A Papua New Guinea Orchestra Program Heads to Indonesia

Maestro Briceno leading a performance at the Mercure Hotel, October 24, 2026.

Music possesses the power to transcend borders and unite hearts. That’s why, last month, a hundred children in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea packed their instruments to bring their music to Jayapura, Indonesia. It was a historic milestone: the first international tour for the students in the Queen of Paradise Project, launched seven years ago by Music Director Jesus Briceno with the support of Father Miguel de la Calle. Father Martin Prado is now the CEO of the project.

Inspired by the El Sistema program in Maestro Briceno’s native Venezuela, the Queen of Paradise Project has now established itself as a beacon of social and artistic transformation in Papua New Guinea. Maestro Briceno’s goals continue to be developing young musicians, building orchestral ensembles, and creating musical opportunities for children in Papua New Guinea.

The Indonesia tour brought together the project’s diverse ensembles—the children’s orchestra and the violin, wind, and percussion groups—to fulfill three fundamental purposes: to strengthen ties of friendship and cultural exchange between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea; to offer young musicians an invaluable way to grow professionally and personally; and to secure necessary support for the continuation of their musical education. Indonesian authorities have been actively supportive of this exciting initiative. 

The first concert, on October 24, was a charity gala concert at the Mercure Hotel Jayapura for an audience of Indonesian government officials, diplomats, and business and religious leaders. There were performances by the recorder ensemble, the choir, the children’s string ensembles, and the advanced string orchestra, which played a range of pieces from “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” to the “Mission Impossible Theme.”

The following day, the orchestra played at a morning mass at the city’s cathedral—then moved to the Jaya Mall for a rollicking midday performance—and then returned to the cathedral for an afternoon concert, with repertoire chosen to resonate in the majestic, vaulted spaces.  

The message was clear: music enriches many kinds of community, both spiritual and secular.

On the third day of the tour, the ensemble performed at SMA Teruna Bakti Waena High School and engaged in musical and cultural exchange with students, choirs, and the region’s academic community. The day ended with just plain fun: a farewell dinner and a movie. They returned home to a warm welcome from parents and family members in addition to the Papua New Guinea immigration authorities.

For program leaders, the trip presented unprecedented logistical challenges. But for the young musicians, it was sheer excitement all the way. Chelsia Ajeh, a 19-year-old choir member, loved “learning unexpected things and seeing the world in a fresh way.” She added, “Doing hard things makes me feel strong and proud.” Twelve-year-old Evabettina Tandros, who plays double bass, said she loved “experiencing new places and people and what kinds of lives they are living.” Violinist Dorothy Kenu, 13, had joined the orchestra just five months before the tour. “It’s all new to me,” she said, “and it’s all exciting.”

The tour was not only deeply meaningful for the students involved and the audiences they encountered. It was also a milestone in Papua New Guinea’s cultural history: the first international tour by a musical ensemble composed entirely of Papua New Guineans. “My aim,” says Maestro Briceno, “is to share our experience with other nations and music education initiatives around the world, in order to support and enrich the global movement for creating better futures for young people through music.”

Planning is already underway for a second international tour in 2027—along with a tour within Papua New Guinea, to bring the orchestra’s transformative work to more communities across the country.  

In the meantime, the Project’s holiday concert next month will be a milestone of its own: the first concert by a full symphonic ensemble in the history of Papua New Guinea. It will be a proud occasion for the whole country—and, especially, for Chelsia, Evabettina, Dorothy, and their fellow musicians in the Queen of Paradise Project.