The Creative Europe cooperation project ‘Living Realities. Changing Perceptions.’ of Brunnenpassage with Studio Alta Prague, Impact Hub Athens and Dschungel Vienna is coming to a close, after two intensive and inspiring years! Our thank goes to all the contributors, participants and everybody involved into this exceptional and exciting transnational venture!
We are happy to share this short videodocumentation as a memory of our common work with all of you and hope it will also inspire others working in the field!
Τhe touring exhibition “Stages of a Flight” that was hosted at the Municipal Market of Kypseli from the 31th of March since the 29th of April, has comen to an end at the city of Athens and the preparation for travelling to Vienna – the last station of its journey, has already began.
Τhe exhibition was surrounded by a series of actions and events under the title – umbrella “Changing Perceptions”, and turned on the discussion about stereotypes and dissimilarity.
The ensemble of El Sistema accompanied the opening night of the exhibition. Under the guidance of the conductor Faidra Giannelou, the Young Orchestra of El Sistema performed classical music tracks, and amazed more than 400 hundred people. Parallelly, the attendance audience was given the chance to participate at an experiential musical-kinetic game, and discover in that way, more about classical music.
Τhe beginning for the exhibition’s closing events in Athens, constituted a round table discussion with the subject “Changing the Narrative – The Role of Journalism” that took place among three journalists and the participating audience, on Friday the 27th of April. The participants from the journalist field were:
Nermin Ismail, journalist for the Austrian Media organisation ORF in Vienna, book author and also co-creator of the photography exhibition “Stages of a Flight”
Angel Ballesteros, Multimedia documentary maker that at the moment travels through Greece. Turkey, Balkans, Iraq, and Lebanon with TeleSUR a multi-state funded terrestrial and satellite television network.
Babis Christakopoulos, senior editor and presenter of a TV show with the name “Alternativa” and director at the webradio “Portokali Radio” that focuses on subjects such as Rights, Solidarity and Social Economics.
Co-ordinator of the discussion was Lida Tsene, a Communications Expert and also, PhD Dr. at the field of Public Relationships & Communications.
During the whole process of the dialogue, many questions arose about the role that a journalist has to keep towards crucial subject areas such as the refugee crisis, constituting base of the round table of this enlightening οpinions placement. Each participant, shared experiences that has gained by the years, insights that has been forming during the journeys, and the deep thoughts that contributed to the way of approaching the refugee subject nowadays that media choose to ignore, despite the importance that needs to be given.
The events were accomplished with a visual arts cooperation between CityLab and the Athens School of Fine Arts, along with 14 artists – university students (ASFA/– and 120 children aged from 6 to 12 years old from the area of Kypseli, created artworks with a triptych inspirational axis: Memory – Ιnequality – Style.
The exhibition closing was also related to music. This time, On Saturday the 28th of April, a Hip Hop concert took place bringing together four artists from Kypseli neighborhood,in order to celebrate with music, the exhibition’s closing in Athens, and all the activities and events that took place during “Stages of a Flight” The music producer Billa Qause (B.Q), Elephant Phinix, the group of two twin brothers TWINSANITY, and L.O.S, made a combination of their rhythms and passion and gave an unforgettable live concert for the audience.
This great procedure was accomplished from Impact Hub Athens in collaboration with Brunnenpassage (Austria), Studio ALTA (Czech Republic) and Dschungel Wien (Αustria) and was realised with the support of Creative Europe.
Living Realities – Changing Perceptions was a worth-mentioning step that succeed in bringing people together, in creating skepticism around theme areas such as the refugee’s realities that stand behind the “scenes” of media, and in laying the foundation of a continuing dialogue between people and art. Art – with the form of photography, dialogue, cinema, painting, music. Because art is the freedom of feelings, thoughts, and a common language among all the people.
The Story So Far El Sistema Greece was founded in October 2016 in Attica as an initiative of Impact Hub Athens, promoting integration through music education. The ultimate goal of El Sistema in Greece is to promote the social inclusion of underprivileged children in Greek /European society. By teaching them music, they are not only inspired to strive for a better future, but music provides the platform for dialogue and togetherness across diverse communities.
Carrying on the legacy of the global El Sistema community, which was founded in Venezuela in 1975 and has so far educated nearly 800,000 children, El Sistema Greece is a community music project that is both philosophically and methodologically inspired by its native town. Up to this date, El Sistema Greece’s music instructors and paedagogists have been offering music classes to children, teenagers and young adults in refugee camps, hospitality units and community centers in Athens.
Public performances and concerts are an integral part of the El Sistema methodology. Thus, the El Sistema Greece students have participated in several performances in different locations and venues in Athens – from concert halls, to public spaces and open theatres. The most distinguished of them all, is perhaps a performance held literally under the majestic Acropolis in August, 2017.
During summer 2017, El Sistema Greece hosted the Sistema Europe summer residency uniting more than 300 young musicians from the whole continent in Athens. The residency culminated with a performance held literally under the Acropolis, at the Herodes Atticus theatre. The most breathtaking part of this night, was seeing students from refugee camps share the stage with young musicians from all over Europe, and the world renowned opera singer Joyce DiDonato. Hearing Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” performed by this group and in this specific setting, was a moment in time.
A new chapter in Kypseli
In November 2017, a new chapter in the history of El Sistema Greece was born. A new cycle of music classes was launched in the recently renovated historical building of the Municipal Market of Kypseli, offering weekly choir and string-instruments lessons for children and teenagers. What makes this specific endeavor really important, is that it does not only invite children from the neighbourhood of Kypseli to attend music lessons along with children from vulnerable groups in joint classes, but also provides masterclasses from renowned musicians, choir and orchestras directors from other countries. Moreover, a big Christmas concert by the newly established El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra was held at the Municipal Market of Kypseli drawing a huge crowd and media buzz. This specific concert could be considered a milestone for the Municipal Market of Kypseli as it launched a series of several other public events and activities within the premises of the establishment.
El Sistema Greece at the Opening of Living Realities-Changing Perceptions
Right now, El Sistema Greece has 400 young students in the wider Athens region, many of whom are the ones attending the weekly classes at the Municipal Market of Kypseli. This specific group of young El Sistema musicians will showcase their musical skills during a much anticipated performance at the opening of the Living Realities-Changing Perceptions in Athens,
A second performance by the El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra will also take place, conducted by Phaedra Giannelou, while the music teachers and instructrors of El Sistema Greece will invite children and adults to an innovative participatory music workshop that will take place the same evening. http://elsistemagreece.com/
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