Music is the soul’s voice, its strength and beauty open minds, and develop thoughts; art and culture are a human right. According to these principles, and acting on a land where our foundation is intrinsically recognized with particular force, after checking the irrepressible impact that such experiences have had in South America, ABF has launched a new project, conceiving and creating a choir called “Voices of Haiti“.
This initiative is part of “Break the barriers”, one of the programs that realizes our mission and that aims at supporting and promoting projects to aid populations of Developing Countries, as well as to give help in those situations where poverty, illness and complex social problems invalidate or reduce the quality of life.
The Choir members are Haitian children aged from 9 to 15, through such an experience (conceived since the very beginning as a, highly structured, stable, educational reality) they will be able to enhance their talent thanks to a highly specialized training, benefitting also of a wealth of educational, cultural and existential opportunities potentially precious for their future.
The Choir – that will debut on September 15th 2016 in New York performing along with Andrea Bocelli – has already been able to set its own character (also a repertoire) through training on a weekly basis, in accordance with international, professional standards. Director of “Voices of Haiti” as well as artistic responsible of the project is Malcolm J. Merriweather, choral associate at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York, and a professor at the Brooklyn College Conservatory (CUNY). The organization will avail itself of a team of Haitian collaborators made up of musicians, teachers, and administrators.
A series of interdisciplinary initiatives will be an integral part of the project, and will be regularly organized for the benefit of the young singers, during their trips. Thus the learning experience will be complete, and will also include a deepening on culture, traditions, and customs of the countries that will host the performances.
In addition to offering a real possibility of growth and development of musical talent (an opportunity which young Haitians would otherwise hardly enjoy), and besides teaching a sort of controlled breathing whose psychophysical benefits can be compared to the practice of yoga, a choir – in itself an extraordinary metaphor of democracy in every corner of the world – represents a precious educational opportunity “tout court”.
It exemplifies, in fact, the need to acquire and put into practice, the fundamental values necessary for a peaceful coexistence, as well as promoting the awareness of the necessity of the individual’s commitment towards the community.
Each becomes a constituent element of a musical instrument of greater dimensions; each voice contributes to the beauty of the result, every mind learns to understand the difficulties involved in making music with the others. And in understanding, provides his/her active, intellectual and emotional contribution; every individual learns to feel part of a larger organism that, giving them strength needs them to exist.
For young singers, transform musical notes and rhythms in a moment of expression, gradually dominating polyphony, the singing of many voices (when your ear starts to control its intonation agreeing with the intonation of others) becomes an exciting and revealing experience, like learning to enjoy a poem after studying grammar.
In the hope our initiative will arouse your interest and enjoyment, and that we can count on your usual and essential support, we invite you to follow these young ‘Voices’, appreciating the great hope they represent, and the great joy they convey.
