Rob van Diggelen asked Omar Al-Qattan (member Board of Trustees) of the A.M. Qattan Foundation a few questions about the Music School in Gaza.
“Can you tell us about the current state of affairs of the school? Is there a plan for a restart? Is there already help from outside?”The Foundation took immediate action as soon as the fighting died down to find an alternative location for the school. This was soon achieved and we have now signed a new lease for a new place and are trying our best, with the available building materials in Gaza, to build partitions and prepare the space for the students. We hope to be finished and up and running as before by the end of March.
“How much money does the school need? Are musical instruments also welcome, and what about sheetmusic and other school-equipment?”The School does not need money since we have had enormous help already which more than covered the costs of destruction and rebuilding, although good quality classical instruments are still most welcome, as is sheet music of all levels. Remember, we currently only have a nucleus of a school and want to grow the numbers of students and the range of instruments they can learn.
MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY, we have a severe lack of teachers so, should it become more possible for people to move in and out of the Gaza Strip, the biggest contribution that a musician can make at this stage is to go to Gaza for a period of time to teach and also to perform. The appeal should really be focussed on that, on breaking the siege and allowing the children opportunities they cannot otherwise have, especially as there is a terrible lack of good music teachers in Gaza. Why not also consider the possibility in the future of inviting one or two students to attend a music summer school and the really exceptional to attend music school in Holland?
Gaza Music School Newsletter (EN)
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Music For Gaza will support and develop a music education program for children and youth in the Gaza strip, as soon as the situation permits. For an article about the school, click >>>Nieuws!!<<< and scroll for the English version.
We organize events with performances, food and drinks to connect people and to raise funds. The first events will take place in the Netherlands, but we hope others can do the same in their own countries on behalf of Music For Gaza and the children. For that purpose, we created an international Music For Gaza in Facebook. Interested in organizing an event? Go to >>>PR, Media & Downloads<<< and download the Word document of Music For Gaza international.
Please join our cause and bring your friends and CD's along. When? Where?
Tuesday 13 January 2009 19:30 - 23:00 hrs - Paradiso Amsterdam
Sunday 18 January 2009 16:00 - 21:00 hrs - SJU Jazzpodium Utrecht
Tuesday 27 January 2009 20:00 - 23:00 hrs - 013 Tilburg
Sunday 3 May 2009 12:00 - 23:00 hrs - De Nieuwe Nor Heerlen
Admission is at least 10 CD’s or LP’s.
Well-know DJ’s such as ISIS, Kareem Raïhani and Takimi donate their redundant records.
For a donation of at least €1 per CD or LP you can collect music for yourself.
From the donated music, we will also create a music library in Gaza.
Share your music with Gaza, donate your old CD’s and help us bring a little beauty and serenity to the lives of the children of Gaza.
Help us! (for the Netherlands and Belgium)
( international)