{"id":233,"date":"2015-05-24T10:41:55","date_gmt":"2015-05-24T09:41:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.willembliss.co.uk\/?page_id=233"},"modified":"2018-08-16T11:32:29","modified_gmt":"2018-08-16T10:32:29","slug":"druk-white-lotus-school-ladakh","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.willembliss.co.uk\/?page_id=233","title":{"rendered":"Druk White Lotus School – Ladakh"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was invited to make instruments for the school playground at the Druk Padma Karpo School<\/a> in Shey Ladakh (the Indian Himalayas) twice. Firstly in 2010, when the school was hit devastating flood and mudslide in the middle of my trip, then I was invited back again in 2013 along with Alyson and Hannah – two Royal Academy woodwind graduates. Both trips were funded by Kinship<\/a> – a UK charity that promote creative play, who have extensive contacts in the area.<\/span><\/h4>\n

The school has a Buddhist ethos and obtains funding for children from remote mountain villages where there are no schools. These pupils board from the ages of 7 to 17. \u00a0The UK based architects\u00a0Arup<\/a> won awards for the Sustainable design of this building which has also been used in a famous Bollywood film \u201cThree brothers\u201d.<\/span><\/h4>\n

My aim was to create some musical instruments for the playground using locally found materials.\u00a0For the infants we made a Xylofence splitting locally grown willow branches that were rejected roofing materials as they are not straight enough.<\/span><\/h4>\n
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The Xylofence at\u00a0Druk White Lotus School Ladakh<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa playing the Xylophone<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Students come to help Will make instruments from reclaimed materials<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n