Music Camp International Sets record for Ukrainian Book of Records in Artek, Ukraine

A choir of more than 800 orphans and disadvantaged children sang the great classicsal music of Hadyn along with national music and spirituals after only one week of training.

The theme of our concert supports MCI's conviction that children who sing together will not take up arms to fight each other.

Scotts Valley, CA (PRWEB) May 28, 2008 -- A children's choir of more than 800 non-auditioned children, accompanied by the Simferopol Orchestra of Chamber Musical Theater, presented a concert, "Children for Peace", at Artek, International Children's Center on May 8. Never before has such a large choir of non-auditioned children, singing in four languages after only one week of instruction, accompanied by a professional orchestra, performed such a concert.

The concert was the culmination of a week long Music Camp, conducted by Music Camp International, a non-profit children's charity that takes the healing gift of music to children in Ukraine and Romania.

The choir of 800 children, ages 10-14, gave a first-ever opportunity to orphans and disadvantaged children to sing in a great concert. The repertoire consisted of classical music, Ukrainian patriotic songs, folk songs, and songs for peace. The children sang in Ukrainian, Russian, Latin, and English. The concert was conducted by Connie Fortunato, founder and president of Music Camp International.

Music Camp International bases its work on the strong belief that all children have music inside, and when nurtured in a positive and caring environment, they can achieve a level of success that brings dignity and hope regardless of economic or social situation. MCI believes that when a child discovers "the music inside" they will find self esteem and a joy that lasts a lifetime.

Connie said, "The theme of our concert supports MCI's conviction that children who sing together will not take up arms to fight each other."
Music Camp International has conducted week-long Music Camps throughout Romania (Bucharest, Cluj, Brasov, Sibiu, and Bistrita) and Ukraine (Kiev, Artek, and Cherkassy). Every camp involves children who have never sung or touched an instrument alongside those from musical schools who have had extensive musical experiences. Each camp involves orphans and children from the social welfare system and situations of extreme poverty and hardship.

An audience from all sectors--families, friends, educators, social workers, dignitaries, and professional musicians--sat in stunned silence as children, previously thought to be "not musically talented" sang the great classics of Hadyn, Mozart, Handel, Saint-Saens, and others, as well as songs of national origin, and spirituals--an international favorite.

In June 2008, Music Camp International will collaborate with Priyyateli Ditey (Help the Children) in conducting a Music Camp for 1,100 orphans at Molodoya Gvardia, a children's camp facility close to Odessa, Ukraine. The concert, which is being sponsored by the Ukrainian government, will be held at the Opera Theater in Odessa--one of the most beautiful opera theaters in the world! The Odessa Opera Theater Orchestra will accompany the performance.

The international teaching staff of MCI volunteers comes from Burlington, North Carolina; Santa Cruz, California; Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Oradea and Cluj, Romania; and Kiev, Ukraine.

For further information on the projects of Music Camp International or to learn how you can become involved, visit the website at www.musiccampinternational.org Music Camp International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit children's charity, registered in the United States, Romania, and Ukraine.

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