The LeBAM activities are conducted in cooperation with a wide network of Lebanese and international public and private partner organizations and individuals.
The following are the most important partnerships and collaborations:
The Lebanese National Higher Music Conservatoire: a longstanding privileged teaching and cooperation relationship since LeBAM’s incorporation, mainly including the following: (i) use of Conservatoire quality teachers and conductors; (ii) training of teachers and conductors by LeBAM on best pedagogy; (iii) registration fee waivers for the LeBAM students; (iv) temporary rental of a number of valuable instruments (e.g. Tympani, Xylophone, Marimba) and accessories (e.g. music stands) used in the context of the 2013 ISBC, teaching, rehearsals and concerts; (v) collaboration in the establishment of a student symphony orchestra including a donation of strings instruments from LeBAM to the Conservatoire. A Memorandum of Understanding is currently in discussion to capture the various areas of collaboration.
Other Lebanese music Schools: LeBAM has started a very fruitful relationship with Notre Dame University music school (NDU) at Zouk Mosbeh in 2013 for the organization of the ISBC and a music teachers training workshop. It is expected that this relationship will grow and develop in the future. Collaborations with other universities and music schools are open.
Dr. Eugene Allan (Gene) Aitken and Jazz Education Abroad (501c3 US based nonprofit organization), currently acting as LeBAM’s Permanent Senior Music Consultant and Senior Visiting Conductor; also Director of the ISBC. A long term music senior expert and pedagogue in the US (check the resume at www.geneaitken.com), the involvement of Dr. Aitken has been very important for the development of LeBAM in many areas: ISBC, library and instruments donations, pedagogy and organizational development.
Schools: each LeBAM center is housed freely at a school which allows it to use its premises: i.e. the Al Kafaat University (AKU) in Fanar for the Beit Mery branch, the nuns’ school in Baskinta for the Baskinta branch, the Sagesse High school in Jdeideh for the Jdeideh branch and the National College in Baakline, for the Baakline branch.
Municipalities: many help local LeBAM Branches in different ways, including in providing donations and other in-kind facilities. It is noteworthy that the City of Geneva has assisted LeBAM from 2008 to 2011 with a yearly budget that allowed for the purchase of needed instruments.
Other bands and their respective conductors: (e.g. American Community School band, the Army band). LeBAM has invited musicians and conductors of other bands to its ISBC and training workshop.
The Faiha Choir: the Tripoli based polyphonic a-capella choir and its conductor Maestro Barkev Taslakian have been a musical partner in one of the LeBAM concerts and will be a privileged partner for the launch and operations of the new Tripoli branch. Partnerships with other choirs are possible in future events and concerts, involving choir or vocal participation with a band accompaniment.
Organizations promoting culture and music: particularly the Lebanese association “Les Jeunesses Musicales du Liban” and the “Lebanese Kodaly Association”.
Foreign music schools and similar band associations or community bands: these cooperation relationships allow for the exchange of experience, students, music professors and conductors (e.g. summer music training camps, special training seminars). Such cooperation has already started with a summer program in 2009 organized by the Youth Excellence on Stage (YES) Lebanon, with Dr. Gene Aitken, with the El Systema organization in Venezuela, Les Cadets and l’Ondine of Geneva Switzerland.
Foreign In-kind donor organizations: the University of Northern Colorado School of Music Library and Alfred Music Publishing have been the largest donors of books and other teaching and performing materials of the LeBAM Music Library. Others have made in-kind donations of instruments, both individuals and organizations, such as the Taipei American School in Taiwan and the American Community School in Beirut Lebanon.
The Ministry of Education and the Lebanese Center for Educational Research and Development (CERD): This collaboration will hopefully provide the LeBAM projects with its critical expansion dimension to music pedagogy development and school teaching of music.
LeBAM is a member of the Anna Lindht Foundation Network of Lebanese Cultural Associations. It is also member if the “World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles” (WASBE).
