Our year in 2018

As 2018 draws to a close, we like to reflect on the lessons we learned over the past year.

2018 saw us through a cycle of fear, hope, and change.
Fear because, during the first half of the year, the Rock School kept its doors open from month to month, with great uncertainty for the future.
Hope because we connected to new partners, formed new bands and thought up exciting new activities.
Change when we were awarded a Creative Twinning grant to implement our Music Connects project, bringing regional cooperation and sound engineering to center stage.

2018 was difficult for our home town Mitrovica, with a decline into further political instability. The fact that our bands stayed together and continued to write, record and perform their original music affirms that music does indeed connect, and makes us optimistic for the city’s next generation.

We thank all who have supported the Mitrovica Rock School over the past ten years. You have helped us offer over 1,200 youth a life-changing experience. Together, we put the “rock” back in “rock city.”

Our year in numbers:

• 107 Rock School students (45 north, 62 south), ages 11 to 26, participated in 1,778 skills lessons and band coaching sessions
• 7 mixed bands with 31 members (13 north, 18 south) held 98 rehearsals and gave 16 concerts
• 1,585 parents and friends attended mixed band concerts in Mitrovica, Pristina, Gracanica and Skopje, together
• 15 staff, 7 of whom are former students: 4 junior teachers; 3 trainees, ages 18-27; 6 senior teachers, 3 management team members (one of whom doubles as a teacher), from north and south Mitrovica
• 42 inter-ethnic workshops year-round: teachers work with inter-ethnic groups on both sides of Mitrovica.
• 11 studio days, where mixed bands recorded they songs they wrote together.
• 1 full-length album was recorded by a mixed band.

The Mitrovica Rock School thanks you for your ongoing support. Best wishes for 2019, and keep on rockin’ in the free world!