The children at the MMS are selected on a basis of need, either because they are orphans or come from destitute, illiterate and often emotionally disturbed backgrounds. Musical training not only furnishes the children with a way of expressing themselves, but offers them the means of securing life-long employment; the flourishing Indian film industry, military establishments, hotel and entertainment sectors are all crying out for Indians literate in Western music, and a trained musician has an earning potential two or three times that of the average Indian school leaver. The majority of Mathieson ex-pupils have obtained work solely because of the musical skills acquired at the school.