FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Seth McNew, Director of Public and Community Relations
720.939.1290 (m) – 303.308.2477 (o)
smcnew@coloradosymphony.org
The Colorado Symphony announced today that three musicians from the orchestra will be traveling to Mirebalais, Haiti in June 2016 to help teach the students of the Haiti Youth Orchestra as well as provide mentorship for growing the orchestra and its programming.
The Haiti Youth Orchestra was created by Colorado student Zach Harris, now 17, who has been regularly traveling to the area and organizing donations of instruments to the students over the last three years.
During the visit to Haiti, the three musicians will introduce the musicians of the youth orchestra to more advanced lessons and techniques, provide training on instrument care, and help to support the organization staff on building a thriving regional orchestra.
The end goal of the trip is to facilitate a lasting, meaningful relationship between the Haiti Youth Orchestra and the Colorado Symphony.
Through the support of Colorado-based non-profit Road to Hope, Zach has raised funds and helped to source instruments and materials to make the youth orchestra possible. The Haiti Youth Orchestra now has approximately 40 members and is operated almost exclusively through denotations and volunteers.
“I started the Haiti Youth Orchestra because I believe all children should have the opportunity to make music, regardless of where they are born,” says Zach. “Music has played such a large role in my life. I wanted to give Haiti children the opportunity to explore the world of music. I loved the idea of taking energetic young kids who had never even seen a violin, and turning them into talented musicians in their very own orchestra.”
“Before the orchestra started, I did not know anything about music,” says David Marcellus, one of the musicians in the Haiti Youth Orchestra, “but because of Zach Harris and the Road to Hope, I am now very happy to be a musician! The orchestra has helped me to become a good student, I am very focused on my studies. I take this opportunity to thank all our sponsors in the United States. Thank you!”
Zach and the Road to Hope Foundation are planning to bring some of the musicians from the Haiti Youth Orchestra to Colorado in November 2016. To learn more about the Haiti Youth Orchestra and to follow the June trip with the Colorado Symphony musicians, please see the blog at HaitiYouthOrchestra.com. The Haiti Youth Orchestra is funded by donations, and the foundation is accepting donations at: bit.ly/1skMxWv.
CONTACTS:
For more information or to request interviews, please contact:
Seth McNew, Director of Public and Community Relations
smcnew@coloradosymphony.org – 303.308.2477
For high-resolution, downloadable images, visit coloradosymphony.org/media.
TICKETS TO COLORADO SYMPHONY CONCERTS:
Tickets to the Colorado Symphony are available online at coloradosymphony.org , by phone at 303.623.7876, and in person at the Boettcher Concert Hall Box Office, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1000 14th Street. The Box Office is open Monday – Friday, 10 am – 6 pm; Saturday, noon – 6 pm; and 90 minutes prior to each performance.
The 2016/17 Colorado Symphony Season is presented by Arrow Electronics. Support also provided by: The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), 9News, and United Airlines.
ABOUT THE COLORADO SYMPHONY
One of the leading orchestras in the United States, the Colorado Symphony performs more than 150 concerts annually at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver and across Colorado. Led by internationally renowned Music Director Andrew Litton, the Colorado Symphony is home to eighty full-time musicians, representing more than a dozen nations, and regularly welcomes the most celebrated artists from the world of symphonic music and beyond. Every season, the Colorado Symphony serves more than 250,000 people from all walks of life, performing a range of musical styles, from traditional to contemporary. Recognized as an incubator of innovation, creativity, and excellence, the Colorado Symphony continually expands its reach through education, outreach, and programming. The Colorado Symphony partners with the state’s leading musical artists, cultural organizations, corporations, foundations, sports teams, and individuals to expose diverse audiences to the transformative power of music. To learn more, visit coloradosymphony.org.