Printed 07.03.2021 07:51 09-08-2016 Ruth Frankova
Some 60 Roma children from socially excluded localities in the Czech
Republic and Slovakia, along with members of the Czech Philharmonic, are
taking part in the ‘Romano Drom’ music and dance workshop in North
Bohemia. The aim of the summer school, organised annually by musician and
choir mistress Ida Kelarová, is to support children and youth at risk of
social exclusion. The two-week school will culminate with a series of
performances, starting on Tuesday night in Nový Bor.
“I think that simple answer we want to support children and youth in socially excluded localities and we are trying to do it with the help of music. “As you know, in the socially excluded localities in the Czech Republic and Slovakia there is no-one or almost no-one who takes care of talented Roma children and youth, and that is something we are trying to change with this project. “So we are trying to support talented singers and dancers and to work with them. We believe it might a kind of life-changing experience for them because they experience themselves in a positive situation. We hope that they can gain more self-confidence and more self-assuredness, so that is in short the reason why we, as the Czech Philharmonic, are taking part.” How do you find the cooperation and would you say that it also benefits musicians of the Czech Philharmonic?
“And what does it give to our musicians? I think that when we started, many of them thought that they were just going to help the children. But after spending two or three days in the Roma villages in Slovakia they realised they were learning from them. They were learning things like spontaneity and an attitude that is very open and sincere.” What have you been rehearsing? What will be on the programme this year?
The first of a series of three concerts will take place on Tuesday night in Nový Bor, followed performances in Rumburk on Wednesday and in Děčín on Thursday. Copyright © Radio Praha, 1996 - 2003 |