Baiduri Bank is proud to sponsor The Gift of Music, a charity concert performed by Thristan “Tum-Tum” Ureta Mendoza, a 14-year-old autistic Filipino who is musically gifted, at the International Convention Centre on 15 May 2004.

The charity concert was graced by the presence of YTM Pg Anak Hajah Zariah binti Almarhum Pg Pemancha Pg Anak Haji Mohamed Alam, Guest-of-Honour for the event.

Organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the Philippine Embassy and Rhythmic Arts, The Gift of Music provided an opportunity for participation in charity as well as a great musical experience for members of the public. All proceeds from ticket sales went to the Society for the Management of Autism-Related Issues in Training, Education and Resources (SMARTER), Brunei, a non-profit organisation that specialises in promoting the development and well-being of persons with autism in Brunei.

Tum-Tum first learned to play the marimba, a deep-toned xylophone, at the age of five. Since then he has made his appearance in no less than 201 performances, with local and foreign artistes such as the late Japanese harpist Tadao Hayashi, and has been featured in countless magazine and TV documentaries internationally, including CNN, Nickelodeon, the Disney Channel and the National Geographic World Magazine.

Tum-Tum has won numerous awards including the Millennium Dreamer's Award in Walt Disney World, Florida and the 2001 Rosemary Kennedy International Young Artist Soloist Award.

As the major sponsor of the charity event, Baiduri Bank donated B$27,000 to SMARTER, Brunei, in support of its work in Brunei. During the concert, YTM Pg Anak Isteri Pg Anak Hajah Zariah, Chairperson of Baiduri Bank Group, presented the mock cheque to Malai Haji Abdullah, President of SMARTER, Brunei.

The event sponsorship is one of the bank’s on-going initiatives to fulfil its corporate social responsibility towards the local community. Other charity programmes for the year include the recently held Special Olympics, The 2004 Baiduri Bank Charity Golf, to be held from 21-23 May 2004 at Pantai Mentiri Golf Club, and sponsorship for Child Development Centre and Pusat Ehsan, to name a few.