Polyphony aims to bridge the divide between Arab and Jewish communities in Israel through music and to serve as a worldwide model for cooperation based on cultural exchange, dialogue and partnership. Polyphony’s early days began when Nabeel Abboud-Ashkar, then a young professional violinist with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra answered the call for his community’s need for classical music. At the time, Nabeel’s hometown of Nazareth, Israel, an Arab-majority city, had no musical training opportunities and almost no afterschool development programs for young people in the arts or sports. Today, Polyphony is the fastest-growing music program in Israel and is supported by popular international musicians like David Broza, Branford Marsalis, Ian Anderson, and Renée Fleming. polyphonyfoundation.org
