The Sound of Music: Bengaluru’s Very Own von Trapp Family!

By Verghese V Joseph.

Bengaluru can boast of its very own von Trapp Family, called Abreos, for fans of the beloved Captain von Trapp Family from the musical The Sound of Music motion picture. All right, the Abreos are in India for their annual Christmas holidays!

On December 19, the students and management team of St. Alphonsus Academy in St. Thomas Town, Bengaluru which is run by Redemptorist Fathers, honoured Dr. Gerad Abreos, his immensely talented wife Nicole and their wonderful nine children with a vibrant cultural and dance performance that demonstrated their inclusive and diverse culture.

With the help of Abreos, the school works to provide the kids with a top-notch education and essential knowledge, all while instilling in them a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude toward God for their lives and the blessings they have been bestowed with.

Soon, the students were treated to a display of talent by the Abreos children. The students gave a resounding welcome as seven out of the nine Abreo children took the stage with their violins in hand.

Before long, they began to sing carols and bring in the joyous Christmastime. The children’s musical performance delighted the students greatly.

In his Christmas message, Dr Abreo said he was inspired by St John the Baptist. “Like John, we are not the Light but we are called, by our baptism, to bear witness to the Light that is Jesus, by all we say and do. This has to be manifested in our daily lives living as persons who prepare the way of the Lord,” he added. He wishes all the children the peace and joy of Christmas.

Also read Dr Gerard Abreo’s article on: Cardiologist of the Eucharist

A managing partner at Southeast Houston Cardiology, Dr. Gerard Abreo, MD, is a certified cardiologist. Both the American College of Physicians and Surgeons and the American College of Cardiology have certified him as a Fellow. He has had several medical journals publish his writings. Dr. Abreo currently resides in Houston, Texas, in the United States, with his wife Nicole and their nine children.

They have nine children – Michael Joseph, Daniel, Christine Marie, Maria Therese, Jane Elizabeth, Rachel Ann, John Paul, Luke Walter, and Joseph. Of them, seven play the violin.

He struck a right note when he revealed that music runs on both the paternal and maternal sides. In the early 1970s, Dr. Gerard was a member of the Abreo Quartet in Bengaluru, which also included David, Patsy, Gerald, and Peter. The quartet played at a number of establishments, such as the Catholic club, until 1985, when the brothers left to pursue separate careers. In 1990, while studying medicine, Dr. Abreo formed a band and played at the St. John’s Ball.

During his college days at St Joseph’s, he was greatly inspired by another Josephite Dr Raja Ramanna, a nuclear physicist, best known for his role in India’s nuclear program during its early stages.

Considering the times we are living in, when parents usually limit their offspring to one or two, Nicole, who holds a bachelor’s in music from the University of Toronto, assists the children in keeping in tune and Gerard helps around a lot. The couple are devout Catholics who fear God. When people inquire about how they manage to care for so many kids, Dr. Gerard responds that they are God’s gifts, and that He leads and watches over them.

In addition to supporting St Alphonsus School, Dr Abreo too lends a helping hand to a blind school and other such initiatives.

Every year, the couple travels to Bengaluru and Mangaluru. They organize musical performances by kids from orphanages or senior living facilities for these visits. They act in such a selfless manner, and the public greatly appreciates their gesture.

As an avid cricketer, Dr Abreo, during his Bangalore United Cricket Club (BUCC) heydays, had the fortune to rub shoulders with the likes of cricketing heroes such as Roger Binny, Syed Mujtaba Hussain Kirmani, Sadanand Vishwanath, Carlton Saldanha among others greats during that time.

A couple of years back, the Abreo family met with Bengaluru’s Archbishop Emeritus Dr Bernard Moras and Archbishop Dr Peter Machado. When Dr Abreo expressed happiness at a chance meeting of both the archbishops, Archbishop Machado quipped, “One can always meet Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops, but it is indeed a rare honour to meet a father of nine children these days!”

Dr Abreo jokingly adds, “Every time we get an invitation, I take my cricket team along!”