The "Little Musicians" programme, which was designed by the Athens Conservatoire and the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, was presented on Thursday 11 July in the Concert Hall of the Athens Conservatoire. Its aim is to enhance music education in Greece, by designing a special scholarship programme for children whose families are not able to afford the tuition fees.

The programme is aimed at children aged 6-12 years old from all over Attica, whether or not they have already taken music lessons. Through the programme, the organisers plan to create a "music money box" – any organisations and private individuals who would like to contribute to this cause can contribute to the money box.

The scholarships cover 50% to 100% of the annual tuition fees for each student, and they are awarded based on criteria such as a musical inclination and the particular financial situation of each family. The young scholars will be selected after the auditions that will take place on 25 and 26 September 2013. In order to support the programme, a concert will be held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on 12 September 2013, in which distinguished graduates, teachers and students of the Athens Conservatoire will participate.

Referring to the programme, Mr Nikos Tsouchlos, Chairman of the Athens Conservatoire, stressed that:

“The crisis creates new obligations for all of us, and culture needs to provide answers. Today, we need to think about what we would like Greece to look like when the long-awaited growth will come. What we want to do for the children who grow up during the crisis. The ‘Little Musicians’ programme is an answer to these questions. It is designed for talented children who come from families that cannot currently afford to have art at the top of their priorities. The aim is to give children facing the difficulties of our time, the opportunity to find a new, humane way to survive through music.”

Mr Dimitris Afendoulis, Secretary of the Executive Board of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, said that:

“This cooperation shows our trust and belief in one of our country’s most important and long-standing music education institutions, namely the Athens Conservatoire. In addition, it demonstrates our Foundation’s continuous willingness to support initiatives related to education in our country, as well as to culture. It shows the need to stay united and display solidarity under the difficult circumstances that our country is facing. Moreover, this cooperation is an attempt to set up a funding institution on a new moral basis, since natural persons as well as organisations will be able to provide their contribution. Our Foundation hopes that this fund will still exist many years from now and that it will be able to substantially support young children, who are not yet born, to study music and become better and more useful citizens.”

Lastly, Mr Nikos Athineos, the new Director of the Athens Conservatoire, briefly described the future plans of the Athens Conservatoire –study programmes, groups of artists and events– thus setting the tone for the changes that the new Management is putting in place.

Parties interested in the programme can contact the Athens Conservatoire:

Athens Conservatoire

19 Vas. Georgiou B and Rigillis Streets

Athens

Tel: 210-7240673

Fax: 210-7211530

Email: [email protected]