The National Youth Symphony Orchestra “Libertador San Martín” continues working towards their tour of Japan. We spoke with Maestro Pablo Boggiano, who shared the current progress and provided details about the orchestra’s status regarding its incorporation into the National Directorate of Stable Ensembles.
By Virginia Chacon Dorr
Pablo Boggiano began in Maestro Benzecry‘s orchestra in 1998, playing the viola. Later, he became the orchestra’s archivist, assisted with logistics, and accompanied the orchestra’s evolution for over 30 years until it became a state entity. As an unwavering collaborator of the San Martín, Boggiano shared the current status of the Japan tour:
“From Vienna, I act as a pivot between Argentina and Ayako Tanaka, the key organizer in Japan. When Tanaka first worked with the orchestra in 2017, she was immensely impressed with the spirit of the young musicians and noted the challenges they faced. This inspired her to plan a tour in Japan. Then the pandemic struck, followed by the war in Ukraine, which significantly raised airfare costs. In this context, she initiated a crowdfunding campaign in Japan, committing herself to those who supported the project. We are now at the stage where 86 tickets have been purchased, and the venues reserved, with three concerts scheduled: one in Kyoto’s football stadium for children and two in Tokyo.”
Regarding the support from officials, Boggiano emphasized:
“The Secretary of Culture, Leonardo Cifelli, has been informed about this tour since December 11, and we have been collaborating on all management aspects, including with the Director of Stable Ensembles, Mariela Bolatti, a fundamental pillar for the project. Of course, coordination also involved Maestro Mario Benzecry and Undersecretary Federico Brunetti. All officials were crucial and committed to supporting the tour, which is historic as it marks the first time a National Youth Orchestra from Argentina travels to Japan, fully funded by Japan.”
What about the Stable Ensembles?
Recently, MúsicaClásicaBA published an article explaining that despite the announcement on March 30 about the National Youth Symphony Orchestra “José de San Martín” joining the National Directorate of Stable Ensembles, this situation remains uncertain. We asked Pablo Boggiano about this issue:
“I was informed that at this moment, the orchestra could not be incorporated into the Stable Ensembles. The Undersecretary of Cultural and Artistic Promotion, Federico Brunetti, verbally committed to me to work towards its incorporation. The Secretary of Culture, Leonardo Cifelli, gave his approval last month while I was working with the National Symphony Orchestra.”
Before ending the communication, Maestro Boggiano reminded us that the first public mention of this tour was in MusicaClasicaBA during an interview Maxi Luna conducted with Ayako Tanaka. He highlighted, “This initial mention was hoped to be a wish of good intention, and today (after much work) it has materialized into reality.”
