On The Battlefront: One Girl’s Fight For Her Orchestra

With the seemingly constant news coverage dominating our television screens about the war in Iraq, it is easy to be moved by the tragic deaths of civilians and soldiers but forget about the people still striving to live their lives in this war-torn country. That is why I was moved to hear about 17 year old Zuhal Sultan’s efforts to establish Iraq’s first National Youth Orchestra.

Throughout the years of conflict, Zuhal managed to maintain her study of the piano through receiving sporadic on-line tutorials from Japanese pianist Reiko Aizawa. She is now appealing to the on-line music community to help with her campaign.

Zuhal’s efforts have been documented on the Battlefront website, an online project from Channel Four that allows you to follow the progress of twenty young campaigners who are out to ‘save the world’. She has successfully brought together other young Iraqi musicians, with the hopes to establish an annual summer program of master classes and courses for the participants.

American and British coaches will be contributing to the course, with Scotland’s Paul MacAlindin taking the position of music director. Zuhal is now seeking more music tutors from around the world to hold tutorials on-line for the orchestra.

If you are interested in participating in Zuhal Sultan’s campaign, visit http://battlefront.co.uk/campaign/music-for-a-change/