‘They send us garbage and we send back music’ - Orchestra of landfill instruments to accept award in Cremona

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Among the luthiers, dealers, vendors, players and enthusiasts that will attend the Cremona Musica International Exhibitions And Festival next week from 22 to 24 September at CremonaFiere, will be members of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura. The orchestra comprises young musicians from Paraguay who perform with instruments made from recycled materials from the landfill of Cateura, near Asunción.

The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura was born in the eponymous neighborhood of Cateura, one of the poorest communities in Asunción, capital of Paraguay. Led by music director Favio Chávez, the young artists transform everyday objects into musical instruments. Materials such as scrap metal, cans and plastic pipes are turned into violins, cellos, flutes and guitars. Their motto is ’They send us garbage and we send back music.’

The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura aims to overcome poverty through a passion of creativity and music, illustrating how music can transform lives and create a positive impact on society.

While in Cremona, the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura will receive the Cremona Musica Award in the ‘Project’ category. Two of the orchestra’s young musicians will perform at Cremona Musica with their violins and violas made from waste material: on 22 September at 1pm at the Media Lounge, at the end of the round table ’Musica Solidale’, and on 23 September at 9 pm at the Arvedi Auditorium of the Museo del Violino, as part of the Cremona Musica gala evening where the Cremona Musica Award ceremony will also take place.

’This is an event that we strongly wanted, because it bears a very important message for the community,’ explained the president of CremonaFiere Roberto Biloni. ’The project draws attention to the social conscience of responsibility, attention to the environment and sustainable choices. But above all it highlights the social and cultural role of music as a founding element of the right to education and well-being of all, adults and children. The role of trade fairs is also to show the virtues of the sector to the rest of the world. This project is an example of that.’

To support the cultural exchange, CremonaFiere has organised a visit by the representatives of the Orchestra to the Cremona School of Violin Making with the aim of creating an international partnership between Cremona and Paraguay.

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