The Third CAF National Children-Youth Orchestras Workshop begins In Tarija

(Tarija, October 10, 2011).- As part of the Social Action for Music created and developed by CAF – Latin American development bank – for the last 11 years, the Third National Children and Youth Orchestras Workshop began in the city of Tarija. The event, which ends October 13, is backed by the Tarija Departmental Government through its Directorate for Cultural Activity.

The workshop is being offered to 85 children and young musicians from the Bolivian cities of La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Tarija, Potosí, Sucre and El Alto.

The workshop - which CAF organizes in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela - is one of its programs in the field of human development and social inclusion which have achieved successful results for children and youth at risk.

"CAF considers music an ideal tool for education because of its capacity to enhance aptitudes. The Program supports social inclusion and aims to build the talent of Bolivian youth through excellent music teaching," Emilio Uquillas, CAF director representative in the country, said.

The Tarija departmental government said it was pleased to be the venue for the third workshop because it links up with its project to create a local symphony orchestra of young musicians, who want to develop their artistic and professional vocation. "The holding of the workshop in the city of Tarija will be a great opportunity for strengthening this project," department Governor Lino Condori said.

Tarija’s own orchestral project was already making progress: a group of young musicians had been selected, musical instruments acquired, and the search for teacher-guides was under way, he added.

The workshop

The event is being held in the House of Workshops of the Tarija Departmental Symphony Orchestra.

The workshop will be given by Venezuelan teachers: Alfredo D'addona, brass; Luis Orlando Giménez, cello; Jesús Sira, violin; and Julián Ramos, woodwind. The professionals will give lessons in instrumental technique to the 85 children and youngsters.

The objective is to help students create a common platform and a totally horizontal criterion in order to perform musical works with high quality and ensure academic consistency in technical and teaching terms.

The training includes a preliminary evaluation of the students’ technical and musical level. The classes are individual and group by instrument. The teaching materials include music scores, books and material on instrumental technique. The studies also include body position, sound articulation and emission.

Social Action Program for Music

The Social Action Program for Music - which CAF has been implementing since 2000 - has given classes to 45,000 vulnerable children and young people, trained 700 teachers who are currently multiplying the model in their communities, and organized over 160 instrumental, choral and lutherie workshops in 36 Latin American cities. Currently 45 institutions are replicating the model in various Latin American countries.