We hear from the team behind DasA, a new project aimed at promoting classical music among students in Armenian schools.

DasA is a large-scale project aimed at the cultural education of a whole generation, a project that has an important role in the process of forming a progressive and educated society. DasA promotes long-term cultural and spiritual values and establishes the balance between modern and historical standards. DasA aims to become the start of a new, high quality and educated society.

The founder, principal conductor and artistic director of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Sergey Smabtyan, who is also the initiator of the project together with the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia, Arayik Harutyunyan, with the orchestra’s musicians visits schools and holds meetings on the subject of classical music, after which the students attend concerts.

Launched in November, 2018 DasA has covered all 35 state high schools of Yerevan. More than 13,500 students have participated in 17 concerts and it has received a great response, with more than 80 media publications being made about the project and more than 2,000 students returning to the concert hall afterwards.

Why DasA?

A is the note la in the tonic sol-fa system, and all musical instruments are tuned with this note.

The project proposes to make the classical music available for students at least once a year. It provides much more than just participation in symphony and chamber concerts; as part of this huge project, the orchestra members attend schools and through direct communication with the students introduce the details of the upcoming concert before each event. They speak about the programme and the composers, answer questions, and prepare students for the experience of attending a classical concert.

DasA is the only project in Armenia that is aims to nurture a love of classical music in a whole generation.

www.armsymphony.am

www.sergey-smbatyan.com

The project is supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia.