Organising
on your own can be a bit stressful at times and for total relaxation I have
been skydiving for the last 16 years. This all started harmlessly enough with
a sponsored charity jump but it did not end there. After months of nerve-racking
training I qualified to category 8, which gave me an International license
to jump anywhere in the world from any height to 15000ft.
This allows for 70 seconds freefall. Lack of time and bad weather do place
a restriction, but so far I have done 426 jumps. Sheer heaven.-I have a new great morning Job, called Dog walking. It gives me immense pleasure.
As
you have guessed my name is Gilda Sebastian and
my two great passions are Indian Classical Music and Sky Diving. I also had
a full time job until June'06 when I took early Retirement.The amount of time
and money I put into Indian Classical Music is a labour of love. After attending
numerous live performances of Indian Classical Music
in the UK and abroad, I decided to organise my own concert . On the left my Hero Ustad Zakir Hussain.
I started in March 1994. This was for several different reasons.I liked what I heard
but not what I saw and wanted to do it my way. Also, there was little or no
Indian Classical Music in my area and unlike me, my friends did not like to
travel to London after work, where it was all happening. My first concert
was with the Sitarist Krishna Bhatt at the Ipswich Corn Exchange. It was a
good musical experience and since that time I have promoted at regular intervals,
sponsoring each concert out of my own pocket. This I financed out of my income
from my full time job. Now my Pension has to take care of expenses, an impossible
task. Everyone who has attended a live concert of Indian Classical Music will
tell you, that it is a memorable experience and cannot be compared to a recording
on a CD or cassette. Live performances keep the tradition alive. I love talking
to people after a concert, especially to those, who have attended for the
first time. Many letters written to me testify that there is something very
special about Indian Classical Music. I cannot think of any other type of
Music, where the Musician studies full time for 15 to 20 years, to reach the
performance standard demanded by their Guru(Teacher) before permission is
given for the Artist to perform solo. Only than can he or she call themselves
a disciple. Many Artists have developed their own following after coming to
the UK for several years.The message to all Music Lovers is, do please attend
a live concert and I promise you will be hooked. If you are not hooked, than
the Artist has failed.
When
I get too old I will have to give it up but fortunately there is always the
Music. OOPS! Jump 379 was recorded as a Funjump but I found out the next day
when I went for an Xray that I had broken 4 Bones in my Foot. Have been in
Plaster from 23/10/08 to Dec.and fortunately mobile since Christmas.Those
who came for my fab concert on 23/11/08 will have seen me on Crutches. As
Iam still passing my medical I hope to have a few years of Skydiving left. We are now in June 2010 and I am glad to say everything has healed nicely and I have been jumping my Socks of. For some reason I can no longer wear high heeled Shoes but who cares?
I went to Florida, Sky Dive Sebastian, where I managed
to get my “category 10” after only 23 jumps. I am proud of this achievement.
Here is a stunning new Photos, and only Skydivers know why Birds sing! I am not ready or old enough to stop just yet.
Sadly it looks like the system has finally beaten me as it has become more difficult with each year to promote/sponsor my own programmes. New Rules plus Cutbacks are biting where it hurts. Since the death of my Husband in 2008 I have struggled alone and the time has come to stop sponsoring my Programmes. That does not mean that Music will not play a very important part in my Life but there are many things I can do behind the scenes. My last and final concert was on the 18/9/10 and you are free to email me as this Domain has been paid for until next year out of my own pocket. kind regards Gilda, also check out Facebook!
