On 14 July, more than 140 young musicians from 17 European countries will take to the stage of the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid as part of SEYO - Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra. Performing works by Bach, Sibelius, Holst and Mussorgsky, the orchestra will be conducted by Etienne Abelin, Ron Davis Alvarez, Lara Diloy, and Jhoanna Sierralta. Tickets are on sale on this link.
The concert will culminate the orchestra's sixth summer residency, which runs from 5 to 14 July in Madrid. The event is a meeting point for more than 140 young musicians aged between 12 and 20, and for their teachers from different parts of the continent.
In their countries of origin, they are part of local initiatives inspired by "El Sistema", a learning programme that focuses on generating equal opportunities for children and young people through music. This idea was created in Venezuela more than 47 years ago by Maestro José Antonio Abreu and since then has contributed to improving thousands of lives in more than 70 countries.
The Acción por la Música Foundation is an ambassador for this 6th edition held in Madrid, postponed from 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic. During their stay, the young members of SEYO will enjoy rehearsals conducted by leading professionals in the sector and will commit to promoting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals through the orchestral experience. Furthermore, a street action - a performance in Madrid's busy Plaza del Colón will take place on 13 July from 20h, a day ahead of the final performance at the Auditorio Nacional.
On 5 July at 19h a Conversation on music and cultural rights with experts will take place at the Casa de Vacas Auditorium, Parque del Retiro, in order to delve into the need to protect these rights and the role of socio-musical programmes in this endeavour with the participation of the High Commissioner against child poverty, Acción por la Música, Sistema Europe, Fundación Gabeiras and Red Música Social, among others.
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Tickets for the 14 July final performance are available on this link.
STATEMENTS:
Marshall Marcus, President and Founder of Sistema Europe, said:
‘We are delighted to be finally bringing SEYO to Madrid, originally scheduled for summer 2020. With the pandemic putting our lives on hold for more than two years, it is more than exciting to see the Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra annual summer residency thrive once again. After Sistema England’s focus on Youth Voice in the last 2018 SEYO in Birmingham and London, we are particularly pleased that Acción por la Música has chosen the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a central focus for the upcoming residency. We look forward to a programme of events that perfectly reflect the spirit of this joyous encounter.’
María Guerrero, founder of Fundación Acción Social por la Música, said:
“We play to transform the world. Our common future is woven from our intertwined identities and aspirations for a better life. A life in harmony with others and with our planet. This community of young musicians will, likewise, weave their melodies to create beauty together: a beauty that expresses their vision of a new world. The concert will be a transformative event that trespasses the frontiers of mere enjoyment to invite us to move forward together”.
Conductor Jhoanna Sierralta said:
"I have always been happy to be able to share my experience with children and young people of El Sistema in Venezuela but now I feel very fortunate to be able to do it with children from so many different cultures who pursue the same dream through music. I have worked on other occasions with the Simón Bolívar Orchestra in projects inspired by El Sistema and I think that the love that all teachers put into these projects and these children is an example to follow. I am very excited to know that now I will be able to see it again but in a form as big as SEYO."
Etienne Abelin, Music Director of the Empire State Youth Orchestra and Co-Founder of the Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra said:
"To have our 6th edition of the Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra take place in Madrid, hosted by Acción por la Música, is a dream come true. We are thrilled to welcome close to 150 young musicians from over twenty-one countries and embark on an exciting journey of discovery of music and of getting to know each other in a peaceful and fun intercultural exchange. SEYO started in Vienna 9 years ago, passed through Istanbul, Milan, Athens and Birmingham in subsequent years and its spirit of Pan-European unity and elating joint music making will now come to life in Madrid. I couldn't be happier and can't wait for the residency to start!"