The Children’s Orchestra project was born as a necessity to provide global training and an opportunity for boys and girls from vulnerable local sectors to grow and blossom in Puerto Varas, Chile.  A chance for individual development on intellectual, spiritual, social and professional level, rescuing children and teenagers from an empty, disoriented and deviant youth.

COMBAS is a nonprofit, Music and Art school founded in 2018 by his Director Jean Paul Harb, where the tuition from people that can afford to pay for lessons offset the costs for children that are not able to pay and in social risk.

Scholarships for children are financed by Jean Paul,  using his own salary to pay other teachers.

The school receives no government assistance and relies solely on donations.

The Symphony Orchestra project (string and wind instruments) began with the delivery of 49 full scholarships for professional studies (including transportation and food) of vulnerable children, selected for their age range and their socioeconomic situation. The orchestra is linked to the community through interaction, cooperation and the development of core values that affect positively child’s education and family environment.

Thanks to the support of the Foundation for Children’s and Youth Orchestras (foji), COMBAS obtained string instruments for 33 boys and girls in 2019. Then, thanks to the volunteer work of 4 highly motivated multidisciplinary teachers, aimed to achieve a common goal, a group of children were selected with the commitment to be part of the project for a minimum of 3 years.

From there, a first group of 24 pupils between 6 and 14 years old was formed and began classes in January 2020, with great success and commitment. Due to the pandemic situation and for economic and technical reasons, we are continuing online classes with only 10 children.

The scholarships include: individual instrument classes 1 time per week (1 hour), music theory classes 1 hour per week, children’s choral 2 hours per week, orchestra practice 3 hours per week.