Argentine Embassy Brings South American Music to Pakistan hosting Workshop for School Children

Islamabad, Feb28, 2019: Once again the Argentine Embassy, assisted by the kindsponsorship of the Islamabad Serena Hotel, brought together students from various social backgrounds, this time to take part of a musical workshop to be conducted by the French-Argentine musician and teacher, Magdalena Ivanissevich.

Students of the twin cities graced the event, including the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Children (SPARC), Master Ayub’s Park School, Islamabad Model School for Girls G-6 and G-9, National College of Arts Rawalpindi and Rung School of Music and Arts.

The show aimed at bringing together youngsters and teachers to learn about South American and Argentine music, as well as basic musical practices.  The idea was to open new musical horizons for students who would otherwise not have an opportunity to have access to them.

The said event is part of the series of concerts and workshops organised by the Argentine Embassy in Islamabad involvingArgentine-French duo of Magdalena Ivanissevich and Carlos Molinaro, who travelled from France to perform and deliver workshops on music from many South American countries. Both artists have an extensive teaching experience in Paris, and they have also performed in France and other European, Latin American and Asian countries in the past.

During the workshop at the Embassy, Magdalena taught and engaged in musical games that included percussion and singing.  She also sang South American songs and explained their roots in many different sources, including Native American peoples as well as European and African.

In his speech H.E. Ambassador Ivan Ivanissevich highlighted the importance of organizing such events in order to widen the scope of education beyond academics.  Music has a very important formative role to play since it helps in developing our imagination and promotes more dynamic thought processes as well as team work.  Finally, he expressed his hope that whatever was practiced and learned at the workshop may be reproducedby the respective schools attending the event.

At the end of the show, the artist andthe Ambassador mingled with the students and the teachers. Food boxes were distributed with the kind cooperation of the Serena Islamabad Hotel.

The duo will perform in Lahore at the Olomopolo Media Centre on 2^nd March at 6:00 pm and the Rafi Peer Cultural Centre on 3^rdMarch at 5:00 pm.  On 6^th March they will perform in Islamabad at the FACE Cultural Centre at 7:30 pm.

MAGDALENA IVANISSEVICH

Magdalena Ivanissevichhas a developed a long teaching career in Paris beside her performances in concerts and festivals.  She directed children and adult choirs, and she also gave musical education and vocal improvisation workshops aimed at a wide range age group (children and teenagers).

She was a student of the well-known Argentine guitarist Jorge MartínezZárate, and in Paris she obtained the Superior Diploma on Baroque lute and Renaissance music at the “ÉcoleNormale de la Musique de Paris“ (Paris Music School).  There followed choir direction studies at the National Music School of the Aubervilliers region.

She was a founder of the Musical “Atélierdu St Pierre Hall” of the Brute Art Museum of Paris  (1986-2000) and of the female choir “A tout bout de chant” (specialized in country women’s songs pertaining to oral traditions of Italy and France).As a lute player she performed in France with the Ancient Latin American music group “Alandar” –which she founded-and in Russia as well as some Baltic countries.

In 2016 she joined the improvisation group of Guy Reibel, creator of the “Vocal Gesture” practice.

She currently directs the choirs of the music schools of Pierrefittesur Seine and Achères, and used to direct that of the city of Blanc Mesnil of Paris.

CARLOS MOLINARO

Carlos Molinaro is a classical guitarist who also performs folk and popular music from many South American countries.  Until 2018 he was a guitar professor at the Music School « Theatre de la Danse de la Ville de Nanterre » (Dance Theatre of the Town of Nanterre) in Paris, where he directed the Latin American musical Ensemble.

He took lessons with the renowned guitar teacher Jorge MartínezZárate of Argentina, the Uruguayan Abel Carlevaro and Javier Hinojosa of the ScholaCantorum of Paris.  He also studied Argentine folk music with Hilda Herrera (Argentina) and analysis of contemporary music with Robert Piencykowsky at IRCAM, the famous Institute founded by the composer and orchestral director Pierre Boulez.

He developed an intense career as a classical guitarist that took him to the Salle Gaveau and the Salle Richelieu in Paris, to the Philarmonic Hall in Moscow, the Capella in St Petersburg, and other venues in Germany, Switzerland, Spain, among other European countries.  He also performed in South America, including Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia, and in East Asia.He has also given many masterclasses on Latin American music in various music schools in France.