The ‘Bravest Orchestra in the World’ | Blue Ocean Strategy
28/01/16 19:20
January 28, 2016
48
Shares
19
The ‘Bravest Orchestra in the World’ A ‘blue ocean’ way of uniting people through music
By The Blue Ocean Strategy Team There is no limit to what one can achieve once you put your mind to it. This is what teenager Zuhal Sultan must have thought, back in 2008, when she turned to the internet with the odd request to help her start a National Youth Orchestra in Iraq. A tweet to the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq secured her $50K to get started. The internet also put Zuhal in touch with Paul MacAlindin, a Scottish conductor who was intrigued by the idea of starting an orchestra in Iraq and agreed to take this journey with her. With limited funds, a lack of educated musicians and a range of logistical barriers, setting up an orchestra in Iraq was not an easy task. Paul MacAlindin, who not only became the conductor but was also the strategic brain of the orchestra, turned to blue ocean strategy to make the project a success. It worked. Between 2008 and 2013 the orchestra held dozens of performances and achieved international fame. The Blue Ocean Strategy Team spoke to conductor MacAlindin to learn more about this orchestra’s unconventional and ‘blue ocean’ journey. https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/blog/the-bravest-orchestra-in-the-world/
Page 1 of 8
The ‘Bravest Orchestra in the World’ | Blue Ocean Strategy
28/01/16 19:20
Paul MacAlindin
Opportunities to create #blueoceans are everywhere. Even in the #orchestra.
Click to tweet
()
What triggered you to apply blue ocean strategy to this case? Paul MacAlindin: After accepting the challenge to create the orchestra, I quickly learned the hard truth: almost all National Youth Orchestras are highly established, western-centric and quite elite. Only the very best players of the respective countries are selected. Our competitors were Rolls Royces and we were a Mini.
https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/blog/the-bravest-orchestra-in-the-world/
Page 2 of 8
The ‘Bravest Orchestra in the World’ | Blue Ocean Strategy
28/01/16 19:20
We knew that, if we wanted to make this work, we couldn’t just copy their strategy. We simply didn’t have the means, the talent or the historical reputation to do so. Blue ocean strategy was a key course in my MBA program and a personal eye-opener. Creating extraordinary value while keeping costs low was exactly what we set out to achieve with the orchestra. So when I was looking for a way to tackle our challenges, blue ocean strategy was the first thing that came to mind.
The musicians performing on the streets of France in 2013.
What were the biggest challenges you faced?
https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/blog/the-bravest-orchestra-in-the-world/
Page 3 of 8
The ‘Bravest Orchestra in the World’ | Blue Ocean Strategy
28/01/16 19:20
Paul MacAlindin: As our musicians were based in Iraq, we faced huge logistical and educational barriers. Getting these young people out of Iraq to perform was a challenge, but even inside the country conditions were not ideal. Music schools didn’t exist, so all of the players were selftaught. Another issue was the poor quality of instruments, with no place or the tools to maintain or fix them.
No music stands? Then we’ll use artists’ easels instead.
In essence we had all the odds against us to be taken seriously. But we had a drive and determination that was beyond all the struggles. And ultimately blue ocean strategy showed us the way to overcome our challenges. Our competitors were Rolls Royces and we were a Mini. We knew that, if we wanted to make this work, we couldn’t just copy their strategy.
How did blue ocean strategy help you to tackle these https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/blog/the-bravest-orchestra-in-the-world/
Page 4 of 8
The ‘Bravest Orchestra in the World’ | Blue Ocean Strategy
28/01/16 19:20
challenges? Paul MacAlindin: When defining our strategy we made use of the blue ocean strategy tool called the Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create (ERRC) Grid (https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/tools/errc-grid/). This framework helped us to focus on the actions and values that would really make a difference for us, while cutting out those that carried more cost than value. Finding something to ELIMINATE turned out to be easy. Traditional youth orchestras relied heavily on big names, soloists, to give status and visibility to their group. Since we did not have the financial means and our talent was poorly supported in Iraq, we decided this would not be a factor to drive our success. Another big cost for orchestras is finding, educating and training musicians. Since we had no infrastructure available in Iraq, we turned to the internet for help. Our auditions were held over YouTube and individual lessons were done over Skype. By following this approach, we not only managed to REDUCE the cost of in-situ training, but we were also able to leverage the power of social media in the process. One factor that we RAISED was partnerships. We partnered with established players, such as the British Council and the Beethovenfest in Bonn. They not only provided financial and reputational support, but also brought us a large amount of media attention. Ultimately what we CREATED was something unique in the world of youth orchestras. Traditional orchestras focused on the great masterpieces of classical music, but we did not want to limit ourselves to this. We got Kurdish and Arab composers to write music that would display the rich culture and traditions of the country. In every concert we put Iraqi music on equal footing with Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert. We loved it, and so did the public.
https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/blog/the-bravest-orchestra-in-the-world/
Page 5 of 8
The ‘Bravest Orchestra in the World’ | Blue Ocean Strategy
28/01/16 19:20
(http://bosdevsite.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/National-YouthOrchestra-Iraq.jpg) Sunni, Shia, Kurdish, Arab, Turkomen, Assyrian and Armenian musicians playing side by side.
Sky News called you the “Bravest Orchestra in the World”. What did you learn from this experience? Paul MacAlindin: After 6 extraordinary years, our journey came to an abrupt end when ISIS came in and cut the country in half. Although the story of Iraq is tragic, the success of the youth orchestra shows a different side of the country. Our unique blend of Sunni, Shia, Kurdish, Arab, Turkomen, Assyrian and Armenian musicians underlined the power of being united. These young people are a symbol of the talent that is out there and the resilience that they demonstrate. Our message was one of hope. One that still can be heard today.
https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/blog/the-bravest-orchestra-in-the-world/
Page 6 of 8
The ‘Bravest Orchestra in the World’ | Blue Ocean Strategy
28/01/16 19:20
Paul MacAlindin, conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq, used blue ocean strategy to break down barriers and create unity across cultures. Can a blue ocean approach help solve some of the world’s most intractable questions?
Waleed, the first flute, playing in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
It wasn’t easy. To organize two weeks of performances it would take 50 weeks of preparation. Our journey was met with many hurdles, disappointments and relentless skepticism. Looking back at it now, I realize Blue Ocean Strategy gave me the strength to persevere through our many dark days. https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/blog/the-bravest-orchestra-in-the-world/
Page 7 of 8
The ‘Bravest Orchestra in the World’ | Blue Ocean Strategy
28/01/16 19:20
#Blueoceanstrategy gave me the strength to persevere through our many dark days.
Click to tweet
()
Paul’s book, UPBEAT – the Story of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq, will be published by Sandstone Press on August 18th, 2016. We wish him all the best and hope that his story will continue to inspire others.
48
Shares
19
Privacy (http://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/privacy/) | Copyright © 2014-2015 Kim & Mauborgne. All Rights Reserved. Blue Ocean Strategy ®, Blue Ocean ®, Blue Ocean Leadership ®.
https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/blog/the-bravest-orchestra-in-the-world/
Page 8 of 8