ZEYNEP PEHLİVAN

İzmir- Perhaps the way to build a better world is to focus mostly on children. Of course, the share of social responsibility projects in raising good and conscientious individuals who have no tendency to commit crime and violence is undeniable. No matter how good the projects or ideas produced for children are, they lose their meaning if they cannot be put into practice. There are people who do their best to implement the projects. One of these people is Selmin Günöz.

The name of Selmin, one of the most important opera singers of Izmir, has been mentioned with a great project recently. Selmin is the founder of the Barış Çocuk Senfoni Orkestrası (Peace Children’s Symphony Orchestra). Barış Çocuk Senfoni Orkestrası is a very special and meaningful orchestra composed of children living in economically difficult conditions in the disadvantaged neighborhoods of Izmir province such as Kadifekale, Ikiçeşmelik, and Eşrefpaşa. Selmin was inspired by the El Sistema model in Venezuela while putting forward the idea of the Barış Çocuk Senfoni Orkestrası. The main purpose of the project is to gather the children who have weak social ties with the city and have limited financial means to bring them together around music and to enable them to establish a strong tie with the society. We talk to Selmin about the project and the wonderful story of Barış Çocuk Senfoni Orkestrası, which has continued its work online due to the pandemic outbreak. 

The project receives great support in a short time

Selmin Günoz worked as a solo singer at the Izmir State Opera and Ballet for years, she played the leading role in 31 different plays during that period, and she also worked as manager of the Ankara State Opera and Ballet for a short period. She always thought to adapt the El Sistema, the model of musical education in Venezuela. While walking on the street one day in Eşrefpaşa, she saw the sign of “The Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey” and she entered the building without thinking too much. Let’s listen to her story together:

“After I retired I felt I should do something for children. I was always thinking about how I could reach out to young people and children who have no opportunities to have an art education. During that period, I was examining the “El Sistema” model in detail. Venezuela’s El Sistema program is a state-funded social and cultural program created in the 1970s to bring free classical music education to the children of Venezuela. It is very difficult to get support from the state for such a project in our country. For this reason, I tried to find support from my relatives and friends. We collected money and managed to buy 20 violins. We had to work in a region close to children’s neighborhoods so that the children would not pay for carfare. We also needed more instruments and teachers. We also had to create a successful budget. I began this journey by raising donations. At that time, I saw the sign of “The Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey” while walking on the street. They were impressed by the project and offered us a space to support the project.”

“Every child has the right to have art education”

“Unfortunately, the drug has used and sold in primary schools today. First, we looked for children living where such trends may be high. I was alone when I started the project. I walked the streets of Eşrefpaşa, Ikiçeşmelik and Kadifekale neighborhoods one by one. After finding the children, I talked to their parents and all of them approved the project. I told the children and families that that period would last long. I believe that every child has the right to have an art education. I mean we didn’t choose the children; we gave the right to have art education to children. However, we could accept only 20 children first because we had place-based problems. We could not form an orchestra because we didn’t have enough violins; it was more like a violin band. In a short time, people donated cellos and contrabass. Then we bought the brass instruments. We managed to turn it into an orchestra step by step. When donations increased, we wanted to found an association immediately. We have an official identity now called, “Barış Çocuk Orkestrası Koruma ve Geliştirme Derneği (Barış Children’s Orchestra Protection and Development Association)”. 

Musicians offer free support

Barış Çocuk Senfoni Orkestrası was supported by many worldwide known musicians. Selmin gives information about the support of musicians as follows:

“None of our musicians requested a fee for their support. After hearing the project, they wanted to support the project immediately. First, we contacted Gülsin Onay. We were very excited when she accepted to perform with us. Immediately after, we organized concerts with İdil Biret and Gürer Aykal. Concerts increased our supporters in a short time and as a result, we have more than 90 children at the orchestra.”