Many friends of GLAS will recall the electrifying performance of Rafeef Ziadeh, the Palestinian poet, who we hosted in June 2016. At her suggestion we started to support the Gaza School of Music, founded in 2012 as a branch of the Edward Said Conservatory of Music to offer the first ever long-term music education programme in Gaza for children aged 6-18. It has enriched the lives of hundreds of children and brought great joy to their communities through its four ensembles, one orchestra and one choir.
Before the arrival of COVID we managed to host four GLAS events that together raised CHF 18,600 to support this worthwhile project, which now lies in ruins along with much of Gaza. Concerning the students, Sima Khoury Odeh, Executive Director of the Conservatory, has written to us to say:
“Almost all are displaced, waiting not knowing what will happen. A lot of them lost family members, friends, neighbours, homes, and everything they owned is now in rubble. Those displaced are either in UNWRA schools or in hospitals lacking electricity, clean water, sanitation, medicine, and food.“
Christmas concert
It is the season of goodwill, so we invite you to join us for this special evening in support of the Conservatory’s efforts to provide the bare necessities of life to Gazan musicians, students, and their families.
The evening will feature the wonderful voices of the UN Choir conducted by Kirsty Griffiths and a multi-national ensemble playing traditional Irish music, The Emigrants, led by Dubliner John Lawlor.
The usual refreshments will be available including Irish smoked salmon on home-made bread, available from 18.00 when the box office will be open.
Ticket Reservations
Send an email stating your name and the number of tickets required to: bookings@theglas.org
Date: Thursday 14 December at 19.00 (Ticket collection and refreshments from 18.00)
Tickets: CHF 30 (and CHF 25 for students, retired and unemployed)
Venue: Evangelical Lutheran Church, Place du Bourg-de-Four, Geneva
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