A STAR SHINES FOR THE CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME

A world-renowned Down Syndrome musician and Ambassador of Goodwill of Down Syndrome International, MR. SUJEET DESAI, recently visited the city and amazed audiences of his musical artistry being able to play more than five musical instruments. During his concert dubbed “A Star Shines Brightly” last January 29, 2011 at the CAP Grand Auditorium, Sujeet Desai, proved to everyone that the perceived barrier between mainstream children and children with Down Syndrome is non-existent at all. He was even able to show to the world that being a “special child” is a gift from God, which comes with great God-given talents.
“A Star Shines Brightly” Concert for a Cause is for the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the DS Foundation for the Differently-Abled, Inc., an affiliate of Down Syndrome International (DSI) London in United Kingdom. The concert likewise showcased the talented special children of the DS Foundation, who performed Singkil, Modern Dances, Ballet, and Band Music. The concert for a cause is also in coincidence of the Birthday of one of its most accomplished special child founding member, the late Ms. Deanna Sipaco.
As an accomplished professional musician and self-advocate with Down syndrome from New York, USA, Mr. Sujeet Desai plays six musical instruments including the Bb and Bass Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Violin, Piano and Drums, and has just started learning his 7th instrument, the trumphet. In addition, he travels around the world giving solo performances and learning self-advocacy workshops for Down syndrome. During the concert, Sujeet performed the following famous repertoire: Memory from Cats musical, Chrysalis by Gustav Langenus, and many others on Clarinet; Edelweiss from the Sounds of Music, Minuet III by J.S. Bach, Amazing Grace, etc. on Violin; Cannon in C by Johann Pachelbel, Pink Panther, In the Mood, etc. on Piano; and, Jammin’ with Charlie, Music of the Night, Bad Attitude, and Wind Beneath my Wings by Bette Midler on Alto Saxophone.
Sujeet Desai also performed a recital and a duet with Kenny G at the opening ceremony of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho in front of 14,000 people and was interviewed by former Olympic figure skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi. He is set to continue performing and traveling in the coming year with a busy schedule ahead of him for a noble cause, starting with an international performance in Doha, Qatar this coming March.
“A Star Shines Brightly” concert was very special bearing the fact that the performers were children with Down syndrome and those with different needs. Concert Director, Professor Greg Calamba, Jr., a brother and a nephew to differently-abled individuals himself, explained: “There is an extra sting attached to it precisely because special children like them are regarded with slow pace of catching up with normal viccisitudes of our daily life moreso with certain things that spells for precise and specific technicality.” As Sujeet Desai succinctly put it, “I was born with Down Syndrome. Therefore I learn things slowly. I have worked very hard for so many years to learn what I love to do to overcome the limitations of my disability. I would like to be a musician but my mission is more than that. People say that I have been a role model to young children around the world with disabilities, especially those born with Down syndrome either through my web page or music performances and workshops that I do with my mother to share my story. I like to make my presentations especially at conferences like this event more than just an entertainment but educational as well as inspirational. So it can be an upbeat on disability issues and continue to bring hope to individuals with disabilities, their parents, families, educators and services that work with them. My goal is to continue to work to make my Mission Possible!”
The DS Foundation for the Differently-Abled, Inc.’s concert for a cause epitomizes the very light that is needed to enkindle the heart of everyone in appreciating the simple and profound things these special children can afford to do, minding of the fact that theirs is a rarity that displays both the acumen to love without counting the cost and the ability to make ordinary things extraordinary.