From the editor’s desk :-
Dear Music lovers,
Once again a hearty welcome to you all to your beloved music column Do..Re..Me..Fa..
With great joy and gratitude, I am happy to declare that with your unstinted support and encouragement this unique music column has successfully completed three years on net and has gloriously entered into its fourth year on the world’s renowned web portal www.daijiworld.com. With your continued support I am sure, I will fulfill my mission unto your satisfaction.
In my regular hunt, as I was glaring at the open music skies to present before you a special star, this time I found yet another super star, a white dove with an attractive smile, a great composer, a specialist in liturgical music. I have no hesitation to call this shining figure as the ‘Rabindranath Tagore’ of Mangalore who has composed a fitting Anthem for our great institution St.Joseph’s Engineering College, Mangalore. The super star whom I am going to present today is none other than ‘Rev.Fr.Valerian Mendonca’, fondly known as Fr.Vally.
I am sure you will really enjoy listening to this melodious chord and once again I am indebted to you for your great love for this music column.
Let’s meet again next month, same site, same column, until then, bye!
Yours in Do..Re..Me..Fa..
Gerry D’Mello, Bendur
FR. VALERIAN MENDONCA
A MASTER OF RELIGIOUS MUSIC
“Let us make our lives joyful songs of praise to God” says Fr. Valerian Mendonca. He means what he says. He himself is in the ongoing process of composing his life into a song of praise to God! He is totally dedicated to music and wants to bring out the best of religious music and offer it to God.
Childhood and education:-
The life song of Valerian Mendonca started on 9th December 1949 when he was born in Shirva parish of Mangalore Diocese. Mr. Gabriel and Mrs. Seraphine Mendonca were his proud parents. They had 8 children, four boys and four girls. Valerian was their 7th child, and the last 8th child is now an Apostolic Carmel nun, Sr. Rose Agnes who is the Principal of Ladyhill Pre-University College, Mangalore, a singer and composer as well.
Vally, as Valerian was fondly called had a simple, quiet and humble childhood in the rural Shirva parish. He did his primary studies in St, Joseph’s Primary School, Pilar, Shirva and his secondary studies in St. Mary’s High School, Shirva. He pursued his college studies in St. Aloysius College, Mangalore and obtained a B.Sc. degree with a first rank in English from Mysore University. Following the divine call, Valerian joined St. Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore and did his Philosophical and Theological studies. Through St. Joseph’s Seminary, he obtained a Bachelor of Theology degree from the Urban University of Rome. He also holds a M.A. degree from Mysore University and a diploma in Communications from Amruthavani Communications Centre, Secunderabad. Valerian Mendonca was ordained a priest on 7th April 1976.
A musician in the making:-
As a child in the rural hamlet of Shirva, Vally enjoyed listening to and singing songs. He was not at all aware that he possessed latent poetic and musical talents though he had heard that his father was a “gumtam” (drums) player.
During the priestly training in St Joseph’s Seminary, Bro Valerian learnt Western and Karnatic vocal music. He also learnt to play the musical instruments like Harmonium, Electrical Keyboard, Guitar, Violin and Accordion! One of his elder brothers, Alex, a music lover, had presented him with an Accordion. Bro. Va