We are dedicated to implementing “El Sistema”
a social development programme for children and young people
By calling the telephone number 060 9026 you can donate 5 kn to SO DO. A big THANK YOU to METRONET telecommunication company, for providing this service free of charge!
NEWS
May 2013
21 May - We presented SO DO and the El Sistema programme to children at the elementary school “Mladost” in Lekenik. We were there with musicians of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the Croatian Radio-Television, students of the Music Academy Zagreb and pupils of the Music Scholl Vatroslav Lisinski, who talked about their instruments and the whole project was extremely well received by the children. They had the opportunity to try out the various instruments and discuss which ones they wish to play.
7 May - Our first corporate donation of 7.000 kn donated to SO DO by the Croatian Electricity Board. Thank you HEP!
6 May - First presentation of SO DO and EL SISTEMA to the public, at the Culture Information Centre in Zagreb. This is where we announced the opening of the first SO DO Centre in Lekenik, in cooperation with the SOS Children Village. We invited everyone to spread a word about SO DO as well as to become active members and help and support our charity.
April 2013
El Sistema Festival in Gothenburg, 17 – 21 April, featured a symposium “Sistema Europe” which was attended by representatives from Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Scotland, Sweden, Germany, England, Denmark and Croatia, with guests from the USA – Tricia Tunstall (author of the book on El Sistema) and Eric Booth (scholar, author of essays exploring the phenomenon of El Sistema success). We met the Swedish El Sistema teachers, visited some of their “nucleos”, participated in panel-discussions, heard about examples of good practice in other countries and attended the concerts in which children performed alongside the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra.
10 April, a short story of El Sistema and SO DO in the Croatian National Television programme “Croatia Live” (you can watch with English subtitles).
March 2013
We have established a cooperation agreement with “SOS Children’s Village Croatia” and visited their community in Lekenik, where we wish to start up the “SO DO Centre”.
February 2013
SO DO became a member of the international association „Sistema Europe.“ It was formed in order to facilitate, assist and promote the work of European Sistemas inspired by Venezuela’s revolutionary music education system. Sistema Europe was established on the principle that openly sharing Sistema practice and planning at an international level will lead to a profound enhancement of Sistemas worldwide.
November 2012
We are receiving support from the Venezuelan El Sistema! Ricardo and Dr Abreu agreed to offer their help with the logistics. A sign of goodwill: the first shipment of music from Caracas arrived to Croatia. Their teachers will follow soon to show us their methods of work.
July 2012
- FIRST DONATION OF INSTRUMENTS (photo)
Mr Karlo Gruber, from Seget Vranjica near Split, watched our conversation in the HTV programme “Good morning, Croatia” in May and decided to donate to us two violins , which he inherited from his father and which played all his life. After his graduation from the music school “Josip Hatze” in Split, Karlo Gruber was a leader of the cultural-artistic society “Jedinstvo-Split”. Having been retired, he also ceased to play, so this donation demonstrates his belief that we will take good care of his violins, look after them and assign them to the children, who will participate in our programme, to enjoy playing these instruments.
A BIG THANK YOU for your generous gesture Mr Gruber!!
- In Harmony “Sistema” programme to be delivered in FOUR additional projects across England: Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham and Telford & Wrekin!!! In Harmony “Sistema” programme to be delivered in FOUR additional projects across England: Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham and Telford & Wrekin!!! Department of Education and Arts Council England will invest a total of £2 million between 2012 and 2015. See more on:
ihse.org.uk/four-additional-projects
www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18854045
June 2012
Visiting “Instituto Baccarelli” Sao Paulo, Brazil (photos)
This programme, very similar to “El Sistema” Venezuela, was started in 1996 by Brazilian conductor Silvio Baccarelli, in one of the poorest areas of South America „Favela de Heliópolis“ in Sao Paulo.
May 2012
- Patronage of the Croatian President officially confirmed! (photo) In his letter president Josipović says that he “is pleased to accept the patronage of our projects”, he “welcomes the opening of the first SO DO Centre in Vukovar and the organization of the international music workshop of orchestral playing”. Josipović also states that he is “convinced that we will find the understanding of the relevant organizations and local communities” and that “he gives us his full support and wishes us a lot of success in our future work”.
- The SO DO project presented to the Croatian public in the national TV programme – Good morning, Croatia. The aim is to invite anyone who owns an orchestral instrument and is not using it any more, to donate it for use in our first SO DO Centre in Vukovar.
- Renowned musicians from leading Croatian orchestras have agreed to act as mentors in the project and to take part in the SO DO music workshops.
- Music schools from Sombor and Novi Sad expressed interest for their students to take part in SO DO orchestral workshops.
