The Kosovo Musical Project is an educational humanitarian project that initially began as my son’s Eagle Scout project. Because of the great need, the project has continued over the years.

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The small country of Kosovo gained its hard won independence in 2008 after a devastating war. With the existing infrastructure damaged and cultural treasures looted, the task of rebuilding is still very much a work in progress. The music schools in Kosovo were hit hard as many of the instruments and the music education materials disappeared.  Yet the hardest part, over the years, is not just the physical rebuilding, but helping to counteract the feeling that Kosovo, after the war was over and it was no longer in the headlines, has been forgotten. As much as the music organizations need the materials, the students and teachers and people of Kosovo also need hope. Hope that they are not forgotten in today’s fractured world. And what better way than through the language of music, which speaks to everyone and makes the spirit soar?

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The Kosovo Musical Project aims to try to bring instruments, music, and other educational materials back to the students of Kosovo. By receiving donations of used instruments, music, books, stands, benches/stools and other equipment, and packing them up and sending them to various schools in Kosovo, we hope to substantially increase the number of students who are able to take music lessons. There are currently over 200 students on the waiting list for lessons at one school alone—all they need is an instrument on which to play and music to read. This, in turn, enables the teachers to have enough students to be able to earn their living and contribute to the economy by being gainfully employed. 

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Through generous donations from individuals, families, piano shops, luthiers and piano restorers,  the project has sent 17 shipments to date, including 13 pianos (four grands), piano benches/stools, 6 drum kits, cellos, violins, guitars, recorders, flutes, clarinets, trumpets, trombones, ocarinas, 550 kilos of music, small percussion, metal xylophones, metronomes, electric keyboards, microphones, CDs and CD players, et al.

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Working with the Prenk Jakova High School for music, the American School of Kosova, The Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, the Pristina University  as well as the Cesk Zadeja Music School, local primary schools and the city of Ferizaj,  the Kosovo Musical Project has brought instruments to many students who would not otherwise have a chance to study and make music. We are now beginning teacher training for music classroom teachers as well as giving master classes for the students. We are also organizing training opportunities for young people interested in instrument repair, tuning and maintenance. Our first trainee begins an introductory internship in piano tuning and maintenance in September 2022. Working with Luthiers san Frontières we will begin a project in July 2023 to train 4 students in the art of stringed instrument repair and set up a workshop with tools and equipment.

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Our heartfelt thanks go out to the generous donors, and if you have an instrument or music sitting at home that isn’t being used, and you would like to see it being used, then please contact Julie. Monetary donations are gratefully accepted and will go towards the instrument repair and maintenance as well as for the newest part of our program, training new instrument repair technicians. You’ll be making  very appreciative students and teachers in Kosovo very happy and contribute to the wellbeing, stability and growth of a country in need.