the Demos, that is a nice bet on the future launched in 2010 by the Philharmonie de Paris. The assumption is that the learning of a musical instrument and participation in an orchestra can help disadvantaged children to make progress, both academically as a human. “We wanted to act on their life course to influence the mechanisms of social reproduction,” explains Gilles Delabarre, assistant director of the education department at the Philharmonie. “Based on the principle that the greater the gap is large between what is known to the child and what he learns, the more the enrichment of its cultural capital is important, the project managers have thus chosen to initiate the young participants to classical music.

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The learning sessions last for three years, in a group of 15 children aged 8 to 12 years old who meet regularly in the orchestras of 105 members to give concerts. The participants are drawn mainly from urban districts as sensitive, labelled “city policy”, but also some rural areas. Since its birth, the project has continued to develop from six orchestras at the beginning of the adventure to 30, spread over the French territory, in 2018.

The funding of the orchestras through support of the State, local authorities, through corporate philanthropy, but also by individual donations to the instruments of music. These are the subject of a campaign each year. The last in date, Give for Demos 2018-2019 , began on 27 November and shall end on 29 January 2019. It corresponds to the fourth phase of the project, which aims at the establishment of 30 orchestras, additional, to get to 60 in 2021.

donations already many, via a prize-pool online, or by cheque

Ten euros for a desk or sticks for percussionist ; 35 euros for a tambourine or a metronome ; 1300 euros for a cello, tuba or xylophone…

donations can be made via a pool participatory online or by cheque, already have flocked in mass. “We have already surpassed the goal of 180,000 euros,” says Zoe Macêdo-Roussier, head of individual giving at the Philharmonic. “We’re going to be able to equip instruments for six orchestras, is € 30,000 per orchestra”, she says. These trainings will install early 2019 to Rostrenen (Côtes-d’armor), le Havre (Seine-Maritime), Verdun (Meuse), in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), in Corsica, and to Tulle and Brive (Corrèze).

The initial goal will be even very likely to be in excess: on the 24th of December, more than 1,000 people had already made their funding, for a total of more than 205.000 euros. “We should reach the 210.000€, which would allow us to fund a seventh-orchestra”, hope Zoe Macêdo-Roussier, who dreams that “11 or 12 orchestras” to be able to see the light of day through this call for donations. The mobilization of private patrons will may be granting his wish, although Demos has a low budget communication, with a campaign primarily conducted on the social networks.

“At the end of the three years of training, the children seem happier, more fulfilled and do better in school”

Gilles Delabarre, assistant director of the education department at the Philharmonie

On the profile type of the donor, “it is rather a wife, to the retirement or end of career, often in education, with a willingness to transmit to young people”, explains the head of individual giving. “Among the patrons are younger, there are a lot of people with busy careers and a taste for the music that they want to share,” she adds. All appreciate the opportunity to make a donation of concrete. The correspondence between the sum offered and the purchase has been completed are also displayed on the website of the campaign participatory. For 10 euros, the donor is funding a desk or sticks for percussionist ; for 35 euros, a tambourine, a metronome or a bell ; for 1300 euros, a cello, tuba or xylophone…

the Icing on the cake, all donations made until December 31st are tax deductible to 2018 at a rate of 66%. A beautiful way to join the useful to the pleasant and be involved in a project where the efficiency begins to be proven: according to the preliminary results of a study still in the course on the first groups that benefited from the Demos, “at the end of the three years of training, the children seem happier, more fulfilled and do better in school,” says Gilles Delabarre. If half of the recipients are pursuing the learning of a musical instrument, Demos seems to therefore succeed at all.