… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …
Special for CPNN by Kiki Chauvin
In the spirit of the movement “Nuit Debout” [“Night Standing in Place”] that continues to exist in Paris, thanks to coordination rather than hierarchical power, their creativity continues to develop through sharing rather than individualism.
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A call on social networks brought out no less than 350 musicians from all backgrounds and all levels, from amateurs to conservatory professors.
On Wednesday, April 20, the orchestra performed in the Place de la Republique, before an audience of several thousand people (plus 16000 spectators on the live webcast). They played three movements of the New World Symphony by Anton Dvorak.
The musicians included 40 trumpets, as many flutes, oboes fifteen, 60 violins, as well as unusual instruments like the saxophone, mandolin and ukulele (who had to innovate by writing their own scores). Musicians who did not know before took only 2 hours to rehearse and agree. The biggest difficulty was the choice of the direction of a conductor: how to lead such a group within the spirit of the movement, ie no leader! After discussions, votes and eventual consensus, the coordination was be resolved with three different conductors, one for each movement of the symphony. One of them was a woman violinist who conducted for the first time!
After the success of the evening, the orchestra decided to offer another concert. The chosen date is Saturday, April 30. Between “The chorus of slaves of Nabucco” by Verdi and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, their votes will decide …
In the spirit of this spontaneous militancy, other initiatives have appeared such as a stand for free legal advice “Lawyers standing” available to 18h every evening. An infirmary, a distributive canteen, a “standing TV”, a “Radio standing” and a “Biblio standing” are installed and removed each night.
On April 30 perhaps we will hear the birth of a “standing choir”?
Here is a heart that beats to a different world, a world of social justice, sharing, recognition of human values, independent of the “money god”, a world of solidarity in a universal culture of peace.
(Click here for a French version of this article)
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