-
Haitian Orchestra Institute 2018
![]()
The Second Haitian Orchesta Institute
After the success of the 2017 HOI in Jacmel, it was clear we had started something that needed to continue. Due to high demand to participate in the 2018 HOI in Cap Haitien, Janet Anthony of BLUME Haiti traveled to Haiti months in advance to conduct auditions in order to select the 99 participants who would eventually represent 23 schools and music programs from throughout the country.
The host school for the 2018 HOI was the CEMUCHCA School of Music in downtown Cap Haitien. A nearby church compound housed the music students and was the site of all rehearsals and lessons. A faculty recital took place mid-week as in the previous year, and a film crew came along to document the entire week. The final concert took place on March 30, 2018 at L’eglise Evangelique D'Haiti rue 12E with Thierry Fischer conducting Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E minor, and Haitian conductor Pierre Leroy leading in Occide Jeanty’s La Délaisseé et ses soupirs.
Cap-Haitian
The second largest city in Haiti, Cap Haïtien was the original capital of the French colony of Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti).
It is filled with picturesque colonial buildings and a large cathedral.
Nearby Milot is home to Sans-Souci Palace and Citadel Laferriere, both UNESCO World Heritage sites. Cap Haitien has one of Haiti's two international airports and has a current population exceeding 400,000.
The CEMUCHCA Music School is located downtown near the Cathedral, and occupies a building space no larger than the size of a modest house. Despite its size, the Cemuchca School serves about 250 students. As with the Dessaix-Baptiste School in Jacmel, the Cemuchca School has strong leadership and a profound dedication to its students.
