60 for 60 Inspiration: VidyaGyan School, Bulandshahr, India
When students at VidyaGyan School Bulandshahr, India set out to create a musical tribute for Round Square’s 60th anniversary, they turned to rhythm as a way of telling the story of a global community. Their original percussion composition, 60 Matras = 60 Years of Round Square, uses a 60-beat structure to represent six decades of connection, learning and shared purpose.
The piece is built around the school’s four Houses: Prithvi (Earth), Jal (Water), Agni (Fire) and Vayu (Air). Each House contributes its own distinct rhythm, reflecting qualities associated with the natural element it represents, from stability and responsibility to adaptability, courage and communication. The final section brings all four Houses together, symbolising unity within diversity.
Drawing on both Hindustani and Carnatic musical traditions, the composition combines cultural heritage with contemporary ensemble performance. For student performer Avinash, the project offered “a new exposure for us as we showed the fusion of Hindustani and Carnatic” and helped him understand “the importance of a team” as all four Houses worked together as one unit.
The work also explores the Round Square IDEALS through music. Different musical identities come together in a shared performance, leadership is passed between groups, performers support one another, and the natural world is celebrated through the symbolism of the four elements. As Kabir explained, the composition was built on “a democratic attitude to provide equal pieces of 12 mantras to each houses”, with the concluding Tihari “decided by all the students”.
Created as a tribute to Round Square’s 60-year journey, the performance concludes with all students playing as one ensemble, a reminder that while schools, cultures and experiences may differ, they remain connected through a common rhythm and purpose. Reflecting on the experience, Avinash said that “60 years, 60 beats helped me connect to the Round Square IDEALS”, while Kabir felt that “it wasn’t just a project, rather it kept us united all through its journey.”
This combination of musical creativity, collaboration and shared decision-making demonstrates how students used performance not only to celebrate a milestone in Round Square’s history, but also to experience the values of the network in practice.