Philippines

Jose Depiro Youth Orchestra

Comprising of disadvantaged and impoverished young people from the area of Dinalupihan in the Bataan Province of the Philippines, the orchestra was established by missionary priest Fr Joseph Cremona in 2013. He first embarked on a small music program designed to teach the children to play the guitar so that they might provide music during Eucharistic celebrations within the parish. However, this quickly expanded to a string orchestra which continues to attract children and young people from the surrounding areas of the parish. The orchestra was named after Joseph De Piro, the founder of the Missionary Society of St Paul, the congregation to which Fr Joe belongs. The programme has now proudly developed into an incredibly talented youth orchestra. The group continues to develop with the increased initiation of new students into the music program. Now a fully-fledged orchestra with over 60 musicians, some of the young people have gone on to being offered scholarships at universities in Manila.