Help young musicians experience a life-changing cultural exchange through music in Quito, Ecuador!

Hi, I'm Masayuki Maki, a historical keyboardist and ensemble specialist based in New York City. I teach at Queens College, City University of New York, and travel around the world for music, coffee, and skiing. Today, I’m asking for your support to help young musicians access an extraordinary opportunity: an international orchestra academy in Quito, Ecuador, where I will serve as a co-director.

Between August 11th and 17th, our team of Orquesta Académica del Pacífico will be presenting an international music festival at the heart of Quito’s Historic Center—one of the best-preserved colonial districts in South America. The area pulses with cultural richness and centuries-old tradition, making it the perfect setting for a meaningful artistic exchange.

Our GOAL?

Via this festival, we will bring together student musicians from North America, Latin America and beyond to collaborate, perform, and grow through classical and South American orchestral repertoire. This includes works by European composers from Vivaldi to Tchaikovsky, alongside powerful and melancholic music written in South America.

BUT, we need YOUR HELP.

We would like to extend this opportunity to 30 students. Many of them might not be able to afford the tuition and the travel costs. Your donation will go directly toward their scholarships, ensuring that the cost isn’t a barrier to this transformative experience.

Why QUITO?

My connection to Quito runs deep. My dear friends and musical collaborators, Santiago Mora and Jessica Bermudez, are world-class violinists who have been central figures in Ecuador’s music scene for decades. Santi has played with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador for 22 years and previously led the string department at the National Conservatory of Quito for 10 years. Jessi teaches and directs a college orchestra in the city. Both will work with me and serve as the orchestra academy's co-directors.

Despite their passion for Baroque music, they had no harpsichord to play with in Quito. In 2024, I donated a large French double-manual harpsichord to their organization to help bring Baroque music to life in Quito. Santi and Jessi painted the lid of the harpsichord (click here for video) with the view of the Historic Center and the highest Andean mountains near Quito.

Since then, we’ve performed fiery Baroque programs (click here for video) —including fascinating pieces composed in colonial Quito—at incredible venues, such as the golden church of La Compañía de Jesús, with audiences that included the former president of Ecuador, cultural ministers, and residents and tourists.

What does this program OFFER?

This international academy is more than just an orchestra experience—it’s a space for cultural exchange, artistic discovery, and personal growth. By joining the Orquesta Académica del Pacífico, students will:

These experiences will help young artists deepen their artistic identity and inspire them to reach their goals.

Please consider donating today to help make this dream a reality. Your support allows a new generation of musicians to thrive through the power of shared music and cultural understanding.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

— Maki