Welcome to American Voices, America's foremost not-for-profit organization devoted exclusively to cultural engagement programs worldwide. In our 17 years of activities we have brought the unique genres of the United States;  Jazz, Broadway, Hip Hop to youth and eager audiences in over 100 nations, especially  those emerging from conflict or isolation.  As a 501(c)(3) organization based in Houston, all donations to American Voices are fully tax-deductible. Please join Friends of American Voices now!

We have just finished our YES, Youth Excellence on Stage, programs in Iraq , Syria and  Lebanon . Our summer season culminated in three concerts downtown and on American University of Beirut campus on August 6, 7 and 14. Please visit our project pages  or the YES Academy website for more information. Thsi summer's YES programs in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria have already reached over 700 participants and audiences numbering in the millions through television, radio and press coverage and broadcast of the concerts. We also began to distribute thousands of music scores and method books donated by Alfred Music Publishers. Over 2000 volumes were distributed to the Higher Institute of Music and the Solhi Al Wadi Institute in Syria alone.

Please follow the stories of our faculty through the blogs of Dr. Bradley Bolen or Matt of dance-video-gone-viral fame as he prepares a number with Miss Carole McCann's kids in our YES Academy in Erbil, Iraq.

The recent documentary about our Iraq program, Camp Unity, by Ryan White has won two prizes at the Philadelphia International Film Festival (PhilaFilm) and The Indie Fest Award of Excellence. See the new trailer here.  Camp Unity will also be shown in early September at the Montreal Film Festival and at DOCUTAH, Southern Utah International Documentary Film Festival.

Other recent projects include jazz in Angola and Namibia, Broadway in Nepal, HaviKoro Breakdancers in Syria, Palestine and Jordan and touring Pakistan's major cities with an interactive Broadway Revue. HaviKoro's concerts in Damascus, Amman and the West Bank reached thousands of Hip Hop fans and our Broadway Revues in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore were seen by millions on national television throughout Pakistan.

For photos, videos and more information please visit the projects section of this website or our satellite website for our YES Academy program. You may also download or subscribe to our newsletters or visit our YouTube channel where you may find playlists devoted to our recent YES Academy performances. Photos of these and other recent teaching and performance activities may be found on the Projects page of our website. You may also enjoy watching our recent coverage on CNN's 'Inside the Middle East'.

Finale of Jazz and Dance Gala Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation with over 100 Iraqi dancers Photos by Michael Luongo,

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Since 1992, our mission has been to further the appreciation and understanding of American music and culture, especially in developing countries, countries emerging from conflict or periods of isolation and those lacking opportunities for cultural exchange and dialogue with the United States.

CoCo York Sings Traditional Song The Flower Girl of Kabul in Dari with Aman Yosufi, Afghanistan

Jazz Mugham Baku: Preparations with Students of the National Conservatory of Azerbaijan

We are now beginning a special appeal to raise funds to continue our YES Academy programs beyond 2010. Please make a pledge and join Friends of American Voices to help further our goal of providing quality cultural exchange, training and inspiration to youth in these countries emerging from conflict or isolation.