FREE MUSIC EDUCATION
Giving access to music training to local youth
Since 2010, the Musica Music Institute has been offering free music lessons across a wide range of disciplines, taught by local musicians and educators. From traditional Newari music to Indian classical, as well as modern rock and pop, we celebrate and teach diverse musical styles. We also involve our students in recording sessions at the Musica studio, which also serves as a hub for our educational program.
Traditional Music
100 Weekly Students
Modern Music
VIOLIN
Under the direction of Shailendra Shakya, we offer free violin lessons 4 times a week to different group levels
VOCALS
Traditional and classical songs, modern vocals lessons under the direction of vocalist Shilu Joshi
DRUMS
Join our free drum classes and learn how to play basic rhythms and rudiments in just a few weeks!
GUITAR
Weekly guitar classes at the musica studio
ENSEMBLE
The different groups for different music disciplines come together a of couple times every week to paractice as an esemble and prepare for performances.
If you are interested in participating to our music program, please contact us at mahesh@playingforchange.org
+1500
students served
+10
Staff members
+30
Collaborators
+12
Music disciplines
WHY MUSIC ?
THE NEWARI CULTURE
The Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, preserves one of the oldest and most distinctive cultural traditions of the Himalayas, with music at the heart of religious, social, and communal life. Rooted in both Hindu and Buddhist practices, Newari music accompanies festivals, rituals, and processions, performed with traditional instruments such as the dhimay and naykhin drums, the bansuri flute, and the ponga horn. More than a form of artistic expression, these sounds serve as a living archive, carrying centuries of history, spirituality, and identity. Today, the transmission of this music to younger generations is vital to ensure its continuity, offering not only a way to safeguard heritage but also to strengthen community bonds and inspire pride in the cultural legacy of the Kathmandu Valley.
PATAN DURBAR SQUARE
Patan Durbar Square, located in the heart of the Kathmandu Valley, and just 100 meters from the Music Music Institute, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its exquisite Newar architecture, palaces, and temples. Dating back over a millennium, Patan Durbar Square reflects the rich cultural diversity of the Kathmandu Valley, where Hinduism and Buddhism have long coexisted and influenced its art, architecture, and living traditions.