29 11 International Exchange

Program Activity: "Music in a Bubble" Virtual Tour/Retreat. October through November 2023. Program Objective: Executive Artistic Director Brendon Adams traveled to South Africa to retreat with 13 29:11 members in a secure location. The primary purpose of the retreat was to give the participants an opportunity to get to know one another, learn new music, record new music and prepare for the up-coming US Tour. Accomplishments/Outcomes: Participants learned and wrote and recorded new original music. 3 past members joined the team for the recording of "The African Drum" album, to be released in 2024. Visiting professionals from the USA , including 2 Board members, gave lessons in classical voice and sight reading as well as life line reflection and planning. During this retreat the organization hosted a community concert for the Director's 50th Birthday. The members provided live music and food for over 400 community members in Elsies River. Other activities in the retreats are recorded or live streamed on the organization's social media accounts in order to share the programs with the world. Virtual Exchanges will remain a part of the potential programs for the organization. The opportunity remains for ensemble members to engage with other artists across the globe by gathering in a retreat center to learn, rehearse, teach, and share via social media.

During the 2023 Tour in the USA the Ensemble completed a 10 day residency with Sheboygan Area Public schools in Wisconsin. During this time the ensemble did classroom engagement and share music, games, culture and history stories and conversation with 12 schools, attending 2 40 minute sessions per school with 4th and 5th grade students. A the end of the week the students and families were invited to a community concert. Students who attended the assemblies at their school were able to participate in parts of the performance. The Mayor of Sheboygan attended the event and gave the group a certificate of appreciation with the seal of the city.