MUSIC'us, awarded in Cecabank's 'You Choose' solidarity program for its choir of women at risk of social exclusion Con Voz Propia

The classical music management company MUSIC'us (www.musicus.es) was awarded yesterday, Monday, September 18, at the 'You Choose' awards ceremony of the financial entity Cecabank for the cultural and solidarity work of its recently created choir of women at risk of social exclusion Con Voz Propia.

This choir, open to all women, is part of MUSIC'us Studio Coral, the academic division of the company, and is designed as a musical voice that transforms lives through art and culture. For this reason, the weekly rehearsals of this choir are divided into two parts: on the one hand, the usual musical rehearsal, led by its director, Blanca Anabitarte, who places special emphasis on the selection of repertoire created by and for women, and on the other, the great novelty of the project: a group coaching session that follows the musical part and is in the hands of coach Rosa Mª Alfonso.

The combination of both sections promotes social integration through the musical arts, promotes the language of music as a tool of unity between people, eliminating social prejudices and fears, creates a community of trust around the choir that serves as an 'oasis' and safety net for its members, promoting female empowerment. In this way, self-confidence is restored to these women, increasing their self-esteem and establishing ties of friendship and help between them, overcoming problems such as loneliness or misunderstanding.

Therefore, it is a place of creation and listening, a group of artistic learning and meeting. “If Virginia Wolf demanded a room of her own, we demand a loud and firm voice for women victims of gender violence,” explains María Sendino, manager of MUSIC'us. “Far from being a stigma, the personal situation of these women will be their best tool to face the world singing together,” she concludes.

Group singing as social therapy has been implemented exponentially in recent decades throughout the world, especially in the Anglo-Saxon world, but in Madrid it is still a novelty. Half artistic groups, half therapeutic groups, these choirs meet weekly to rehearse and reconnect with life and themselves. That is, “an innovative musical social network is created that turns choral singing into a healing catharsis,” explains Sendino.

In the words of José María Álvarez, artistic director of MUSIC'us: “Since we founded our company we believed in the ethical duty to contribute something to the community in the best way we know how: singing, so that our singing and our teaching of it would serve to transform lives. In this case, to support and help women who are or have been victims of gender violence, whether physical, psychological, emotional or economic.”

The ceremony, which took place in the assembly hall of Cecabank's headquarters, welcomed all the finalists for these awards along with their godfathers and godmothers, employees of the institution itself. This is the ninth edition of this initiative, which this year has distributed €100,000 in prizes among the three categories that were contested: social, cultural and environmental. In total, this year 29 projects have been presented, of which 15 have been awarded.