Musicians without Borders was founded in 1999 and registered as a charitable foundation in 2000. The motto of the foundation is “war divides, music connects” (Musicians without Borders, 2017). This motto is reflective of the purpose of the foundation, which is to unite people and communities through music. Musicians without Borders has established a range of music programs in numerous war-torn communities including Soy Música in El Salvador, Mitrovica Rock School in Mitrovica and Kosovo, Music Bridge in Northern Ireland, Palestine Community Music in Palestine, Rwanda Youth Music in Rwanda, Welcomes Notes in Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, and Community Music and Health in Uganda (Musicians without Borders, 2017).
Laura Hassler, the founder and director of Musicians without Borders, studied cultural anthropology and music at Swarthmore College. She worked for the Friends (Quaker) Peace Committee and the Committee of Responsibility on Vietnam in Philadelphia, Thich Nhat Hahn’s Vietnamese Buddhist Peace Delegation in Paris, and the US Fellowship of Reconciliation in New York in the 1970s. In 1977, Hassler moved to the Netherlands where she founded a World Music School and later founded Musicians without Borders in 1999 (Musicians without Borders, 2017). This essay explores the Mitrovica Rock School initiative, which was established in August 2008 with the aim of providing a “neutral platform for youth from both sides of ethnically divided Mitrovica to meet as young musicians and aspiring rock stars” (Peace Direct, 2016). In particular, the success of this initiative in achieving its social goals will be measured as well as the extent of the outcomes. Ultimately, the Mitrovica Rock School initiative will be critically evaluated to determine its effectiveness in bringing about positive social change.
Table of Contents
1. Mitrovica Rock School
Objectives and Themes
This essay examines the impact of the Mitrovica Rock School initiative, established in 2008 by Musicians without Borders, as a tool for fostering reconciliation and social change in the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica. It explores how the program utilizes popular music education and inter-ethnic collaboration to overcome the legacy of the Kosovo War, while critically assessing the extent of its success in connecting youth from both sides of the city.
- Post-conflict social integration through music
- Educational and artistic curriculum in conflict zones
- Overcoming ethnic divisions among youth
- The role of non-profit organizations in cultural restoration
- Security challenges in peacebuilding initiatives
Auszug aus dem Buch
Mitrovica Rock School
The idea of the Mitrovica Rock School arose after the Kosovo War, which divided the ethnic groups inhabiting the area. This conflict disrupted the strong rock music heritage of the country with severe consequences, as discussed by Burgess in 2016:
Rock musicians were no longer hired for gigs or festivals and there were no more recording contracts or tours. Rock venues closed and became turbo-folk clubs. Jam sessions and other live music events were no longer organized. Instruments were sold or traded off for survival.
The remaining musicians of Mitrovica had a strong motivation to teach the new generation in an attempt to revive the creation and performance of rock music. Unfortunately, they faced many adversities such as limited access to space, instruments and equipment as a result of the recent war. It wasn’t until the summer of 2008 when Musicians without Borders announced a one-week-long Rock School in Exile intensive camp taking place in neighbouring Macedonia to combat the challenges faced by the local musicians of Mitrovica. In this early project, rock musicians from North and South Mitrovica taught alongside Dutch rock music teachers. Twenty-five aspiring teenaged musicians from both sides of the city were recruited and brought to Skopje by bus. The result of this program was the creation of six mixed ethnic rock bands who were tasked with preparing songs to be performed a week later on an open stage.
Summary of Chapters
Mitrovica Rock School: This section provides an overview of the founding history of the school, its mission to restore music culture, the challenges faced by local musicians after the war, and the ongoing efforts to facilitate inter-ethnic cooperation through popular music education and social engagement.
Keywords
Mitrovica Rock School, Musicians without Borders, Kosovo War, ethnic reconciliation, rock music, peacebuilding, social change, youth empowerment, popular music education, inter-ethnic collaboration, post-conflict society, cultural heritage, music pedagogy, community development, integrated bands.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work focuses on the Mitrovica Rock School initiative and its role in using music education to facilitate interaction and social cohesion among youth in a post-conflict, ethnically divided environment.
What are the central themes addressed?
Central themes include the impact of the Kosovo War on music culture, the mechanics of inter-ethnic youth programs, the role of international NGOs like Musicians without Borders, and the challenges of sustaining peace-oriented initiatives.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The objective is to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the Mitrovica Rock School in achieving its goals, specifically regarding its ability to spark positive social change and bridge ethnic divides.
Which scientific methods are employed in this analysis?
The analysis utilizes a qualitative approach, drawing upon historical context, project documentation, scholarly literature, and keynote addresses from the founder of the organization.
What content is covered in the main body of the essay?
The main body covers the history of the school's founding, the structure of its music programs, the challenges of operating in a divided city, and the measurable outcomes regarding community engagement and student interaction.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Mitrovica Rock School, Musicians without Borders, ethnic reconciliation, peacebuilding, and youth social integration.
How does the school manage donor dependency?
The school functions as a non-profit that directs all income generated by its activities, such as performances and events, back into the school to reduce reliance on external donors.
What specific safety risks do participants face?
Participants face risks because the city remains segregated and tense; some students have been known to "sneak across the bridge" to visit friends from the other side, which can provoke negative reactions from parts of the local population.
What role does the "Remix Band Program" play?
The Remix Band Program is specifically designed to create ethnically mixed bands, forcing students from different backgrounds to collaborate, practice, and perform together, thereby fostering personal connections.
What does Laura Hassler argue regarding the future of the school?
Hassler argues that despite ongoing political tensions, the school has successfully established itself as a place where the "finest young people" can thrive, suggesting that the school is effectively reviving the city's proud musical heritage.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Kassidy-Rose McMahon (Autor:in), 2017, About the foundation "Musicians without Borders". The "Mitrovica Rock School" initiative, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/375301
