From trash to treasure: Visiting Paraguayan youth orchestra plays instruments of reclaimed junk

Published 9:36 am Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the “Landfillharmonic” orchestra.

They’re not quite as fancy as that other, similarly named performance group, but they’re hard to top in the grit department.

The musicians in this ensemble, a Paraguayan youth orchestra officially known as the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, live on the outskirts of Asuncion in Paraguay near a giant landfill, and they play instruments made entirely out of repurposed garbage.

They’ve performed around the world, met royalty, been featured in headlines in many languages and even been the subject of a documentary film — and they are slated to make their first visit to Bainbridge Island next week.

The vision of music director Favio Chávez, the recycled orchestra provides access to hope and a better life for his students. The orchestra’s music is the portal to a life beyond the intergenerational cycle of extreme poverty for them through education and travel opportunities.

About 10 members of the group, ranging in age from 10 to 22, will visit students at several Bainbridge public schools and the Madrona Waldorf school. They will give a free public performance at Bainbridge Performing Arts at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 1.

Visit www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org/products/recycled-orchestra to learn more about the concert at BPA.

In addition, there will be a showing of a documentary about Chávez’s project and its successes, ”Landfill Harmonic,” at 7 p.m. that same night at Bainbridge Cinemas, followed by a Q&A session with the director and members of the orchestra.

Tickets, $10 apiece, are on sale now. Visit www.farawayentertainment.com/show/landfill-harmonic to purchase. Donations will be collected at the afternoon concert, and a portion of the proceeds of the movie tickets will also go to the group.

The visit to Bainbridge Island is organized by the Charter for Compassion and is sponsored by Bainbridge Performing Arts, Bainbridge Island-North Kitsap Interfaith Council, Eagle Harbor Congregational Church, Jennifer Saez and Susan Lorenz, Perry Foundation, Town & Country Markets and Winslow Cohousing Group.

The island stop is a quick side trip during the group’s longer visit to the region, including appearances in Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle.

“I heard through the Charter that these kids from the recycled orchestra were going to be in the region,” said Charter for Compassion spokesman Reed Price. “Through a lot of scrambling and a lot of help from a lot of people, I think we put together a pretty good experience for these kids and an opportunity for many of our islanders to get a chance to see kids who are being given new opportunities in the world.”

Most of the students in the ensemble had no previous exposure to orchestra music before joining the group, Price said, let alone international travel.

“The idea has spawned a lot of enthusiasm,” he explained. “This is probably eight years that this has been going on and Favio has continued to offer this opportunity to many kids. It’s opened their world and we hope to learn more about that.”

It’s not all performing and interviews for the kids, though. They are going to meet and get to know many Bainbridge students and teachers during their trip, stay with host families and also sit with some experienced musicians in the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra.

“It’s going to be great,” Price said. “It’s going to be a bit of a whirlwind. We hope the weather is nice and we hope to also have some opportunities for them to spend a little time anyway enjoying our beaches and pleasant afternoons. They have a couple hours free here and there and we’re going to try and sneak in some fun time.”

Homemade harmony

What: Representatives of Paraguayan youth orchestra will be visiting and performing on Bainbridge Island.

When: Tuesday, May 31 and Wednesday, June 1.

Where: There will be a public performance at Bainbridge Performing Arts at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 1, and also a showing of a documentary about the project and its successes at 7 p.m. at Bainbridge Cinemas.

Admission: The concert is free; donations will be accepted. Movie tickets are $10 and a portion of the proceeds of the movie showing will also go to the group.