Founding Institutions

Alfredo de Saint Malo Festival  -Founding Institutions

Fundación Sinfonía Concertante de Panamá.

The Symphony Concertante Foundation of Panama (FUNSINCOPA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2008 on the initiative of Dr. Isaac Casal, a Panamanian cellist, with the commitment to offer children and young people from vulnerable areas the possibility of being better students, better people and better citizens through the learning of a musical instrument and at the same time, provide the possibility for a continuous improvement of teachers and music professionals.
FUNSINCOPA is a promoter of the Alfredo De Saint Malo International Music Festival and the Children and Youth Philharmonic Network of Panama, as well as the Continuing Education and Extension Program, the Camerata Alfredo de Saint Malo and the Ensemblast Project.

National Association of Concerts (ANC)
The National Association of Concerts in Panama is a non-profit organization created in 1962 by an initiative of the Panamanian pianist Jaime Ingram.

Its objective is to promote the appreciation of classical music, through educational and cultural activities such as the Annual Season of Concerts, Youth Musical Camps, Musical Appreciation Courses and Master Classes. The ANC counts on the Banco y Fondo de Instrumentos to provide musical instruments to young musicians with limited resources and facilitates loans and scholarships to those musicians that desire to obtain a higher degree in music education.

 

National Institute of Culture (INAC)

Founding Members

Isaac Casal. President and founder of the Fundación Sinfonía Concertante de Panamá, creator and Artistic Director of the Festival.

Terence Ford. Represents the National Concert Association of Panama (Asociación Nacional de Conciertos).

Julia Ernst. Represents the Youth Orchestra of the Americas.

Reinier Rodríguez. Director of the National Institute of Culture (2007-2008).

The idea was born after numerous trips to different European and Latin-American Countries as a member of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas. We learned of the significant impact of music festivals such as the one in Curitiba, Brazil and the Sistema de Orquestas Juveniles of Venezuela. In Venezuela, thousands of young musicians from all socio-economic classes have managed to grow and develop musical careers and to enrich the socio-cultural aspect of their country.

Organization of Development
After working arduously with the YOA, Julia Ernst has generously donated her expertise and consultation for the development of the Festival.