Our co-founder and Executive Director Nikoletta Polydorou, at the Cyscene Podcast. Thank you Louvana Records

The Lullaby Project  was presented for the first time to the public of Cyprus through an online concert dedicated to the greatest love on June 16th, 2021, at 7pm as a YouTube premiere. This is a partnership between the socio-musical program of Sistema Cyprus and New York’s Carnegie Hall.

Through Sistema Cyprus’ YouTube channel, and under the direction of Santiago Ossa Alzate we all have the opportunity to enjoy original lullabies composed by new parents for their babies in collaboration with professional musicians.

Since 2020, Sistema Cyprus has been one of the international partners of the Lullaby Project, a program of the Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute (WMI), through which pregnant women and young parents work alongside professional musicians to compose personal lullabies for their babies. Participants can express their feelings, hopes and dreams, looking to the future with their child. The Lullaby Project supports maternal health, aids child development, and strengthens the bond between parent and child.

This is the first time the Lullaby Project has partnered with a Cypriot organization and, in its Cypriot version, embraces parents who are active in Sistema Cyprus, as well as parents who have recently arrived in Cyprus, including Caritas Cyprus beneficiaries.

In this first version of the Lullaby Project in Cyprus compositions of 3 composers will be presented; George Christofis in collaboration with Louise, Andreas Michalopoulos in collaboration with Dioh, and Georgia Christoforou in collaboration with Aurelie, but also those of 3 music students, Annita Konstantinou and Marios Kolonia (University of Nicosia) in collaboration with Sophie; and Mostafa Ismail (European University of Cyprus) in collaboration with Youssef.

Narration / dramaturgy by actress Christina Constantinou.

In New York, the Lullaby Project has embraced mothers in hospitals, homeless shelters, shelters, schools, and prisons. The first Lullaby Project took place at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, New York, in December 2011. Since then, it has expanded to many parts of the United States and to various countries around the world.

Through the Lullaby Project, lullabies have been written in more than twenty different languages ​​and in a variety of musical genres, reflecting the different backgrounds of the participating families. More than 1,600 families have written unique lullabies for their children, many of which are available for listening and sharing at www.carnegiehall.org/lullabies.

Enjoy!

Sistema Cyprus is pleased to announce that they have graduated from the GlobalGiving Accelerator program, gaining entry into the GlobalGiving marketplace and becoming a recognized partner of GlobalGiving. As part of the Accelerator, Sistema Cyprus successfully raised $5,008 from 84 unique individual donors to support their project, “Help 200 children change their lives through music.”

“We’re thrilled to have Sistema Cyprus as part of our community. Sistema Cyprus has met our rigorous vetting standards for trust and community support, and we’re committed to providing tools, training, and support as they learn, grow and become more effective,” said Alix Guerrier, CEO of GlobalGiving. “GlobalGiving donors value the opportunity to support nonprofits like Sistema Cyprus, knowing that they’ll get regular updates about how their donations are put to work.”

“Sistema Cyprus is a social-music orchestra and choir program established in 2018, offering free music education to the children and young people of the small island of Cyprus, including migrants, refugees and children and young people with fewer opportunities. Sistema Cyprus ensures these groups are respected, recognized and included in society, focusing on the personal development of its participants focusing primarily on empowerment and helping them reach their full potential through music.”, said Myria Kkali, project leader at Sistema Cyprus.

“Visit our project, ‘Help 200 children change their lives through music’ to learn how even $11 can make a difference: http://goto.gg/51703“.

In November 2020, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II joined a video call with three winners of the Commonwealth Points of Light award, to celebrate their achievements and the importance of volunteers across the Commonwealth. The call included The Queen’s first ever virtual musical performance and virtual tour.

The Queen awards one volunteer from across the Commonwealth each week with a Commonwealth Points of Light award, in recognition of the difference they have made while volunteering in their local community. During the call Her Majesty thanked the volunteers, praising their work.

Her Majesty The Queen said: “Thank you all for taking part in this programme. I’m delighted to have heard your stories and I think it’s wonderful work that you’re all doing, and volunteering so much. Thank you very much.”

During the call, Her Majesty, Head of the Commonwealth, was introduced to three award winners from Trinidad and Tobago, Mozambique and Cyprus, who spoke of the impact of their initiatives in their local communities and beyond. During The Queen’s first ever virtual musical performance, 45 children performed a piece of music in celebration of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh’s recent 73rd Wedding Anniversary.

The Sistema Cyprus Symphony Orchestra performed a never before heard piece – Modus Cyprius – due to be premiered to the public next week (composed by Cypriot composer Andreas Michalopoulos). 

Nikoletta Polydorou, a music teacher from Cyprus who received her award in August 2020, founded ‘Sistema Cyprus’ in 2018. The initiative transforms the lives of children and young people from challenged communities by providing free music education and instruments, and runs its own children’s orchestra and choir. The initiative also collaborates with three Cypriot Universities to provide academic scholarship opportunities, and now has their first student studying music at University.

We are proud to announce the signing of an Interinstitutional Agreement of Cooperation between Sistema Cyprus and El Sistema. José Antonio Abreu founded El Sistema in 1975 to help Venezuelan kids learn to play musical instruments and be part of an orchestra. Because of his vision, programmes have been established around the world, following the principles of El Sistema, engaging millions of children. 

As Sistema Cyprus, we are so honoured to be given the opportunity to learn from the organisation which has brought about a global social music revolution.  This collaboration will include actions such as an exchange programme between artistic directors and teaching artists, academic training, workshops and masterclasses. 

During an online meeting, the agreement was signed by Nikoletta Polydorou, Executive Director of Sistema Cyprus, Eduardo Méndez, Executive Director of El Sistema and Eduardo Martuet, Artistic Director of MISO. 

Learn more about the values of El Sistema in this Ted Price Talk, by Maestro Abreu himself:

LEARN MORE

On Friday the 21st of August, 2020, the Executive Director and co-founder of Sistema Cyprus, our very own Nikoletta Polydorou was honoured by Her Majesty Queen of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II. 

Her Majesty the Queen, as head of the Commonwealth, has recognized Nikoletta, representing Cyprus, as the 153rd Commonwealth Points of Light recipient in honour of her exceptional voluntary service supporting marginalized children and young people through music education and the work of Sistema Cyprus. 

Thank you to the UK in Cyprus – British High Commission Nicosia for hosting us today for a day we will never forget! So proud!

Photo credits: Leda Ayiomamiti

Read more about the award here: https://www.pointsoflight.gov.uk/sistema-cyprus/