The foundation has a range of initiatives that aim to provide children of all ages with access to music education, musical experiences, and opportunities to perform.
MOCA collaborates with different organizations, such as schools, community centers, and synagogues, to create vocal groups, orchestras, and ensembles. Through its collaborations, MOCA has organized various concerts, workshops, and events that showcase the participants’ talent and passion for music.
MOCA is committed to keeping its musical and educational activities in the context of Jewish culture and history, with a focus on bringing people together and enhancing the meaning of its projects.
Here is a glimpse to our recent and ongoing activities
Don’t stop the music
Welcome to Don’t Stop the Music, a program committed to bringing music education to all children in the Jewish community in Amsterdam and the surrounding areas. Our mission is to provide children with access to musical education, activities, incentives, and financial support for special talents.
In collaboration with the JBO and preliminary school Rosj Pina, MOCA is proud to offer a series of music lessons and musical activities. The program is designed per semester and will spread over a period of 4-5 years starting in 2020.
With the help of the music school Concertino Muziekonderwijs and a team of professional teachers and musicians, we aim to create an engaging musical experience for all participants.
Our lessons will cover a range of topics, including instrument exploration, basic music theory, and rhythm and melody studies. Our students will have the opportunity to learn, practice, experiment, and perform with the support of experienced professionals. Join us in fostering a lifelong love of music in the next generation!
“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music.
Albert Einstein
I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”
Our mission is to provide musical education and familiarity to as many children as possible, believing that music enriches the lives of people, especially when they start as children.
Our program is not limited to musical education and experiences; we also aim to inspire children to pursue a musical path, recognize special talents, and encourage participation in musical activities. We see this project as a stepping stone to a wider program that should be implemented in more schools and involve more children and adults to connect, play, and inspire others.
Join us on this journey towards a world where music is accessible to all, and help us create a community that fosters musical creativity and talent
In Perfect Harmony
The MOCA Foundation is proud to present “In Perfect Harmony”, a project that aims to bring together the different branches of the community of all ages to work together. The goal of this project is to create different ensembles, musical groups, and orchestras within the Jewish community in Amsterdam and the surroundings and provide the children and adults with practical playing together opportunities. The program provides musical education, and musical activities and will initiate choirs, orchestras, and other small ensembles. MOCA will also provide incentives and financial support to special musical talents.
“Music is about communication, creativity and cooperation. By studying music in school, students have the opportunity to build on these skills, enrich their lives and experience the world from a new perspective.”
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton
The program aims to bring musical education and music familiarity to as many kids as possible. MOCA believes that music enriches the lives of people and what better time to start than as a kid?
The program does not only provide music education and musical experience
|ces. MOCA aims to help children choose a musical path, inspire children to take on a musical activity, and recognize special talents. MOCA sees this project as the beginning of a wider program that should involve in the future more children and adults to connect, play and inspire others.
MOCA will initiate the following projects during 2023-2024
- Choire
- Children’s orchestra
- Jazz orchestra
- Pop & Rock group
- Chamber music ensemble
“Music enhances the education of our children by helping them to make connections and broadening the depth with which they think and feel. If we are to hope for a society of culturally literate people, music must be a vital part of our children’s education.”
Yo-Yo Ma
Ongoing activities:
MOCA JAZZ ORCHESTRA
The MOCA jazz orchestra project is a community-driven initiative that aims to connect amateur musicians from the Jewish/Israeli community in the Amsterdam area through the power of music. The project, established by the MOCA foundation, has been running successfully for over a year and has brought together 16 band members from various age groups and backgrounds.
The project provides a platform for musicians to come together every Monday evening for rehearsals that run for an hour to two hours. The orchestra’s versatile repertoire comprises legendary compositions from celebrated jazz composers like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, George Gershwin, Benny Goodman, Billy Strayhorn, Stan Gates, and others.
Through our project, we strive to create social and artistic opportunities for our members, their families, and the wider community. We aim to showcase our talent to the Jewish community and collaborate with other organizations to spread the love for jazz and big band music across the community.
The MOCA jazz orchestra project is led by two professional jazz musicians, Roi Shabbat and Yaniv Nachum, who bring years of experience as musicians, composers, arrangers, and project managers to the table. In addition, we also receive support from music teachers and jazz musicians from the community.
We are excited to continue our efforts to bring people together through the power of music and create a more harmonious community.
MOCA ROCKS!!!
We are excited to share that the MOCA Foundation has also established a rock band as part of its community outreach program. Led by renowned musician Yiftach Shachaf, the band hosts weekly rehearsals on Wednesday evenings, playing versatile rock repertoire, including Israeli rock. The band has seven members playing guitar, bass, drums, keys, and vocals.
The rock band seeks to connect members of the community through other musical genres, just like the MOCA jazz orchestra. The group aims to bring art and create social and artistic opportunities for its members and the community at large.
Together with the MOCA jazz orchestra, the rock band contributes to the foundation’s mission of connecting amateur musicians from the Jewish/Israeli community in the Amsterdam area through music, ensemble playing, and music education.
We believe that our community-driven initiatives have the potential to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our members and the community. Therefore, we would like to request a subsidy from your esteemed organization to help us expand our outreach efforts and provide more opportunities for our members to showcase their talents while fostering a sense of community and cultural exchange.
MOCA SINGS
MOCA SINGS is a vocal project where we bring together a variety of vocal groups, from small acapella groups to choirs and vocal ensembles, to perform for the Jewish community.
In collaboration with music school Concertino, we provide children of all ages with vocal education, teaching them to sing in harmony, developing their listening and intuitive musical skills, and even enabling them to sing in counterpoint, arrange, and write their songs.
Our project is possible due to our partnerships with different Jewish organizations such as Dutchtown, JBO, the Israeli embassy, Bne Akiwa, JCC, and more. These collaborations offer our ensembles the opportunity to sing and perform in front of various audiences.
Join us in celebrating the joy of music, and let us inspire you with the power of our voices.
MAKE MUSIC NOT WAR
When the war in Ukraine broke out, many civilians were forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in different countries around the world, including the Netherlands. Among those refugees were many children who had experienced unimaginable hardships.
The MOCA foundation recognized the need for support and initiated a series of activities to help these children and their families. Our efforts began with concerts held at refugee centers and continued with drums, percussion, and vocal workshops for children and their families.
In collaboration with the Keizersgrachtkerk, MOCA organized a series of music lessons for children of all ages and levels, teaching them to play various instruments, followed by concerts to showcase their newfound skills.
We remain committed to supporting Ukrainian refugees and facilitating the sponsorship of Ukrainian music students. Join us in making a positive impact in the lives of these individuals and their families.
CONCERTS AT THE KGK
After MOCA’s successful collaboration with the Keizersgrachtkerk in Amsterdam to benefit Ukrainian children, we extended this partnership to provide a venue for our audience, project participants, and supporters to showcase their work.
With the help of the Keizersgrachtkerk, MOCA organized a series of concerts featuring our ensembles, orchestras, choirs, and other special projects. These concerts showcased the participants’ talent and passion for music while bringing together families and friends to enjoy the music, culture, and musical activities.
At MOCA, we believe that music connects people, and that is at the heart of all our efforts. Join us in creating more opportunities to showcase the power of music to bring people together.
IN THEIR MEMORY
For several years, MOCA has partnered with the Embassy of Israel and Yad Vashem organization to provide music for their memorial ceremonies that honor the Jews who lost their lives during the Holocaust.
These concerts hold great significance for the families of the victims and the community at large. MOCA’s involvement in these performances extends beyond just providing music. They also engage children and youth in learning about the historical and cultural significance of the music they play and the impact it has on their contribution to the world.
By providing this opportunity, MOCA aims to inspire future generations to appreciate the importance of music and its ability to connect people across time and place.
JEWISH HERITAGE CONCERTS
MOCA is committed to keeping its musical and educational activities rooted in Jewish culture. That’s why we are constantly involved in a wide range of activities with Jewish and Israeli communities. Our ensembles, orchestras, and individual performers participate in numerous events throughout the year, including Chanukah at the Gelderlandplein, Purim at Beth Shalom, Rosj ha Shana in Sinai, Independence Day with Dutchtown magazine, Jerusalem Day with the JBO, Holocaust Memorial Day with the Israeli Embassy, Bne Akiwa activities, Tsofiem activities, Zikaron ba Salon concerts, Shabbat concerts, Jewish holiday concerts with Chabad, and many more.
These collaborations help MOCA extend the reach of its projects and bring people together. Performances play a crucial role in all of our projects, not only to showcase the work we have done but also to give our participants something to work towards.
PROJECTS REPORT