Fundraising is one of the top priorities at MENA Music.
I must raise money to keep the project rolling. So far, I have been working as a totally unpaid volunteer. Moreover, a majority of expenses came from my pocket.
But my money is running out.
Currently, MENA Music is a NY State non-profit organization (since April 2009) and is a fiscally sponsored project of Fractured Atlas (since April 2008). So I could have received tax-deductible donations from friends of MENA Music, but donations are close to zero. You know who is your friend and who is not.
I attended the Foundation Center's fundraising seminars today. Very useful for the future.
I hope our 501(c)(3) application will be filed and approved as soon as possible. This will make it much easier to explain to potential donors how to donate to MENA Music. (Fiscal sponsorship is a little complex when it comes to donation.)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
New Office with Summer Interns
Three student interns from NYU work part time for MENA Music this summer.
Jas (music major), Tiffany (journalism major) and Cassie (business major).
Kaoru also started working for us. She has extensive experiences in the NGOs and non-profits.
We also have an Office now. It is right in front of FIT on Seventh Avenue at 27th Street. Subleased from other non-profit, it is nice to work in a real office environment.
Everything is new.
New desks, new laptops, new faces...
We are now preparing for the September tour with
Orchestra of Tetouan led by Mehdi Chaachooa!
Newsletter will go out today or tomorrow.
Jas (music major), Tiffany (journalism major) and Cassie (business major).
Kaoru also started working for us. She has extensive experiences in the NGOs and non-profits.
We also have an Office now. It is right in front of FIT on Seventh Avenue at 27th Street. Subleased from other non-profit, it is nice to work in a real office environment.
Everything is new.
New desks, new laptops, new faces...
We are now preparing for the September tour with
Orchestra of Tetouan led by Mehdi Chaachooa!
Newsletter will go out today or tomorrow.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Tangier Ensemble tour
MENA Music presented Tangier Ensemble last month in four cities - New York, Boston, DC and Atlanta. The ensemble performed lovely pieces of Arabo-Andalusian music from Morocco.
I would like to thank all of those who attended the concerts, and I am very glad to share this musical experience with those people with all different backgrounds.
In concerts, Jamal Eddine Ben Allal, direction & violin, Hicham Zubeiri, oud, and Said Benguerch, darbouka performed excerpts from Nawbat al-Rasd, Nawbat al-Hijaz al-Kabir and the favorite Fiyachia.
In their final concert in Merkin Concert Hall, New York, the famous Rabbi Haim Louk was in the audience, brought by a NJ group. At my request during the intermission, the rabbi agreed to participate in the performance in Part 2. He sang response parts and vocal improvization, which was a totally unexpected treat for all audience members.
Rabbi Haim Louk is from Essaouira (near Marrakech in the central Morocco), and went to Tetouan to study Andalusian music with Cheqara and Temsamani decades ago before he moved to LA. So Mr. Ben Allal knows the rabbi well.
I am only sorry that Mr. Ahmed al-Ghazi could not make his way to the USA this time. Mr. al-Ghazi was here last year with Zaitouni, but his visa was not granted in a timely manner this year (the consulate in Casablanca notified me a week ago that his visa is now ready).
I hope there will be another time for them to perform together in concerts.
I would like to thank all of those who attended the concerts, and I am very glad to share this musical experience with those people with all different backgrounds.
In concerts, Jamal Eddine Ben Allal, direction & violin, Hicham Zubeiri, oud, and Said Benguerch, darbouka performed excerpts from Nawbat al-Rasd, Nawbat al-Hijaz al-Kabir and the favorite Fiyachia.
In their final concert in Merkin Concert Hall, New York, the famous Rabbi Haim Louk was in the audience, brought by a NJ group. At my request during the intermission, the rabbi agreed to participate in the performance in Part 2. He sang response parts and vocal improvization, which was a totally unexpected treat for all audience members.
Rabbi Haim Louk is from Essaouira (near Marrakech in the central Morocco), and went to Tetouan to study Andalusian music with Cheqara and Temsamani decades ago before he moved to LA. So Mr. Ben Allal knows the rabbi well.
I am only sorry that Mr. Ahmed al-Ghazi could not make his way to the USA this time. Mr. al-Ghazi was here last year with Zaitouni, but his visa was not granted in a timely manner this year (the consulate in Casablanca notified me a week ago that his visa is now ready).
I hope there will be another time for them to perform together in concerts.
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