Virtuosi of Houston/Conservatoire de Paris Exchange
How can a dream open doors and build bridges between countries and cultures?
The musical exchange program between Houston and Paris is the story of a dream, a dream that invited to open doors and to build bridges. The dream is the one of Zarine Boyce, president of the Virtuosi of Houston and its conductors Andrzej Grabiec and Franz Krager. Passionate about classical music and inspired by their talented students, they all dreamed this exchange between the young Virtuosi of Houston musicians and the young French musicians.
This dream has inspired many others who gathered and worked hard to allow this dream come true …
In chronological order:
– Karine Parker Lemoyne, Executive Director and Mickey Henry, President of the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts (TFAA), the staff of TFAA (Hadia Mawlawi), its Board of Directors and its volunteers, Lina Corinth and Karine Massartic who invited the young Virtuosi to discover the language of Molière.
– The Consul General of France in Houston, Sujiro Seam and his 
wife, Jane Seam who supported generously since their arrival in Houston, the Virtuosi of Houston and their project,
– The French Cultural Services in Houston, Sylvie Christophe, Lauriane Blandel and Marie Einbinder, as well as Veronique Lhemann, the French Consulate press attaché,
– Gretchen Amussen, Head of External Affairs and International Relations at the National Conservatory of Paris who generously opened the doors of the Conservatoire a Rayonnement Regional de Paris by introducing us to its outstanding and visionary director, Xavier Delette.
– Xavier Delette who in turn welcomed us with open arms at the Conservatoire a Rayonnement Regional de Paris with his great team (Marion Maugey, Rose-Helene Pousset, Laura Perrin, Manon Pontais)
– The Board of Virtuosi and its chairman, Dr. Meherwan P. Boyce,
– The staff of Virtuosi: Karen Needham, Steve Casas, Candice, who adopted the project with all the energy it takes to make it grow,
– The dynamic Virtuosi pro-bono musical exchange coordinator, Véronique Eberhard,
– The generous parents of the young Virtuosi of Houston and Paris Conservatory musicians
– The talented young Virtuosi of Houston and Paris Conservatory musicians
– The cultural services of the City of Paris,
– The French Institute
– Philip Frayne, Minister Counsellor for Public and Cultural Affairs,
Embassy of the United States, Paris, France
– And the audience and internet users who had and will have the chance to attend/listen to the Paris concert and who support this educational adventure in their own special way,
With a special mention for the sponsors and private donors including TOTAL, Monzer Hourani … who sponsored the musical exchange and all the TFAA sponsors (including Air France, Axens, GDF SUEZ Energy North America, Schlumberger, Technip,, Total) who believe in the programs and partnerships we keep developing and without whom the project would not have been possible.
A big Merci and bravo to you All!
What I have just described is a growing web and support networks that allowed the realization of a dream and the possibility of positive developments and change for these 110 young musicians, a positive change that will go beyond this week in Paris and the concert itself. Next year, the young French musicians will travel to Houston to partner with their Texan friends. Wonderful bridges have been built, it is up to us to continue to build more!