Session 19
Chaired by Ken MacLeod (Canada), chief executive officer, New Brunswick Youth Orchestra
with Elizabeth Njoroge (Kenya), founder & executive director, The Art of Music Foundation
In just over 10 years, the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra has transformed itself, becoming the largest programme of its kind in Canada: a multifaceted organisation with more children and youth; more staff; more patrons, funds, media and public awareness; and an increasingly rich roster of commissions, guest artists, conductors and clinicians, international tours, recordings and awards. All this change is driven by a rapidly expanding community social outreach component.
The session is enriched by a presentation of the Ghetto Classics story, by founder Elizabeth Njoroge, a community program taking classical music to over 300 children in Korogocho, one of Kenya’s biggest slums and home to 300,000 urban poor.
This session strongly argues the case for civic engagement as a path to success and impact for musicians, music organizations and educational institutions.