First 'Singing the Bridge' Women's Choir debuts in HollandIn early February, a new multicultural women's choir was launched in Baam, the Netherlands. The choir's director is a product of Singing the Bridge, a collaboration of Musicians without Borders and Unisono, the former Dutch organization for amateur musicians. An intensive program of five workshops introduced choir directors from around Holland both to music from Africa, Turkey, Surinam and other cultures, and to social and cultural issues that might arise among choir members. Singing the Bridge develops intercultural understanding and greater connection among the diverse communities of women living in the Netherlands. With a history of openness to immigration, the Netherlands boasts the most diverse population in Europe. Learning the songs of many homelands is one way for those communities to grow in their appreciation of differences. Teaching choir directors music from many lands - and training them to be sensitive to cultural and social issues - plants the seeds from which much multicultural amity will grow.
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Some of the participants sought to expand the repertoires of their ongoing choirs while some came intending to establish new, diverse women's choirs in their own locations. Two directors from southeast Amsterdam have applied for subsidies to form new choirs and a director from Utrecht is already looking for choristers. Singing the Bridge has provided the core of what we hope will be a network of choir conductors in Europe and the world, able to support each other in developing multicultural choirs as well as choir activities (workshops, exchanges). If you know of or already sing in a multicultural women's choir, then let us know its name. We are building a website to provide a communications hub for all interested. |
    
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