Ada's Violin. Photo by Chris BennionOur Arts & Education program is touring season Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay by Susan Hood this summer after a successful tour in 2017. Adapted and directed by Book-It Director of Education Annie DiMartino, Ada’s Violin is an extraordinary true tale of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay. Ada Ríos dreams of playing the violin, but only until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrives does she fulfill her dreams.

“The world sends us garbage, we send back music.” –Favio Chavez

Ada's Violin. Photo by Chris Bennion
Director’s Notes from Annie DiMartino
The story is about the transformation from something discarded into something beautiful and meaningful. It’s magic. Our design elements and the way we bring the story to life on stage conveys the magic that lies within the pages.
During a magic show, even the most skeptical audience member experiences a moment that questions “What if?”
 
What if we could levitate?
What if we could make things disappear?
 
For the characters in Ada’s Violin, those “what if” moments start happening right away:
 
Ada's Violin. Photo by Chris BennionWhat if Favio Chavez started to teach music?
What if Abuela Mirian signed up her granddaughters to learn an instrument?
What if Senor Gomez could make instruments from recycled elements?
 
What is most inspiring about these many “what if” moments, is the fact that it opened the door to “Why not?” As soon as we have why not, we have motivation for action and from action comes change. The change is what happened in Cateura those many years ago.
To find out more about Ada’s Violin, visit our Education page. Photos by Chris Bennion.