Bravest Band In The World | MTV Voices
05/10/2012 22:42
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Country: Iraq Correspondent: Voices Collective
13th September, 2012
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Bravest Band In The World What springs to mind when you think of Iraq? Car bombs, tanks, rubble, and politicians driveling on? Probably. But what about beautiful, powerful music that reverberates from the walls of an Opera house? This is Iraq too.
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The National Youth Orchestra of Iraq is a bunch of young, self-taught musicians who have defied the limitations of their country. Innovation is key to their success – the only way to audition was through Youtube. This wasnʼt about clever marketing though. Internet was the only way for composer, Paul MacAlindin, to contact them, in a country where classical music teachers have all but vanished. Performing in the UK last week, we grabbed the chance to chat to them about how they came to be branded ʻthe bravest orchestra in the world.ʼ
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Zuhal Sultan, 17, and founder of the orchestra, talked to us the night after one of the biggest performances of her life.
Why did you form the orchestra in the first place? To give a positive image of the country, instead of all the violence and bad news coming out of Iraq that the media is showing. They donʼt show what the young people are doing to pick their country up. So what better than young people performing on one stage, beautiful music from all over the country. Itʼs the best example of unity really.
What has the general reaction in Iraq been to what you guys are doing? Generally very positive. I think even those Iraqis who came to the concert last night were really proud. There were tears of joy coming out of their eyes. We have the support of the people, just http://mtvvoices.com/en/2012/09/bravest-band-in-the-world/
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Bravest Band In The World | MTV Voices
05/10/2012 22:42
not the government yet.
Why is it such a challenge to play these instruments in Iraq? Good instruments are not available in Iraq and we donʼt get any tuition in Iraq. As of 2003 most of the teachers left the country and those who are left have not got the experience to teach musicians… So what we do is learn off the internet. We listen on YouTube to the instrument, and learn.
What would have been the repercussions if these people had been caught practicing? Well basically there was a time in Iraq, from 2004 till 2009 where it was relatively dangerous to carry an instrument in Baghdad… Art was basically a big no… The Iraqiʼs are saying no to these people, but they carry on and thatʼs why they have more courage to go out and play music and even hold concerts.
Some people describe the orchestra as the bravest in the world. Do you agree with that statement? 100 percent… They are brave in so many ways. They are playing the music because they love it, and they are showing the world what Iraq is really all about. Music is their sanctuary. It is the bubble that they create for themselves to conceal all the madness thatʼs going on outside their houses… Itʼs their hope for the future.
Tell us about the youth culture in Iraq, whatʼs the best thing? They party all the time, and they donʼt need to have a drop of alcohol to have a good time! You can have fun 24/7, literally even if they are tired. From hiding instruments and learning to play them on YouTube, to playing on stage in London with Julian Lloyd Webber. Is there a better way to stick a middle finger up at restricting freedom of expression?
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Nashat Majeed · Works at !"#$%&'( )"*+'( ,$-. nice job Zuhal Sultan. Reply ·
1 · Like · Follow Post · September 16 at 4:13pm
Robert Kililo · Wundanyi That's really cool. Reply · Like · Follow Post · September 17 at 3:01pm Alan Crawford · Works at Dubai College Great article! Go NYOI! Reply · Like · Follow Post · September 16 at 4:48pm Facebook social plugin
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Bravest Band In The World | MTV Voices
http://mtvvoices.com/en/2012/09/bravest-band-in-the-world/
05/10/2012 22:42
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