Mission:
The Refugee Orchestra Project attempts--through music--to demonstrate the vital role that refugees from across the globe continue to play in our culture and society.
Short Description:
The Refugee Orchestra Project brings together hundreds of performers--instrumentalists and singers whose families have fled to this country to escape violence and persecution--in a large-scale concert performance that loudly proclaims these individuals' importance to our cultural wealth. All proceeds will be donated to help those trying to escape persecution abroad.
Longer Description:
The Refugee Orchestra Project attempts--through music--to demonstrate the vitally important role that refugees from across the globe have played in our country's culture and society.
The project was conceived by conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya, who realized in the wake of the Syrian refugee crisis that many of her own closest colleague and friends were not aware that she and many others like her had come to the U.S. as refugees to seek asylum from violence and persecution abroad. Due to the traumatic nature of their experience, refugees are often hesitant to speak openly about their history, and it is common for people to be unaware that their neighbors, coworkers, and friends have been taken in by the United States as refugees at a time of crisis.
The concert brings together hundreds of performers--instrumentalists and singers whose families have fled to this country to escape violence and persecution--in a single large-scale performance that loudly proclaims these individuals' importance to our cultural wealth. Admission is free, with all proceeds from suggested donations given to HIAS and IRC in support of asylum seekers abroad.
Learn More: http://www.refugeeorchestraproject.org