National Youth Orchestra of Iraq
Encyclopedia
The National Youth Orchestra of Iraq (NYOI) is an orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...

 compromised of musicians from different parts of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

. The members are aged between 14 and 29 years. They are selected every Autumn/Winter through a process of online and video auditions.

The National Youth Orchestra of Iraq

The National Youth Orchestra of Iraq is the brainchild of Zuhal Sultan
Zuhal Sultan
Zuhal Sultan is an Iraqi pianist and activist. She founded the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq at the age of 17.-Early life and music:Born in Baghdad, Iraq, in July 1991, Zuhal Sultan is the youngest of a scientific family of two boys and two girls. Both of her parents obtained their Ph.D degrees...

 at 17 years of age. She worked with Raw Television on their award-winning Battlefront series of Generation Y leaders during 2008/9 to create the orchestra.

In September 2008, Raw TV sent out a press release entitled "Iraqi Teen seeks Maestro for Youth Orchestra" to UK press, which Scottish Conductor, Paul MacAlindin, read and responded to. After choosing Paul as musical director, Zuhal brought in friend and fellow musician, Allegra Klein, Director of Musicians for Harmony in New York. Together, they worked online to set up the first summer course for 2009.

Auditions by youtube were organised with players in Baghad and the Kurdish Region of Iraq. Funding was secured from the Baghdad and Kurdish governments, as well as the British Council and Foreign and Commonwealth Office of Great Britain. The British Council, at that time directed by Tony Reilly, also became the operational partner in Iraq.

Courses

The orchestra meets once a year in a two- week summer course. For the second year in a row, the course has been held in the Kurdish Region of Iraq. The course includes intensive training by European and American professional musicians, providing an opportunity for the talented musicians to receive group lessons as well as one to one as most of the members have had little tuition or have been self-taught. The course includes ice-breaking and bonding sessions between members and tutors.

See also

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