. Their music school has been
    made up of "domiks" (metal sheet dwellings) that were left over from
    the 1988 earthquake. The promise to rebuild these temporary premises
    with a proper building has not happened. Despite their dilapidated
    premises, the Octet Music School has kept producing talent year
    after year.

    The Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) has been sponsoring the
    underprivileged students of the School for many years. A hint of hope
    came to the school about 5 years ago when a very special couple from
    the United States, Mr. and Mrs. Edward and Janet Mardigian visited
    the students, accompanied by the FAR Board of Directors. "I would
    never forget those children, tears were coming to my eyes every time
    I recalled their beautiful musical performance" - said Mrs. Janet
    Mardigian. They have never stopped thinking about the ways that they
    could help the children.

    The children's performance also struck the rock heroes Ian Gillan,
    Tony Iommi and Geoff Downes. Together with Jon Dee, they announced
    that they would help to rebuild the school. By the end of 2009, FAR,
    Mediamax and Do Something signed a trilateral agreement to achieve
    this outcome.

    In March 2010, Mediamax and Do Something organized two charitable
    concerts by Ian Gillan with the Armenian Symphonic Orchestra in
    Yerevan and raised 45.000 USD. Over the past 2 years, a total of
    USD 110.000 has been raised for rebuilding the school - the Armenian
    Government, Geoff Downes, EMI Records and Orange Armenia also made
    contributions. Armenian President Serzh Sargsian pledged to support
    the project with AMD10mln (or 25.000 USD). This money will soon be
    transferred to the school account.

    In 2010, Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi set up the WhoCares ad-hoc
    super-group to raise funds for the Octet school. In May 2011, Edel
    Music released the first single by WhoCares with 2 brand new songs
    - Out of My Mind and Holy Water. In July 2012, Edel Music released
    the WhoCares album that comprises the 2 songs from the single and
    unreleased and rare material from Gillan and Iommi's back catalogue.

    Gillan and Iommi will make an advance payment of 15.000 USD for the
    school and the rest will be transferred after the album sales.

    The FAR Board recently briefed the Mardigian Family Foundation
    about these extensive fundraising efforts. The following day, their
    Foundation informed FAR that it will almost triple the funds raised so
    far. This generous donation was extremely important and it allowed FAR,
    Mediamax and Do Something to launch the construction of the school.

    The dream of having a new Octet Music School is now very close
    to becoming a reality. Ian Gillan once called the Octet school a
    "great symbol". Indeed, this cause that started 23 years ago is a
    great combination of Philanthropy and Art that are coming together
    to support these talented young children.

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