While the Immigrant Family Services Institute (IFSI) in Mattapan Square is best known for its workforce development classes and immigration case work, the non-profit has also offered over the last five years or so an after-school music program for kids, many of whom have only arrived recently in the Boston area.
The fruits of that program were on display last Saturday night (Dec. 20) in TechBoston Academy’s auditorium, where violins, voices, and a brass orchestra made up of students and music teachers played all the familiar sounds of Christmas as the young and the old, moms and kids, collaborated on “Silent Night,” Dvorak’s “New World Symphony,” and “Jolly Old Saint Nicolas” for a large crowd.
With a green-hued Christmas bow tie highlighted against his all-black uniform, Archi Volcy, a 13-year-old eighth grader at Roxbury Prep’s Dorchester campus, talked about how in just the last year he took up the cello and how, not satisfied with guitar lessons, he joined IFSI’s Beginner and Youth Orchestras and began to blossom as a musician.
“I want to pursue music as a hobby but being proficient and playing seriously, too, as maybe a side gig,” he said, noting that he volunteers in the IFSI Summer Camp. “I want to be able to play an instrument if I need to.”
His confidence has built to a point where he recently fulfilled his goal of playing the song ‘Love Like You’ by Stephen Universe. “I always felt like I had to play that song,” he said. “When I did play it, it felt amazing to play something I’ve known for so long. I was so proud of myself.”
With his vision, young Archi is modeling the mission statement of IFSI’s Music Department: “IFSI understands that, together, art, music, and dance stimulate the brain and body, encouraging overall health in many ways. Music also fosters social cohesion, helping our immigrant youth to better integrate within their new communities.”
Seth Daniel photos
IFSI volunteer Sherrloue Nicolas trimmed the Christmas tree photo booth in the lobby before Saturday’s concert.
Marci Nau was proud of her two musicians, who played in the IFSI Band – Marcnelli Isme and Carl Plonquet, at right.
Getting ready to play Christmas favorites on the violin together as a family were mom Natalie Francois and her children, Nathalia and Nathaniel Mean. Scores of young musicians, family members, and teachers contributed to a lively IFSI Christmas Concert in Dorchester’s TechBoston Academy auditorium on Saturday night.
Eighth grader Archi Volcy took up the cello only a year ago in the IFSI Youth Orchestra but he was prepared to play Mozart melodies and other holiday favorites.
Trumpeter Samuel Joseph played “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as a member of the IFSI Trio that kicked off the night.
Young Kimberly Francois was serious about her Christmas songs on Saturday night as she played “Up on the Housetop” with her friends Ketsia Gene and Vaschni Dery in the IFSI Beginners Orchestra. The IFSI organization showed off its growing Music Department at the Christmas concert with an expansive repertoire of songs and hymns.
Binyamin Volcy and Jamila Tejada kept their eyes on the director and the music score as they participated in a lively “Jingle Bells” arrangement for strings.
