“I used to think that music was like lace upon a garment, nice to have but not necessary. I have come to believe that music is essential to our community life.”
George Eastman - an American entrepreneur who founded the Eastman Kodak Company

This project is supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). 

The Orchestra of Change project will bring children and young people from different backgrounds together to create a group orchestra. With a cross-community and intercultural focus, the project will offer young people the opportunity to learn about music traditions from around the world as well as incorporate local traditional music and piping.  It aims to use music to provide a platform for children and young people in the Mid-Ulster area to express their identity, needs, gifts, stories, and sense of belonging. Music productions from the project will explore themes of equality, human rights, environment, community, mental health, youth, peace and security.

The workshops compliment all the key performance indicators in education curriculums and will greatly assist children in their studies.

Participants will have the opportunity to create their own instruments - pipes, drums, guitars made from recycled or upcycled materials and donated good wood from community bonfires. We would like to work in conjunction with schools to garner interest and present the zoom workshops in the classroom after school, so that participants have a more natural workshop environment and easier access to the project.

Facilitators on the project include...

(Juán, Yeiner, Jullián)  members from the Colombian band Mr Klaje - world famous for their music work with recycled materials.

Bon Guitar Inventor Patrick Finnegan, Edwar Calderon (Urban Development, Urban transformations)

Musician & choirmaster Siobhan Brown, singer songwriter Finbarr Magee and musician Kira Topalian.

The Orchestra of Change Project is open to anyone in Mid Ulster Area aged 10-18 who plays an instrument or likes to sing. All abilities and levels welcome.. 

The Orchestra of Change Project is open to anyone 10-18 years who plays and instrument or likes to sing. All abilities and levels welcome
For more information how to get involved contact  kira.beyondskin@gmail.com