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Road to Jericho: Communication, Culture and

Transformation
By Simon Hewitt Jones, Violinist, leader of Fifth Quadrant (British music collective - performers of
classical and contemporary music)

One day, a musician walked into a refugee camp in the West Bank,
and saw a group of children huddling in a circle.
As he approached, he realised they were drawing on the ground.
From a distance, the images looked like those of a typical child.
They were scrawled in brightly coloured chalk lumpy, crude
shapes drawn with real innocence.
Then, closer, he saw more clearly what the children were drawing: a
picture of a gun, a dead soldier in a pool of blood, a man being
taken away by the army. One image in particular stood out: a man
being shot with a gun, and a child being dragged off in another
direction.
Whose picture is this? asked the musician.
Mine, said a seven year old boy. That is my father.
The musicians interpreter took him aside. She said: His family
were killed last week. They came to his house in the night, and.
Her voice trailed off.
After spending some time with the children, talking and playing
games, the musician got out his viola and started to play some
Bach. The children listened intently, enthralled by the music.
The musician, moved by what he had experienced, felt a strong
impulse to return to the camp. Two days later, he came back to see
the children. Again, he found them drawing.
This time, however, the subject of the drawings was quite different.
They had the same chalky roughness rudimentary, unadorned

colours but now everyone pictured was happy, sitting in a circle


while a musician played in front of them.
The musician stood for a moment, gazing at the pictures. He knew
he had changed forever.
Changing the Narrative
This is a true story. One of our partner musicians had this exact
experience whilst working in a camp in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories. His gift of music replaced a negative narrative with a
positive one. The moment the narrative changed, the childrens
reality changed too.
That's why we - the musicians of Fifth Quadrant - go to Palestine
twice a year to teach and to play concerts. Because we recognise
that the arts can have an enormous positive effect on peoples
emotions and wellbeing. When someone can express themselves
through music, dance or art, they can escape the reality of their
problems for a few moments, and find joy in being alive. They can
reconnect with who they really are.
Without this sense of identity - this sense of self - it is easy to lose
any feeling of motivation. At its most extreme, its possible to ask: if
your circumstances have gradually worn away your identity, then
what do you have to live for? There are certainly some Palestinian
people who have felt this. For them, it can be truly life-changing to
be offered a positive course of action.
Indeed, many of our local partners - particularly those who had lost
their closest family members - had very little meaningful activity in
their day-to-day lives until someone turned them on to the
possibilities of art and music. Weve heard many first-hand stories
of how receiving a musical instrument brought a dramatically new
sense of meaning and purpose into someones life.
Foreigners Preconceptions
My colleague Drew Balch (a viola player) and I knew nothing of the
Middle East conflict before we visited the region for a concert tour

five years ago. Of course, we had seen plenty of stories on the TV


news about bombings and attacks but frankly, like so many
Western TV viewers, wed stopped paying attention.
So, why did our attitudes change?
When we spent time in Israel and Palestine ourselves, we saw the
whole picture from a human perspective. Not the world of
international diplomacy, or the realities of terrorism, as generally
reported in the media, but the world of mothers and children,
brothers and sisters, grandparents and grandchildren. Theyre not
interested in conflict; they just want to get on with their lives.
But the problem is that if people only ever hear about whats not
working, then they dont see what is possible. All it takes is for
enough people to believe that peace is a realistic prospect, and
anything can happen.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of the news media reports that we
receive in Europe about the Middle East conflict are focused on
violence and dissent. Inevitably, this shapes peoples opinions. An
average British TV viewer might assume that the perpetual state of
conflict is so pervasive that there is no real day-to-day life beyond
basic survival (which, for those with few resources, is of course
true). People are unaware of Palestinian culture, and therefore dont
consider what it might actually be like. Palestinian culture, in the
international consciousness, has a serious image problem.
Thankfully this is starting to change through many hundreds of
international cultural programmes. These initiatives are beginning to
showcase the positive aspects of Palestinian culture, without
referring constantly to the conflict.
Ours is one of these...
Road to Jericho: A Window into Another Culture
Much of the music outreach work that weve done in Europe, such
as workshops with young people, disabled people, and prisoners, is
about presenting a picture of what is possible. Of what people can

aspire to, dream of, and do. Practical ideas that are simple and
achievable.
After our first trip to Palestine in 2007 for a concert, we were
inspired to create similar experiences for Palestinian audiences. We
met several extraordinary local musicians who were regularly
bringing inspirational performances to people who desperately
needed relief from the struggle of day to day life in the Occupied
Territories. We resolved to help them in their mission.
In 2011, Fifth Quadrant launched an ambitious project called Road
to Jericho. Initially, we were aiming for a straightforward cultural
exchange. We would perform a concert tour in the UK and in
Palestine, featuring music from both cultures.
We also commissioned a new piece of music from a composer who
would unite elements of Eastern and Western music in one single
piece of music. We filmed and recorded the creative process of
Palestinian, British and American musicians coming together to
realise a shared mission, so that we could bring viewers (and
ourselves) closer to understanding the perspectives of both
cultures, rather than just our own.
First and foremost, this was an artistic project. We were performing
music for its own sake, not to achieve some external goal. We were
extremely careful to ensure that there was no political or religious
agenda to the project.
That said, it would be disingenuous to pretend that our
performances would have no effect beyond their artistic impact. We
didnt actively have any non-musical goals, but nonetheless we
anticipated that our project would expose both performers and
audiences to greater awareness of the political and social situation.
This would be likely to lead towards greater understanding and
greater empathy. Opinions could therefore change as a result of our
work. For us, if this happened in a positive way, it would be a bonus
to our main artistic mission.
Communication Possibilities: Challenging Preconceptions

One advantage of communicating through music is that its abstract,


so you cant get tangled up in words. This means music is one of
the few ways to gain insight into another culture without prejudice or
preconception. The meaning of words can be altered by changing
their context, but the same cannot often be said of sound waves.
When we started working together with our Palestinian colleagues,
we first had to overcome the differences in how we communicated.
This process itself gave us unique insights into the musical culture
that we were engaging with, and drew us away from any existing
preconceptions we may have had.
There was a distinct difference in musical vocabulary between East
and West. Whereas our Western European compositions derived
from a tradition of rich musical harmony (simultaneous use of
different pitches), the Arabic music relied far more on monody
(single vocal lines with complex embellishments, accompanied by
simple harmony). Moreover, a couple of our musical partners spoke
no English, and we spoke no Arabic.
So part of the challenge was to find a common ground wherever
possible (for instance a sound, or a rhythmic pattern), and use that
to navigate nearer to each others worlds. The result was a
teaching-learning experience that demanded a large degree of trust
and mutual dependency to reach a common musical vocabulary.
Finding common ground is one thing; successfully communicating it
to an audience is another. We disseminated the work in real time
through online video and film (including a Twitter-empowered
discussion, and a webcast concert relay). It was interesting to
contrast the effect of spoken word with that of musical performance.
Spoken word provided intellectual clarity and created points of
reference that made for a productive discussion. But it was the
music itself which generated the connections between people that
felt most significant.
These were connections that words alone cannot make, such as
the feeling of intuitive understanding that you get when you tap into

the groove of a new piece of music. Or the flow of energy that two
musicians, playing together for the first time, can experience when
they truly focus on listening to each other as they perform together.
These are the compelling moments of performance that speak to
any audience, regardless of their culture. A moving performance is
a moving performance even if you have no idea how it is being
created.
Empathy: Changing Preconceptions
Music and culture challenges peoples perspectives by opening
their eyes to a world they never knew existed. But it is empathy that
changes those preconceptions into a different way of seeing things.
In the UK, we worked extensively with the Aldeburgh Young
Musicians (AYMs): a group of highly talented young musicians
under the age of 18, who were selected for their potential as
performers and composers, and for their creativity. It was
fascinating to see how their responses developed, initially by getting
to know the Palestinian music on a technical level, and seeing how
the different elements of the music fitted together.
The second step was to introduce them to the Palestinian
musicians who were visiting the UK. By meeting, getting to know,
and improvising with the musicians and their music, the AYMs were
beginning to interact with the culture, and it was becoming
increasingly familiar to them.
Finally, we introduced them to their Palestinian counterparts.
Through an online video conference, suddenly the British musicians
were seeing and interacting with people of their own age, learning
the same things in the same way at a school just like theirs. This
created an empathy deeper than any theoretical study could
provide.
Once the AYMs had combined empathy with cultural understanding,
a ripple effect began. The children told their friends and families,
word spread, and by the time we were giving concerts in London
and the UK, we were being approached by members of the public

(in email and in person) saying how revealing they had found the
project, and how it had changed how they thought about Palestinian
culture.
Most of all, we noted how many people were positively motivated by
the project. I didnt realise there was such an amazing culture over
there! was one of the most frequent comments. On several
occasions, this was followed by: So, how can we help?.
Putting Creativity at the Heart of Education
Leading education experts such as Sir Ken Robinson, the British
author whose talks on creative education at TED.com have become
a worldwide phenomenon, consistently argue that creativity should
be at the forefront of education systems worldwide. The reasoning?
To prepare young people for a completely unpredictable world, the
ability to think creatively should rank alongside numeracy and
literacy as a skill of the utmost importance.
In a conflict zone, this is more important than ever.
The Arts - music, dance, drama and visual art - are key drivers of
creativity. For the youngest generation, they are among the most
important means through which key creative skills are acquired.
Learning transferable skills, for example creative problem-solving,
or interpersonal and team skills, is critically important for children
who may grow up to operate in trade or commerce, or in
governmental or NGO environments. There are few better and safer
arenas for developing such qualities than in an orchestra or small
musical group.
When you look at a region such as Gaza, this is really brought into
perspective. The extreme population growth from around 500,000 in
1980 to over 1.6 million in 2011 is shocking, but its a trend that is
set to continue. Deep creativity and empathy are qualities that
young people will need in copious quantities, even just to attempt to
find solutions to these problems.

The development of creative thinking is one of the most important


values that the arts bring to civil society, but it is one of the most
frequently overlooked.
Communication Difficulties: Nothing is Apolitical
Nothing is apolitical. We learnt this the hard way, despite our
efforts to avoid any political or religious agenda becoming attached
to the project.
One piece of media coverage - a very favourable article in a music
magazine that we considered outstandingly supportive of our work casually mentioned that one of our Palestinian partners had
performed with Israeli musicians on one occasion. To us, this was a
fact. We didnt for a moment anticipate a problem.
But in the West Bank, this fact was dangerous. We hadnt
anticipated that without full and detailed context, it could be
misinterpreted by local people as something it wasnt, putting the
reputation of our local partner at risk.
Ironically, a similar thing happened in reverse. One of our partners
asked us to take part in an event that was being staged in a
disputed area of land. We were criticised when we declined (we
chose to do so because we felt we didnt have enough information
to make a clear judgement).
But in this instance, it was the local partner who couldnt see that
the situation was, for us, very political. Regardless of whether we
agreed or disagreed with their stance, we knew that parts of our
fanbase would have found it offensive if they knew we were
performing in an area which was deemed in dispute. The partner
couldnt understand this perspective.
The underlying issue was not an ideological one, but a reputational
one. If we couldnt influence how the media would portray
something, or how people would interpret our actions, we had to
make a decision about whether our involvement would be
productive overall. Most of the time, we calculated that the risk was

worthwhile for the positive change we could potentially create. But


not always.
Ultimately, its impossible to control whether or not something is
political. Instead, it depends entirely on the perspective of other
people: how they interpret what you do.
Anyone can attempt to describe their work using language they
consider neutral. But even the smallest missing piece of knowledge,
innocently naive comment, or tiny lack of nuance can cause a
problem. If someone else decides that what has been said is
political, then it is.
Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy
We are arts practitioners, not diplomats. Our job is to affect the
senses, emotions and intellect, however we so choose. But we are
under no illusions that our work can be useful in other ways. If we
are sponsored by a nation state, our work can reflect well (or badly)
on that nation. The currency of ideas can contribute to the soft
power of a nations influence (winning hearts and minds, as it is
often described).
With Road to Jericho, we were mostly self-funded, or relying on
crowdsourced money (small donations from a large number of
people) or fees from UK concert promoters. We enjoyed the
flexibility of not being accountable to any one sponsor, or indeed
any nation (and at the time of writing we are again seeking to attract
multiple individual sponsors to support the second and third phases
of Road to Jericho). This allowed us to avoid any outside pressure
to create extra-musical activity as part of the project. We were free
to focus on the music, and on doing exactly what we thought was
right.
But enlightened sponsors recognise the importance of allowing
cultural agents the freedom to do the right thing for their art. A local
partner of ours is an American musician, based in the USA but
visiting Palestine regularly, who over several years has planned and
implemented a comprehensive personal work program, contributing
to local education initiatives in the West Bank.

He has cultivated a productive and supportive relationship with the


cultural representatives based at the local embassy. But part of the
success of their facilitation - which is both logistical and financial - is
that they know how to be supportive without being prescriptive.
They see that this one individual alone (and thousands like him)
creates reputational value worth many times his cost. But they
realise that this is a side-effect of his artistry, not his primary
purpose.
Artistic integrity cannot be reverse-engineered. It is not possible to
create cultural diplomacy initiatives with static objectives, and then
find artists to go and execute them. It doesnt work. Why? Because
a foreign artist needs time to nurture empathy and cultural
understanding in order to create compelling artistic work. Time and
space is required to create those connections, free from any
external pressures.
Intangible, but still so valuable
One of the biggest problems facing most artists is the intangible
value of their work. You cant put a value on the smile of a small
child, or on the peace of mind that two hours of music gives to a
distressed refugee.
But you can certainly measure the creation of such responses, and
empirically you can know that the aggregate effect of your work
contributes to long-term change.
However, communicating that through a fast moving media that is
focused on soundbites, facts and violent negativity is a different
matter altogether.
Sometimes we have to accept that the signal-to-noise ratio will not
be in our favour, and that our message will not be heard or correctly
understood beyond those it immediately touches.
Perhaps thats why sometimes the biggest changes of all cant be
heard until immediately before they happen. When the Berlin Wall
fell, it came as a surprise to many, because the numerous elements

that led towards the tipping point where everything changed had
not been immediately obvious through the media reports.
But look back at how the cultural energy of the time underpinned
moments of change, for example when conductor Kurt Masur
intervened in the student rallies of 1989 Leipzig. At such moments,
individuals need to be inspired to delve deep into their creativity; to
reach beyond what is familiar, and what they know to be safe.
Arts initiatives are often only a small part of a sophisticated and
complex society, but their significance in influencing the culture of
how people interact within that society is immense.
Music also provides deep emotional solace by encapsulating
historic moments in time. Mstislav Rostropovichs impromptu
performances of Bach at the Berlin Wall, and the uplifting
performance of Beethovens Ninth Symphony in Berlin a few
months later, featuring performers of many nationalities led by
conductor Leonard Bernstein, live long in the collective
consciousness. They define the character of an era.
And you dont need a big moment in history to experience the
transformative effect of music. An important instance of personal
revelation can be just as uplifting. Ill leave you with one final story an experience of my own - that demonstrates the power of music:
When I first visited Palestine, I hadnt really grasped the intensity of
the effect that a cultural event can have in a conflict zone. I had
been booked to play some concerts by a British group that was
visiting the area. For me, it was initially just a concert tour, albeit to
a slightly more adventurous destination than usual. We performed
Mozarts Requiem at the Cultural Palace in Ramallah, and although
it was a good performance, it didnt seem especially unique or
different - at least, not to me.
But after this particular concert, a man came up to me and grabbed
me tightly by the arm. He was impassioned by what he had just
heard. His words have remained with me since that day as a
reminder of how powerful a musical experience can be:

Thank you thank you for giving me the last two hours of my life
back Its the first time for months that I havent been worrying
about the wall, politics, or the dangers my family face each day. It
gives me strength to go on. I cannot thank you enough.
http://www.roadtojericho.com/

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