Looking back on 2020

2020 challenged the world in ways that no one expected. And the pandemic took away some of our most powerful ways of coping: the ability to share music, and to come together.

By moving our lessons online at first, and working in hybrid forms as soon as possible, the Mitrovica Rock School found ways for young people to keep coming together. We even cooperated on a regional video with our partners, Roma Rock School and Music School Enterprise.

We would like to recognize that, while we were fortunate enough to be able to stay active, the music industry and the arts in general have suffered enormously this year. We’re grateful that we’re still around, and will continue to advocate for the importance of the arts for all of us, especially the most vulnerable.

On Saturday, December 19, at 20:30 CET, the documentary Music Connects: The Real School Of Rock will premiere online.

Music Connects in 2020:

• 357 young musicians participated in 3,379 online and in-person lessons, mixed band coaching sessions and mixed workshops (94 youth from Mitrovica, 214 from Music School Enterprise and 49 from Roma Rock School)
• 7 ethnically mixed bands (3 from Mitrovica, 4 from Skopje) rehearsed, recorded and performed their own songs, and collaborated on a regional video
• 17 Mitrovica staff, 10 of whom are (former) students, and 14 Skopje staff participated in and led online training
• 41 inter-ethnic workshops year-round: teachers work with inter-ethnic groups from both sides of Mitrovica.
• Students participated in 125 sound engineering sessions and studio days in Mitrovica and Skopje.

The Mitrovica Rock School thanks you for your ongoing support. Best wishes for 2021 – keep playing, keep listening, keep hope, and support culture!