NIA’s Youth Orchestra and Family String Band performing on the Boardwalk Boulevard.
PHILIPSBURG--National Institute of Arts (NIA) said Monday that “with great pride” it has brought to conclusion a project of three performances and a collaboration between the Family String Band and NIA’s Youth Orchestra, with support by the Prince Bernhard Culture Funds Caribbean Territory and the Culturismo Fonds op Naam.
NIA director Arlene Halley-Newhouse said that with the “Music Brings People Together” project participants wanted to continue the legacy of St. Maarten’s cultural heritage as well as to instil national pride and identity in the youngsters via the Youth Orchestra, by exposing them first-hand to the “older heads” with their traditional cultural music and instruments.
“As an ensemble they shared their skills in the music to visitors on the island and the local public. Alongside, the institute aims for a positive impact on the ‘Orange Economy’, eradicating taboos around arts and careers, arts and money, and arts and sustainability,” Halley-Newhouse said.
The Youth Orchestra and Family String Band performed in three distinct settings at the Divi Little Bay Beach Resort and the Boardwalk Boulevard for tourists and residents and at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino and Spa, catering to the resort’s guests.
“All concerts were well attended and the project received comments of uniqueness and great collaboration between the young and the old and encouragement to continue with the collaborative project. The traditional repertoire of 10 songs contributed to the students’ technical musical skills and the scores by conductor Neville James for the first time have found a home at NIA,” Halley-Newhouse said.
NIA thanked the Family String Band and Culturismo Fonds op Naam for this opportunity and said it is looking forward to a second round of “Music Brings People Together”.
