Archive for category: Philarmed News

Late spring, the disturbed workers gathered in the royal cell along with their queen to form a platoon for the future of the colony. It was a reality: ants and other bugs were extinguishing the drones!

The first, one of the workers, exclaimed: —Let's abandon this honeycomb, and move to a hidden place where nothing can harm us.

—Wherever we go there will always be bugs with which we will have differences and perhaps even conflicts —answered the queen bee.

The second, a drone bee proposed: —let's produce the most powerful poison in the world! Let's throw it on plants, flowers and stems, let's kill off all the ants there are, they are to blame for our extinction.

"We bees are not violent insects, we bring honey, well-being and sustenance to the entire world," the queen responded again.

Finally, another of the workers spoke, who stood out for her great wisdom: —We know that ants are our enemies, and we inhabit the same space, but we both take care of the ecosystem and are essential to pollinate, without this the crops do not grow and Without crops there is no food, neither for humans nor for animals. Our life is short, and today more than ever we must work with love to sweeten many more lives.

From the great colony, the queen bee summoned the anthill, for the first time in history they reconciled and repaired scars, and understood how important it was to live together peacefully, take more care of the environment, and work with love.

This short story is inspired by the story of the Giraldo Areiza family, made up of Dayron Giraldo, Alba Rosa Areiza and their son Mateo Cuero, who is part of the Reconciliation Choir (an initiative of the Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra, a commitment to peace in which signatories and victims of the Colombian armed conflict, join their voices to sing in harmony) from the age of twelve; a family permeated by the Colombian armed conflict and in which the parents were members of the unarmed Farc-EP militias for more than fifteen years, currently signatories of peace.

Northeast of Medellín, in the Santo Domingo Savio neighborhood, this family exchanged the bitterness of violence for a sweet venture, a beekeeping and coffee growing field. Currently, Honey and Coffee La Esperanza produces more than forty kilos of honey per year and three pounds of coffee per year, and benefits more than fifty farming families in the municipality of Anorí. “Bees teach us to live in community and work as a team to serve others,” says Dayron, who affirms that in his business there is a spirit of cooperation and there are no differences, “…we can be in the same space with different people who were part of it.” of armed groups and even victims, that is healing.”

In that tireless search to repair their lives and heal, this family found in the Reconciliation Choir a hopeful experience for their son Mateo, who is passionate about cooking, chemistry, cello and choral music. And the choir has become a commitment to give a voice to those people who historically lost the possibility of speaking out due to the armed conflict.

Pulse

Máximo has a good heart, he does not judge and when he arrives at his favorite place, the garden, he is kind to everyone. For Máximo—or Max as he is known—it is no secret that he loves to be the center of attention, he does not like to be ignored. Whether in exchange for caresses, pampering or massages, he is always behind Sandra Gómez to receive some recognition. But not everything is perfect for him, if there is something that torments him it is percussion music; Even when her owner is ready to rehearse, she always interrupts, she says, “she takes away my sheet music, knocks down my drumsticks, puts her paws on my legs, immobilizes me!” And although a couple of months ago he completely destroyed some castanets, he is deeply loved, because he has unconditionally accompanied Sandra through the good and not so good times.

Dogs like music, but the type of music makes a difference. They prefer slower rhythms, simple patterns and lower frequencies; On the contrary, fast rhythms and higher frequencies alter your canine nervous system; That's why Sandra is thinking about performing a marimba song dedicated to Max, because this instrument has a lower tonality than the other percussion instruments.

If one day he stopped loving music, walking dogs would be his perfect vocation; For now, percussion is the way he releases extreme emotions. “Personally, I feel identified with the characteristics of percussion. For example, when you interact with others and you feel impetuous because of an argument, you have to be flexible to change your mind and not lose control, because if I let myself be carried away by my impulses, everything could go wrong," and the same thing happens in the music in Carmina Burana there is a blow of glockenspiel* that accompanies the wind instruments, I must think to their rhythm; When I exert force I have to fall softer to join in harmony. That's how it happens in life itself when we interact, it's not bad to put myself in the other person's shoes," says the percussionist.

Intensity in two revolutions

For sixteen years she has been a percussionist with the Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra, but her life in music began at the age of three when her parents enrolled her in the Diego Echavarría Musical Institute and in the conservatory of the University of Antioquia, where she learned body expression and What she remembers most: “relating everyday objects to memorize the rhythmic figures of music,” she says. First it was the violin, but it was very difficult for him to read sheet music; then the piano, but he was never passionate about it, and he even practiced dancing.

First revolution. “I wanted a much more active, energetic art form!” That's how he discovered drums at the age of nine at school.

With rhythm and melody in his heart, he graduated from high school, but decided to study industrial engineering. “Without realizing it, I discovered that mathematics and music go hand in hand, both are universal and abstract languages that require learning to be able to decipher them. They both seek beauty. For example, percussion requires a metronome to indicate the correct tempo and uses numbers to divide rhythmic measures.”

Second revolution. "I needed to vent! I cut off my engineering studies because my spirit and mind were in percussion, so I ended up studying a degree in music at EAFIT University. I was happy".

Variations
Three words that define you
“Hope, encouragement and perseverance”

Which is your favorite place?
“The garden where I walk Max and my study cubicle because I find myself.”

What percentage of your life have you dedicated to music?
“A 65% of my life I have spent playing and rehearsing.”

What is the concert you remember most?
"The Turangalila Symphony by Oliver Messiaen. For me it is the most musically complex work, a miracle that happened in Medellín!”

What is the best thing about Sandra?
“Sincerity, I am direct, blunt, I get to the point!”

*The glockenspiel (from German Glocken, "bells", and Spiel, "play", "play") is an idiophone percussion instrument, which consists of a set of tuned metal plates. Also known as a bell set, metal harmonica or lyre, if it has its frame this way

Tomás claims that the spinach pies with ricotta cheese that he prepares are what Popeye the sailor eats, which gives him super strength to defeat Brutus, the villain. He also says that before preparing food it is important to organize the preparation. This technique is known as Mise en place, comes from French and means, “put in its place”; a kind of visual script in the kitchen that allows us to be effective without being overwhelmed. Also “you must weigh the flour, the salt and even the milk,” he says; add water, sugar, oil to create the preferment. All of these are necessary ingredients for the dough, that powerful mixture that serves as a base for baking the delicious pastries filled with meat and chicken with pesto, or for preparing apple cookies and even the red fruit and arequipe horns from “Consentidos Tomás”, his family business. “I am also in charge of making the awning beautiful in the front garden of my house to invite all the residents of Envigado to indulge and sweeten the lives of all the residents of Envigado, oh and also get paid!” he expresses.

Tomás Camilo Arango Pulgarín, son of Vilma Pulgarín and Mario Arango, is twenty-four years old; He was diagnosed, at the age of five, with Asperger's syndrome*. He deeply loves gastronomy, soccer, painting, aerobics and is part of UIncluye, an educational program for populations with intellectual disabilities at the University of Antioquia; and Soy Músico, a Filarmed program that creates musical experiences for people with disabilities. “Music for me means tranquility, it is my moment of recreation, it helps me be happy and enjoy life. I love the piano because it is magical, it helps me do things calmly.” He also awakens his talent and creativity when he paints, he says: “my favorite colors are terracotta, citrus green, sunflower yellow, fiery and Christmas reds, and I love sky blue. They are my favorites because they are very appropriate for painting landscapes and places in the world. I don't like gray ones, they're boring. I love colors, because that is life itself, full of color.”

Mario, his father, is sixty years old, and conveys tranquility while speaking, a state that has been a support for him and his wife who have not “thrown in the towel” as he says. “This whole process has been a daily struggle, even with the world; They have closed the doors to us in many places, we have received many refusals. And then everything must be done with love and patience, filling ourselves with courage to become titans. Many families want this type of disability to be made visible and achieve the rights they deserve,” he says, who states that in our city—even in the country—there is still lack of knowledge and there is a lack of effective public policies related to health and recreation, as well as spaces for access to university programs adapted to the adult autistic population. “And this is an even more disturbing issue because if their rights are not guaranteed, it will be much more complex to enhance their abilities to make them autonomous and useful people in work and social life. “A true dignity of the person.”

“May he be happy in what he does,” Mario expresses affectionately, while looking into his son's eyes during the interview. Tomás has had the privilege of having the support of his parents, who have taught him to navigate human situations such as commitment, conflict, risk, difficulty, deception; They also motivate him to always be active and stimulated. “Tomás is aware that we are not going to be around forever. He must learn to have control of his own life,” says the mother.

On the other hand, music therapist Deisy Gaviria from Soy Músico, says that, although it is sometimes difficult for him to handle frustration when he does not achieve an exercise, Tomás is perseverant and has musical sensitivity; In addition, he shows empathy towards his classmates, is always very willing to learn and really enjoys music. He is respectful, attentive to the needs of others and likes to start conversations taking others into account.

Tomás dreams of sweetening many more lives with his entrepreneurship. “Continue with my studies, including exploring music and painting more and more to become a better human being…my family symbolizes well-being. They help me not make mistakes and be at peace. "I thank my parents for their love and for helping me understand the world."

*People with Asperger's (which, due to the new diagnostic classification, has been called Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1), are characterized by having difficulties sustaining social interaction or communicating, according to the typical parameters of society. They tend to require inflexible routines in their daily lives and care intensely about some interests that are particular to them.

Music is felt and played 
Filarmed does workshops for people with hearing disabilities

“We are an orchestra that is designed to reach all populations, particularly those that have not traditionally had access to cultural rights” María Catalina Prieto, executive director