Orchestras of the Americas for Social Inclusion_Organization of American States

JANUARY 19, 2011

Classical concert to close Music for Social Change Workshop

Jamaica: The Observer

The National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica (NYOJ) in collaboration with the Organisation of American States (OAS) is currently hosting their first Music for Social Change: Regional Training Workshop here in Kingston. Workshop participants include instructors and directors from three Caribbean orchestra programmes for social development: the OAS Marchand Youth Orchestra Programme in St Lucia, OASIS: Music for Social Change in St Trinité, Haiti and the Jamaican NYOJ.

Each of these programmes has emerged out of an OAS anti-crime initiative and share the common goal of engaging at-risk youths in intensive classical music training.

The workshop directors are pivotal Latin American participants of musical social change projects in their respective countries and will use this regional training week to share their methodologies with Caribbean instructors. The daily workshop schedule addresses instrument methodology for the String, Brass, Woodwind and Percussion orchestra sections, choral training, conducting, and hands-on teaching experience with the NYOJ's youth orchestra programme at St Andrew Technical High School.

The workshop is spearheaded by Jorge Arbeláez the academic director of Batuta in Colombia, and author of their teaching methodology. Nicolás Giordano, a member of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas (YOA) since 2003 and founder of the Uruguayan Musical Seminar NGO Sembrando Talentos, will oversee the workshop's violin coordination. 

Martín Benvenuto, an Argentinian national, artistic director of Peninsula and WomenSing, and leading choir conductor in the San Francisco Bay Area, will organise the workshop's choral training.

The remaining workshop instructors include talented musicians from FESNOJIV in Venezuela (better known as the world renowned El Sistema orchestra programme) and Batuta in Colombia.

The workshop which is now on at the JSIF Multi-purpose Centre in Trench Town will culminate in two local performances. 

Workshop participants and directors, all of whom are advanced classical musicians, will combine their talents to produce a community concert for the families and friends of students from the NYOJ on Friday, and a fund-raising concert at the Courtleigh Auditorium on Saturday. Both events are poised to be a spectacular melding of international classical prowess with a programme full of sophisticated compositions from inspiring international musicians.

A section of the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica rehearsing with their instructors. From left: Isaac Casal, Alejandro Gonzales, Brandon Sangster, Emily Elliot (background), Danae Richards and Denisha Dennis. (Photo: Marlon Reid)

LINK: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/Entertainment/Classical-concert-to-close-Music-for-Social-Change-Workshop_8300905#ixzz1CpFiLedW