On June 21, more than 300 people gathered at First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich, CT bringing together the community in an event that displayed cultural diversity exemplified by the classical music the young musicians performed. Polyphony Youth Orchestra, comprised of Israel's most talented young Arab and Jewish musicians, shared both their extraordinary talents and vision for a more peaceful future in their home country during a performance in front of a packed audience.
Greenwich is the first stop on a summer tour that includes concerts in Brooklyn, NY; Detroit, MI; West Hampton, NY; and Aspen, CO. Polyphony's programs, which include music appreciation classes, instrument instruction and scholar-in-residence seminars, among others, bring together more than 2,000 Arab and Jewish youths, beginning in elementary school and leading up to integrated orchestras that allow teenage musicians to learn and perform together. The orchestra is supported by a 501(c)3 non-profit organization Polyphony Foundation, which was founded by New York investor Craig Cogut and renowned violinist Nabeel Abboud-Ashkar. The mission of Polyphony, according to Ashkar, is to "bridge the divide and culture gap between Arab and Jewish communities in Israel. Once they are brought together, they can really find this common language of music." For more information, visit http://www.polyphonyfoundation.org