We are delighted to announce that our alumnus and teacher, Orlando Ceder, has received the ECHO Award last night in the HBO category! This award highlights students of non-Western backgrounds who stand out for their entrepreneurial spirit, organisational skills, active community involvement, and constructive approach to challenges tied to exclusion.

Orlando is the artistic director and founder of Black Harmony, a music group specializing in close harmony and Afro-Surinamese percussion. They perform exclusively in Sranantongo. Their mission: to connect people through their music. Orlando is involved with the Conservatorium van Amsterdam as a guest lecturer in Afro-American music.

The recognition of Orlando’s qualities is an inspiration to us all. As a reward, Orlando will partake in a fully-funded summer course at UCLA in the United States in 2025!