The Music for Peace Foundation, established in 2005 in order to provide free music education to underprivileged children with limited opportunities, is extending its events to different provinces across Turkey as part of a worldwide project titled, "El Sistema." Touching the lives of 6,000 underprivileged children at its center located in the Edirnekapı neighborhood of Istanbul, Music for Peace is now offering free music education in the provinces of İzmir, Bursa and on the Princes' Islands in Istanbul.Established by Mehmet Selim Baki and Dr. Yeliz Baki, Music for Peace has performed numerous concerts with conductors including Gürer Aykal, Sascha Goetzel and Cem Mansur, featuring symphony orchestras and choirs such as the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, the Selaniki Megaro Youth Orchestra, the Leipzig Opera's Children's Choir and holding concerts in cities around the world including Salzburg, Leipzig, Selaniki, Milan and Vienna. Since signing the Treaty of Amity in 2014, the foundation became an official part of the international El Sistema network and was named El Sistema Turkey.Initiated in 1975 by Jose Antonio Abreu, an economist, pianist and composer from Venezuela who defined the foundation as "a social system fighting against poverty and crime," El Sistema is currently considered one of the most crucial projects for classical music in the world. At the Istanbul headquarters of Music for Peace in Edirnekapı, 120 students between the ages of seven and 20 receive training in two orchestras as Music for Peace Youth and Children's Orchestra. Both orchestras are conducted by Felix Briceno, who also serves as the training director and art director of El Sistema Turkey. Further, the permanent conductor of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, Sascha Goetzel, also supports the students of Music for Peace.120 students between the ages of 7 and 20 are receiving training at the headquarters of Music for Peace in Edirnekapı, Istanbul.In order to increase the number of children that have access to art, the Music for Peace Foundation began expanding its works to different regions across Turkey. Currently, 400 students between the ages of seven and 20 are receiving free music lessons in İzmir, Bursa and the on the Princes' Islands. Istanbul Culture and Arts Foundation (İKSV) is also providing corporate support to the foundation since 2013.El Sistema Turkish orchestras Music for Peace Nilüfer Orchestra was established last year in July with the support of the Bursa Nilüfer Municipality and performed their first concert on Sept. 22, World Peace Day. Currently, 80 students are receiving musical training at two different levels.More than 60 young musicians are receiving training on string instruments at the Music for Peace İnci Foundation Orchestra established in the Naldöken neighborhood of İzmir's Bornova district with the support of the Cevdet İnci Foundation. Further, the Music for Peace Turgut Village Orchestra comprised of 50 young people from the Turgut village and neighboring villages continue working with conductor Samuel Matus and other musical instructors of the foundation.With the collaboration of Büyükada Princes' Islands City Council, the Princes' Islands foundation that opened with an instrument delivery ceremony in November 2016 currently offers music instruction three times a week to more than 50 students.Upcoming concerts Music for Peace Orchestras will be taking the stage at the 45th Istanbul Music Festival and at Zorlu Performing Arts Center (PSM), Pera Museum and the Albert Long Hall. All orchestras associated with the foundation will come together at Zorlu PSM for a year-end concert.Pera Museum will be hosting a concert titled, "Peace" with their stringchamber music ensembles at 7:30 pm on the last Wednesdays of March, April and May.The Music for Peace Children's Orchestras comprised of children who receive musical training in Istanbul, Bursa and the Princes' Islands will hold a concert on Zorlu PSM's Main Stage on April 23 at 5:00 pm with an orchestra of 150 people, conducted by Felix Briceno.The orchestra will take the stage on May 3 at 7:30 pm on Boğaziçi University's Albert Long Hall stage together with Felix Briceno.The children's orchestra conducted by Sascha Goetzel will be on stage at Lütfi Kırdar Congress and Exhibition Hall for a mini-concert for the closing of the 45th Istanbul Music Festival before a performance by the Vienna Chamber Orchestra on June 21.All members of El Sistema Turkey will be on stage for the new year concert that will be hosted by Zorlu PSM on Nov. 26. Approximately 400 children and teenagers from all centers including the Princes Islands, İzmir Turgut Village, İzmir's neighborhood Bornova in the district of Naldöken and Bursa's Nilüfer along with the members from El Sistema Turkey's headquarters in Edirnekapı will take the stage at Zorlu.