SO DO Orchestral Workshops

SO DO orchestral music workshops are intended for anyone wishing to improve orchestral playing and conducting:

  • children and youngsters at music schools, conservatories, colleges or academies, or otherwise learning to play an orchestral instrument
  • students of conducting and conductors wishing to further develop their knowledge and skills
  • teachers and orchestral musicians wishing to support the development of SO DO
  • Workshops are of international character aiming to attract participants from Croatia, neighbouring countries, EU countries and worldwide. By fostering musical improvement through shared orchestral music making we aim to promote:

    • development of humanistic and social values – fraternity, cooperation, solidarity, compassion, mutual help, discipline and teamwork, effective communication, self-respect, respect towards others, striving for a common goal, understanding and accepting differences and the capability to cooperate with people from different cultures
    • international cooperation of young people and development of active European and world citizenship
    • social cohesion through integration of participants from different parts of society, a variety of nations, with different languages, cultures and traditions
    • access and inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities to participate, due to economical, geographical, cultural or other reasons.

    The purpose of these workshops is to form the SO DO International Symphony Orchestra, which performs together during school holidays giving participants a chance to meet their peers from other countries, create networks of acquaintances and friendships, exchange experiences and spread the idea of creating unity through orchestral music making.

    The final part of SO DO workshops are concerts held in areas local to participants. This helps to raise awareness of SO DO, El Sistema and its values in their local communities. As an agent of social change, music continues to break down barriers in communication and understanding. Integrating young people from diverse backgrounds helps them learn about each other and reminds them to nurture the skill of appreciating beauty, and even more so, the necessity of collaboration.