Documenting 21C will go to Madagascar to make a documentary about the « Malagasy Gospel Choir », a choir that allows 200 youth living in extreme poverty to receive health care, an education, as well as the joy to live through music and singing.

We plan to offer them a documentary film to help them to communicate and develop their action.

The global project costs 20,000 €*; we are already funded for 16,000 €*

There is still the sum of 4,000 €* to finance.

By giving your help to this project :

- You help that choir to communicate better and to develop their action

- You help to valorize a different look upon artistic practice

- You help to transform our society towards a more peaceful world…

*Indicative amount - see the detailed numbers in the budget below.

What is the « Malagasy Gospel Choir »?

The young choral singers of the Malagasy Gospel all come from disadvantaged districts of Tuléar (the south-west of Madagascar).

In a country considered as one of the poorest of the world, the youth from the Great Island have a high drop-out rate, and are thus highly exposed to forced work and prostitution.

In 2007, Eau de Coco and its local partner, Bel Avenir, decided to start, as an annex to their schooling program, a small singing activity. The goal was to keep the girls far from the street and its danger, offering them to share a creative and fun moment.

This was originally planned to be just a small extra-curricular activity but it gave birth to an engaged and hope-filled show.

Rehearsal after rehearsal, the instructors of that activity pointed out exceptional talents.

With no experience other than traditional songs or pop hits, about 20 girls and 2 blind boys have revealed their natural gifts for gospel and the stage!

Motivated by the enthusiasm of these young people and their families, the association decided to create a choir and a show based on their common experiences.

The « Malagasy Gospel » was born.

After a year of rehearsal and great stage work, the troop made its first tour in Spain in 2008.

The annual tours give the young singers the chance to become ambassadors of the international cause of Children’s rights.

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The documentary pitch :

Documenting 21C’s editorial committee chose to plunge into the international news stage with regards to the following issue:

« How can accessible musical practice help with the reconstruction and development of young victims of extreme poverty?”

The purpose of our documentary film is to completely immerse into the daily life context of those children from the Malagasy Gospel Choir and to observe how, in that disadvantaged area, musical practice can help their intellectual, psycho-emotional, relational, corporal and artistic development.

Those children, and the adults who accompany them, tour Europe regularly. Our documentary will also put into light the phenomenal impact those young singers make on others with regards to the question of children’s rights and the fundamental issues of musical practice made accessible to youth in a situation of extreme poverty.

In September 2015, our team will go to Madagascar to benevolently make that documentary.

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Arsène Kapikian - Emmanuel Fontana

What are Documenting 21C defended values ?

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Earlier in this document, the teaser presents our project shortly and with a humoristic point of view. Allow us to now specify the deep values defended by Documenting 21C.

In the Western context, artistic practice is often considered as a pastime, a performance, consummation, etc… Cultural organisms and sponsors often direct their money along elitist criteria.

All the members of the Documenting 21C team share the conviction that access to artistic practice as a fundamental human right of expression is an essential tool to transforming society.

Through abondant travel, we have all been participating in or organizing numerous artistic or educative projects and thus realised that throughout the world, many people are carrying extraordinary artistic or educative projects trying to rebuild spaces of expression where they have disappeared; projects which bring a more lateral, participative and collaborative vision.

Those exemplary projects (in conflict areas, extreme poverty, privation of liberty, hospitals, etc...) participate in giving back joy, hope, lost dignity and sometimes even contribute to saving lives. Unfortunately these initiatives are often unknown or not well-valued and their carriers have only limited ressources and not enough knowledge to communicate their action.

Filled with these convictions and strengthened by these acknowedgments, we created Documenting 21C to illuminate these types of projects and to help those who carry them, and to inspire 21st Century actors to get their action into that line : artists, musicians, social actors, politicians...

How does Documenting 21C act ?

Through its international network, which is still developing, Documenting 21C is on the outlook: they locate and select exemplary projects. Then they go on site to meet, film and give speech to the actors and to the beneficiaries of those initiatives.

What does Documenting 21C offer?

Documenting 21C offers to artists, NGOs, social/educative world actors the possibility to produce inexpensive documentaries through a lateralized, participatory and cooperative economic model.

Documenting 21C also offers to provide its international network to help project carriers to make new contacts.

In the past few years, our team has already gathered numerous testimonies throughout the world. You can appreciate a bit of this work on a trailer that gives a look at the different aspects of our editorial line.

By helping Documenting 21C you participate in enhancing that outlook on the world, you participate in transforming our society into a more pacified world.

They have got their support

Pr. André de Quadros

Boston University - USA

André de Quadros, conductor, ethnomusicologist, music educator, writer, and human rights activist has conducted and undertaken research in over forty countries around the globe.

Professor of Music, Music Education Department, College of Fine Arts; Affiliate faculty: African Studies Center; Center for the Study of Asia; Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and Civilizations; and Prison Education at Boston University.

Professor de Quadros also holds affiliate faculty positions in the African Studies Center, Center for the Study of Asia, Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and Civilizations, and the Prison Education Program at Boston University.

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Lone Larsen

Voces Nordicae - Sweden

“I support Documenting 21C because it’s important to spread the word about how music and its uses make many good things with social projects to build a better world”

Lone Larsen, one of Sweden’s most distinguished conductors, is an innovative choral leader with a strong musical integrity. As a teacher of conducting she is a role model for young conductors and singers.

In 1999, Lone Larsen founded the vocal ensemble Voces Nordicae, a prize winning vocal ensemble from Stockholm.

In Norway, Lone Larsen is the artistic director of the ensemble Vokal Nord which has a focus on music influenced by joik/sami music and baroque music.

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Emily Howe

Boston University - USA

"I applaud Documenting 21c for drawing attention to some of the most innovative and exciting projects in the global musical community. What a wonderful way to facilitate the exchange of ideas and to celebrate the joy of music-making!"

Emily Howe is a conductor, music educator and accompanist. A faculty member at Boston University’s Prison Education Program, Howe’s work co-designing a music curriculum at the Framingham Women’s Prison earned her the distinction of Prison Arts Scholar. Howe holds a degree in choral conducting from Boston University, where she also conducts the 60-voice Choral Society and its select ensemble, the Chamber Singers.

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Dr. Jeffrey Douma

Yale University - USA

"The inspiring work of the Malagasy Gospel Choir, and the impact it is having on the lives of its young singers, is a beautiful example of the intersection between music and social justice, and of the ideals to which the 21C project aspires."

Director of the Yale Glee Club and a Professor of Choral Conducting at the Yale School of Music. He is the founding Director of the Yale Choral Artists and serves as Artistic Director of the Yale International Choral Festival.

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Donald Nally

Northwestern University - USA

"The record that Documenting 21C is creating with its beautiful and moving films is vital in capturing these artistic endeavors that cross cultures and styles and raise awareness not just about artistic practices and uses but also about the human condition emanating from those participants - the unique issues of individuals and groups that may be recognized and understood through such projects. This work is of great importance; it is inspiring for those participating for those given the opportunity to observe through this documentation."

Conductor, opera chorus master, and professor of conducting at Northwestern University, specializing in chamber choirs and new music. He currently conducts two professional chamber choirs: The Crossing in Philadelphia, and the Chicago Bach Choir, the vocal ensemble of the Chicago Bach Project.

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Pascal Hostachy

Voltaire Project - France

"Access to education, culture and language skills will probably be the essential vector to lead humanity towards a better harmony. Victor Hugo said “You find culture expensive? Try ignorance”. The Voltaire Project makes writing accessible to everyone, Documenting 21C is interested by those who make music accessible to as many people as possible. We defend the same values; that is why I enthusiastically support Documenting 21C actions and invite you to participate in this nice documentary project".

Voltaire Project co-founder, n°1 in writing for updating and certification with more than 2 million users of which 400 companies and 800 educational institutions.

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Anna Lasrdotter Persson

Manager Director EIC - Stockholm - Sweden

« Eric Ericson International Choral Centre in Stockholm is happy to support Documenting 21C and the work that they are taking on. It is important that we, who share an interest in music and social justice help and support each other. »

Un chœur qui sauve des vies ; aidez à financer ce documentaire sur la Malagasy gospel Choir - A choir that saves lives; help fund this documentary about Malagasy Gospel Choir