Polyphony Foundation

Believing in music’s power to nurture concord, Renée serves as an Artistic Advisor of the Polyphony Foundation.  Polyphony helps bridge divisions and foster a more civil society by bringing together Arab and Jewish children in Israel for the study and performance of classical music.

Polyphony believes that the activity of making, sharing and appreciating music brings Arab and Jewish children together in groundbreaking new ways. Through music, young people discover their common tastes and dreams, build a new kind of relationship, and begin to see new possibilities for themselves and their communities.

Most traditional approaches that strive to bridge this divide focus on the use of words. While words are important, Polyphony believes that the 21st century requires new and innovative approaches that will create the foundation for social and cultural transformation. As Renée has said, “Music is a language without language.” The dedicated study of classical music offers a powerful platform for community-building among Jews and Arabs in Israel, while also giving Arab children the experience of equality within Israeli society. And, as with most organized activities of young people, the interaction often extends to their parents and family members.

Polyphony seeks empower a generation of young people with the capacity to build life-long ensembles–not only onstage, but offstage in the real world. For it is they who are threading the fabric of a future society; a society that could become more hopeful, more inclusive and filled with more beautiful music for generations to come.