Youth orchestras from three Buenos Aires schools in the neighborhoods of Retiro, Barracas, and Lugano, and the New York Youth Symphony Orchestra joined together in a workshop and performance on Saturday, July 4 as part of an exchange organized by the Ministry of Education, City of Buenos Aires and the Embassy. The Argentine school orchestras that participated are part of the Proyecto Orquestas Infantiles y Juveniles program organized by the Ministry of Education. This music exchange provided a unique opportunity for students from different countries to learn about each other’s cultures and to celebrate the U.S. and Argentine Independence Days (July 4 and 9, respectively) through music.

The participants gathered at Escuela 12 in Barracas in the morning and practiced together for a couple hours before a 12:30 PM concert, which they played in front of family and friends. Cultural Affairs Officer Christine Meyer spoke on behalf of the Embassy before the concert, explaining the importance of cultural exchanges through education and art.

This program concluded the New York Youth Symphony Orchestra’s week-long tour in Argentina, in which they performed twice in Buenos Aires and once in La Plata.