Changemakers: Jon Valender
In March 2024, 140 children performed a sold out, full-length opera alongside professional singers and instrumentalists to packed audience in Sherborne Abbey. The drive and dedication of one man is making Opera more accessible to young people.
Destination: Opera
Jon Valender’s ‘Destination: Opera’ introduced 140 students to the opera and performing industry through either being part of the choir or symphony orchestra for ‘Idomeneo.’ It was a challenging performance to do, but they wanted to show the children what they could achieve without being too overwhelming.
The opera is in Italian, so to support the children in the choir they were given a word-for-word translation, a phonetic guide to pronunciation, and a recording of the text so the children can hear it spoken.
Each member of the orchestra was mentored by a professional musician, and was shown how a professional orchestra works. Overall they had 12 hours of rehearsal time which is a very small timescale! Some of the children would be sat next to their mentor during the performance but a few students were working on their own. Some of these children are looking to make this their future career after growing in confidence while taking part in the project.
Two weeks after the performance, teachers have mentioned their students are still singing the songs they had learnt.
About Jon Valender
Jon’s love for opera began whilst growing up in Dorset. At school his Music teacher would put on a yearly choir tour. They would stop everywhere that had a church to sing songs for the local community. Jon learnt how to make music and sing in a choir, and realised music can be for anyone and it can bring communities together.
Jon Valender spent 20 years as an Opera Singer, and has now turned to producing to make opera more accessible. Jon moved back to Dorset from Berlin just after the pandemic, and returned to teaching in both private and comprehensive schools across Dorset. Jon noticed the disparity in opportunities between private and comprehensive schools, especially in the music department, and the number of students involved with choir and orchestra had decreased. Jon wanted to bridge the gaps and provide opportunities for all children to get involved with music, opera and performing.
“It has been very inspiring getting to know Jon (V) over the past couple of years. I am consistently struck by Jon’s determination to create both employment opportunities for freelance artists in Dorset and for communities across Dorset to experience music, singing and opera in particular. What is impressive is that Jon’s determination doesn’t stop at having an idea then sitting back and waiting for someone else to make things happen – he is out and about winning hearts and minds, listening carefully to what his community is telling him, raising money, creatively directing projects whilst being totally open to learning whatever new skills he needs to learn along the way. “ - Hazel Province, Chair, Arts Development Company
Future Plans
Whilst this group of children have completed their time with Destination: Opera, Jon hopes to perform another Opera with children in another part of Dorset or the UK.
Jon is planning a performance of The Trial of Lago at Shire Hall in Dorchester on the 10 and 11 October 2024, based on excerpts from Verdi’s Otello. This is funded by our Dorchester Events and Experience Funding with Dorchester Tourism Partnership.
Images by Josie Sturgess Commercial Photography.
