Sistema Musica Arnesano - Community

Sistema Musica Arnesano is a project of Associazione Musicale Opera Prima, founded in 2009 in southern Italy, for primary school children whose lives are compromised by socio-cultural and economic problems in the town of Arnesano. Based on the Venezuelan model founded by José Antonio Abreu and the principles of inclusion, participation and integration, the programme introduces music, both vocal and instrumental, to very young children. They learn self-respect, self-esteem and social integration through collective activity and group learning.

The BBT Communities grant will support a project in which the orchestra is a tool for social integration, the orchestra being a model for civil co-existence. All activities and instruments are provided free.

IMPACT

A wonderful project of great educational as well as artistic impact. The orchestra and the musical activities of SMA have created a very important central hub for our children. Music lessons, orchestral workshop, participation in concerts, are outlining a path in the life of our children that will surely favourably affect their way of being future adults.

Valentina, mother of a violin student

In Italy, the study of the musical instrument in 6 to 10 years old age range is still a prerogative of private music schools: thanks to the most important Italian institutions such as the Ministry of Culture and thanks to the contribution of BBT we are able to bring to all the families of our village the opportunity to learn about music for free, and therefore to introduce, through children, even less fortunate families, into this wonderful world.  Our desire is to form, through music, a community whose essential feature is the aggregation and group philosophy: everyone is responsible for himself and for others with the sole objective of generating beauty. The orchestra as an ideal community!