Concert by El Sistema Greece at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation
Saturday, June 13 | 19:00
Free admission with online reservation
El Sistema Greece celebrates ten years of activity with a concert – an act of artivism highlighting the power of collective music-making to bring together people from different backgrounds, at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation on Saturday, June 13 at 19:00.
Ten years ago, El Sistema Greece was founded on a simple yet meaningful belief: that music education is a right for everyone and can serve as a tool for social change. Since then, through activities in neighborhoods across Athens, refugee accommodation centers, and local communities, collective musical practice has created a shared meeting ground for children and young people from diverse starting points, allowing them to build a sense of belonging through music.
Marking this ten-year journey, the concert at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation showcases the impact of the organization and the journey of its musicians, offering a vivid portrait of the community that has grown through music. The concert functions as a public act of artistic activism (artivism), creating space for the voices and experiences of young musicians to be expressed and heard. At the same time, it contributes to the broader dialogue around inclusion, fundamental rights, and the active participation of young people.
The concert features the ensembles El Sistema Greece Academy, El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra, Kypseli Orchestra, as well as the El Sistema Greece Youth Choir and the Adults Choir, bringing together musicians of different ages, experiences, and musical journeys on stage. The artistic program reflects the journey of the past decade, combining works from the classical repertoire with contemporary musical expressions and references to Latin American music, where the El Sistema movement was born. Through works from different musical traditions and cultures, the musicians of the organization share with the audience the artistic imprint of a community built through coexistence, collaboration, and creative expression.
The concert is presented within the framework of the project “ARTvocacy for the (U)nion” (ART4U), coordinated by MasterPeace in collaboration with El Sistema Greece, Fundacja Wspólnota Wielopoko (FWW), Gerador, YEU International, and Autres Directions.
El Sistema Greece is a music education and social inclusion program that provides free access to high-quality music education for children and young people in Greece. Its mission is to create a musical community that embraces diversity and empowers students by developing their musical skills while encouraging independent thinking and initiative. All activities are open to children of all backgrounds and offered free of charge through group classes. The intercultural ensembles of El Sistema Greece promote a unique collective music-learning process inspired by the principles and innovative teaching practices of El Sistema Venezuela.
Credits
El Sistema Greece Academy (Conductor Kyriaki Kountouri)
El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra (Conductor Kyriaki Kountouri)
El Sistema Greece Youth Choir (Conductor Konstantina Angelopoulou)
Kypseli Orchestra (Conductor Giannis Ismyrnioglou)
Kypseli Adult Choir (Conductor Vagia Papagiannopoulou)
Piano: Athina Fytika
Artistic Director: Zoe Zeniodi
Michael Cacoyannis Foundation
Saturday, June 13 | 19:00
Free admission with online reservation
*Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
