“Musicians for Salvador” is a group of twelve Juilliard students pursuing a two-week program initiated last year in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. We primarily work with NEOJIBÀ, a program based on the highly successful Venezuelan program ‘El Sistema.’ Begun in 2007, Nucleos Estaduais Oquestras Juvenis y Infantes da Bahia, affectionately called NEOJIBÀ, addresses the economic gap between rich and poor by integrating youth from all socio-economic backgrounds. Through orchestral training, the students develop teamwork, respect, and discipline. The program currently enrolls over 130 students ranging from ages 8 to 24 in a daily routine at the Teatro Castro Alves that includes chamber music, lessons, and orchestra rehearsals. Last year, NEOJIBÀ invited a group of Juilliard students to participate in a teaching project. We work with the students of NEOJIBÀ Monday through Friday in lessons, sectionals, master-classes, and auditions. Ultimately we will stage a joint orchestral performance, playing side-by-side with our NEOJIBÀ students.

Our instrument donation program is expanding this year. Last year we managed to facilitate the donation of several instruments. We have enlisted the support of luthiers and violin shops, who have committed to donating instruments and essential supplies, as well as a woodwind repair expert who recently traveled to Salvador to repair their instruments.

In addition to our collaboration with NEOJIBÀ, we work with the charity organization Children of Bahia, specifically the branch IBCM, located deep in the favelas of Salvador. IBCM is a shelter and clinic for children with HIV/AIDS. We introduced the children of the orphanage to classical music and instruments, and raised R$1870 through benefit concerts. We are currently working to establishing a connection between Children of Bahia and NEOJIBÀ to give the children access to the expressive outlets of music.

Our third objective is to bring outstanding performances to Salvador’s audiences. Last year, this consisted of two major events. The first was an educational performance for children held in Salvador’s largest concert hall, Teatro Castro Alves, in which we collaborated with OSBA, the professional orchestra of Bahia. The second was an exchange performance at the Pracatum School, an institute founded by Brazilian pop-artist Carlinhos Brown that has transformed the favela Candeal Pequeno through instruction in percussion, piano, voice, composition. The event served to broaden the musical community by expanding the knowledge of our respective musical cultures. In 2010, we plan to diversify and expand upon our existing performance series to stage numerous concerts in educational settings, including local schools and potentially a televised broadcast.