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Glass Marcano offers a moment of education and well-being to LiBeirut students

20/03/2022
Beirut, Lebanon

Glass Marcano is a true "maestra" at just 26 years old. This Venezuelan conductor is the first black conductor to conduct an orchestra in Europe. Coming to Lebanon to perform as part of the international al-Bustan festival, with the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, she offered young Lebanese students from schools rehabilitated by UNESCO as part of its LiBeirut initiative, the golden opportunity of attending the rehearsals of her concert. At Saint-Joseph Monnot Church, she immersed herself in the pages of Rossini and Tchaikovsky, guiding the orchestra with passion through rhythmic scores, and embarking the students in her art, which she masters wonderfully.

"It's the first time I take part in a concert," says Lynn, a Grade 12 student, following closely Glass Marcano's gestures and her baton. “It's a new experience and I love the music. It is also very interesting to see a black woman doing this job. In Lebanon, few young people think of choosing a profession in the world of music.” "I was expecting something very classic," says Alia, "but the conductor has performed well-known music too and one can follow her with a lot of harmony. It's magical. I felt like I was in a movie, in Harry Potter! »

© UNESCO

As the students applaud to the rhythm of Glass Marcano, Maysoun Chehab, UNESCO National Program Officer for Education in Lebanon explains: “We are working with public and private schools in Beirut to strengthen the resilience of learners and their families, and to help them cope with adversity of the multi crises we face.” “The crises have caused anxieties, depression and other stress-related problems threatening the ability of learners to thrive academically and grow up healthy and happy, she assures. Engaging our schools and students in side events organized in partnership with AlBustan Festival give them a space to interact and express emotions and thoughts. It offers them an opportunity to learn about music pieces and instruments directly from international experts and maestros”. She adds: “We will continue supporting LiBeirut schools with focus on quality education and psychosocial support. In addition to also promoting heritage education to strengthen the connection between learners, their city, and their country.”

 

Li Beirut is an international flagship initiative launched from Beirut by the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, in the aftermath of the explosions, on August 27, 2020, to support the rehabilitation of schools, historic heritage buildings, museums, galleries and the creative industry, all of which suffered significant damage in the deadly explosions.

Since the Al Bustan Festival was founded in 1994, it has established in Lebanon a unique and unprecedented tradition of a music season in winter. The founders wished to revive the cultural life of a country reemerging after seventeen years of war. The Festival has indeed reached its objective, presenting each year more than thirty performances over a five-week period in February and March. With a predominance of chamber music, the Festival also includes opera, orchestral concerts, choral concerts, dance, marionettes and theatre. The Al Bustan Festival is a member of the European Festival Association (EFA) and the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA).