History
Youth Orchestra without Borders was declared on October 15th, 2018,
when the current president Alex Lim met with twenty two teenage North Korean refugees
that were residing at the Durihana International School and Church,
which is a charity boarding school that both rescues North Koreans and hosts youth refugees.
After getting the approval of the head of Durihana, Youth Orchestra Without Borders successfully began their sessions,
which included both instrumental rehearsals, recreational and mentorship programs, and meal services.
The following summer, YOWB conducted its first annual concert at Seoul International Art Hall.
Sessions were in place until the outbreak of Covid-19 when any gathering at Durihana had to be temporarily stalled.
During the summer 2021, the Covid-19 regulations eased, and sessions restarted.
During this restart, several of the students had other commitments such as qualification examinations for college admissions,
family interaction, etc., so eight members participated in the sessions.
Since September of 2021, twenty students are actively participating in the weekly rehearsals of YOWB.
Our faculty members since the declaration of YOWB include professional cello, viola, violin, and double bass players,
experienced high school cello, viola and violin players, and a general music teacher from a local elementary school nearby for novice players.
Our Plan
Our plan is to continue helping the members of YOWB on their journey to finding condolence from traumatic experiences through music,
and also spreading that experience to other underprivileged youth.
We will be holding large annual summer concerts as well as smaller performances every other month in various venues.
In the near future, we plan to visit Hanawon, which is a government institution
where North Korean refugees are initially required to enlist to learn the basics of settling in South Korea.
All of our members have lived at Hanawon, and so bringing them there acts as not just a symbolic circle of assimilation for themselves,
but also provides hope to those at Hanawon who may be scared of the culture shock that awaits them when they leave.
We also plan to visit other institutions that provide care for North Korean refugees, orphanages, retirement homes, and more.
Decisions on venues and dates are determined with suggestions from our board of directors and the collective will of all members of YOWB,
with a strong emphasis on bringing the plans of North Korean refugees to fruition.
Board of Directors
Alex Lim
Founder, PresidentHello, my name is Alex Lim, and I’m a senior at Deerfield Academy.
Matthew Fierro
Development DirectorHello, my name is Matthew Fierro and I’m a four-year senior at Deerfield Academy.
Lila Nottage
Head of Communications and Social MediaHi! My name is Lila Nottage and I am a senior at Deerfield Academy.
Casey Smith
Fundraising DirectorHi, my name is Casey Smith and I am a rising senior at Deerfield Academy.
Alex Judelson
TreasurerHi, I’m Alexander Judelson and I’m a senior at Deerfield Academy.
Emily Feng
Head of MusicHi! My name is Emily Feng and I am a senior at Deerfield Academy.
Hugo Nutting
Managing DirectorMy name is Hugo Nutting and I am a senior at Deerfield Academy in the United States.
Julius Reavis
Project CoordinatorMy name is Christian Reavis, and I am a rising senior at Deerfield Academy.
William Scharfenberger
TreasurerHello, my name is William Scharfenberger and I am a Junior at Deerfield Academy.
Larrabee Pollack
Advocacy DirectorHi! My name is Larrabee Pollack, and I am currently a junior at Deerfield Academy.
FAQ: 8 Q&A’s
A. YOWB provides a community that allows these students to have a better sense of belonging. Our mission is for our community to be a sanctuary for students where they can freely express themselves, feel comfortable, and open.
A. The monetary contributions go to various aspects of our operation including instrument purchases and repairs, concert venue rentals, transportation, music lessons, meals, and more. Detailed expense reports can be found on our finance page
A. The members that live outside of Korea provide virtual lessons, raise funds and awareness, manage donations, and interact with the YOWB North Korean members virtually. Except for the in-person lessons, the members partake in all aspects of YOWB. in-person lessons are also provided by recruit professional coaches.
A. In Korea, YOWB is an enlisted 501 c(3) non-profit organization, and in the US, \ YOWB is in the process of earning the non-profit status. \ Currently, the US and international donations are processed through Durihana and are transferred to YOWB Korea.
A. All of the current members will continue to participate after graduating our high school, but younger members will also be recruited to continue YOWB.
A. You can contribute by donating to our go fund me account or directly through bank transfer. The go fund me link and account information are found in the main page. We also encourage coming to the concerts when you can and spreading awareness.
A. Absolutely! We will be posting stories, responses, and videos of North Korean members of YOWB regularly on our website. Upon request, virtually meetings with the students are also possible.
A. There will be an annual performance every summer, and other small performances will happen based on less predictable opportunities. The schedule will be found on the concert page of our website.