Harmony Beyond Sight: BMF Youth Orchestra

Harmony Beyond Sight, presented by the BMF Youth Orchestra (BMFYO), celebrates the power of music to connect people beyond physical limitations. The orchestra, launched by the Bella Music Foundation in 2025, has been invited by UNESCO as part of the official celebration marking the 20th Anniversary of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

This inclusive training orchestra brings together visually impaired and sighted young musicians in a collaborative environment. Rooted in the belief that music can build bridges across differences, the BMFYO provides a platform where artistic excellence, leadership, and mutual understanding flourish. Through shared rehearsals and collective performance experiences, the ensemble promotes meaningful cultural exchange and deepens global awareness of visual impairment and accessibility in the arts.

In preparation for this work, all sighted students completed the BMF Stage Assistance Certificate Program – Supporting Blind Musicians, an online training course developed by the Bella Music Foundation in collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind in 2025. Also invited by UNESCO as part of the 20th Anniversary celebration, this certificate program equips volunteers with the essential skills needed to safely and respectfully assist blind and visually impaired musicians in performance environments.

This special program features internationally acclaimed guest artist Jazz Pianist Matthew Whitaker, as well as distinguished blind performers:
Haowen Deng, piano
Yerko Difonis, piano
Julia LaGrand, violin
Iolanta Mamatkazin, mezzo-soprano

The BMF Youth Orchestra will be led by:
Helen Cha-Pyo, BMF Artistic Director & Principal Conductor
Khullip Jeung, BMFYO Artistic Director & Conductor
Jisun Kang, BMFYO Music Director
Miyun Chung, BMFYO Head Faculty