23/08/2024
“Every Saturday, at a church in Gothenburg, Sweden, hundreds of people of all ages and backgrounds gather. There are more than 20 languages spoken among them, and they come not to worship, but to play music.
It’s an ensemble known as the .se – the vision of , an accomplished violinist, conductor, and teacher. Since 2016, his free program has given hundreds of refugees, immigrants, vulnerable young people, and native Swedes the chance to learn an instrument, connect with others, and enrich their lives.
Alvarez studied conducting at university and later worked for El Sistema. It was this work that led him to first visit Sweden in 2015.
Alvarez was in Stockholm just as unprecedented numbers of refugees were arriving in the country, most from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He was stunned by the crowds he saw in the city’s central train station.
He knew he could help. The following year, he was hired by El Sistema Sweden and moved to Gothenburg where in his free time he offered a music group for refugees. He started with 13 students. He knew playing music together would help them make friends, express themselves, and rebuild their self-esteem. He named the group the Dream Orchestra to emphasize their potential.
Eight years later, the program has more than 300 members, from 3 to 56 years old, of more than 25 nationalities, Alvarez said. While many are immigrants and refugees, the group also includes many second-generation immigrants as well as native Swedes, including some who are nonbinary or trans. Connecting people of different backgrounds is central to Alvarez’s mission.
For many members, Dream Orchestra truly is a family and home where they can learn, grow, connect, and find comfort.
“This orchestra offers more than just notes. This orchestra offers something for your soul,” he said. “Music connects us. Dream Orchestra, it’s a dream, but it’s a dream (that’s) come true.”
