The single most inspirational feature of this year’s CNE is not cronuts but an orchestra from Paraguay made up of young people who grew up on a garbage dump and whose elders turned the trash into instruments. They also make a one-night stop at Stratford Summer Music on Aug. 21.
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
I was introduced to this remarkable organization about 18 months ago. Their story of almost miraculous reinvention made me laugh and cry at the same time. These kids and their parents are proof that, now matter how bleak the circumstances, some fine human being will try — and may even succeed — at making everything better.
Over the past 2-1/2 years, the orchestra has gone from local phenomenon to a would-be global juggernaut. They’ve learned how to market themselves, and have branded themselves as the Landfill Harmonic.
Earlier this year, they launched a Kickstarter campaign in the U.S. to raise $175,000 towards financing a feature documentary on their work in Paraguay. The campaign, which closed on May 15, raised $214,129. Part of this money has now gone to fund touring, to further spread the word.
The Landfill Harmonic’s ultimate goal is to provide one more model to bring music — and all of its many additional benefits, including social cohesion — to at-risk children wherever they may be.
That’s very much like El Sistema in Venezuela, another local phenomenon that has inspired social activists and educators around the world. Except that, where El Sistema is subsidized at home by the national government, the Landfill Harmonic is entirely sustained by its members and activists.
The extra little twist here is that the Landfill Harmonic was born in garbage — in Cateura, a Paraguayan shantytown built atop a stinking pile of landfill, where most of the residents, including the children, spend several hours each day picking every single little bit of recyclable or reusable material from big-city refuse.
It is a scene repeated in far more villages and on far more continents than we would care to imagine.
One day, a professional Cateuran garbage-picker had the idea of making something out of his junk, just for fun.
The rest is a tale not even the finest fabulist could make up.
This is their story, as condensed for the Kickstarter campaign:
Now that the world has tuned in, the kids of the Landfill Harmonic have “real” instruments to play — all donated, including from fans in Canada — once they have learned the basics of making music (El Sistema kids in Venezuela start with papier mâché violins, for example).
The Landfill Harmonic performs at the CNE’s International Stage on Friday at 6:30 p.m., Aug. 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24 & 25 at 3 p.m. (with additional 6:30 p.m. shows on Aug. 17, 18, 24 & 25) and a single, 6:30 p.m. performance on Aug. 23.
The kids are also making a trip to Stratford for a concert at St Andrew’s Church next Wednesday (Aug. 21) at 7 p.m. Ticket details here.
The Landfill Harmonic has an active Facebook page that already counts 167,000-plus likes — here.
John Terauds
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
