Help African musicians attend FEMUSC 2025

Africa is our mother continent, has some of the poorest countries in the world, and it is our solemn duty to assist their rise to the level which dignifies their humanity, future and immense talent. 22 African musicians have been selected to attend FEMUSC in Brazil, originating from Mozambique (8), Guiné Bissau (7) and the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe (7). This fundraising seeks to assist them in obtaining round-trip tickets to cover their travel expenses, which are exorbitant considering the size and rank of their economies. Their countries are all former Portuguese colonies - as is Brazil - where Portuguese is spoken, making FEMUSC a convenient destination to them for the acquisition of knowledge and experience.

What will they do at FEMUSC? These 22 African talents received a full scholarship, room&board and other expenses paid to attend FEMUSC. They already come to us from socio-orchestral projects in their countries, namely Xiquitsi in Mozambique, and the Project Rizoma in both Guiné Bissau and São Tomé and Príncipe. Inspired by Venezuela's El Sistema, these projects teach citizenship through music and are a well known tool for fast development, community engagement and the highest standards of responsibility and teamwork. The success stories of these projects can never be overstated, and are a formidable way for music to contribute to a better world. But...for them to succeed they need information, strategies, contacts and bridges to be built. These 22 young musicians will come to FEMUSC to learn their instruments, observe teaching strategies, absorb knowledge, watch concerts, make friends and network, connect with international teachers and bring back to their communities new ideas which can continue to resonate with their colleagues and families, pushing their home experience and home projects further up, diminishing the information gap between our continents and permitting African countries and communities to rise up through their own talents, ideas, energy and cultures. Talent without knowledge is wasted, and knowledge without experience has limited use. We seek to support these musicians and their projects into making a difference for their communities, fueling their desire for change for the inside out.

About FEMUSC 2025: the 20th Santa Catarina Music Festival will occur between January 12th and 25th, 2025 in Jaraguá do Sul, in the South of Brazil. Over 200 concerts are planned with 600 musicians from over 30 countries, including faculty from top international music institutions and conservatories. The intense workshops include daily master classes, orchestras, chamber music, solo performances, operas, Brazilian popular music, a string quartet program, a "Concert of the Nations" showcasing FEMUSC's renowned cultural diversity and a vast socially-oriented program directed to children, adolescents and amateur musicians too.

PLEASE consider donating. Any amount is welcome and will go a long way to assist them. Of course, given the amount required, assistance is also being sought from governments, Embassies, private industry and individual donations from other sources. However, given the size of this need we are hoping to count on your generosity too, to make this bridge building possible.

THANK YOU!