Mo'Zar Espace Artistic
Main activity:
“Since 1996, music has provided an outlet for the children of Roche-Bois, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of the Mauritian capital. Mo’Zar is the realisation of a bold dream—to prevent these unique apprentices from lingering on the fringes of development. Through music theory, they find employment opportunities rather than merely drifting through life, using the knowledge of rhythms as a stepping stone. The breaths that bring life to melodies, sometimes soft, sometimes rhythmic, resonate like a new birth. If hope had a name, now it also has a sound.”
(Loosely translated excerpt from Evasion magazine, September 2009)
Accreditation Number with the National Social Inclusion Foundation: No accreditation
Mo’zar offers 22 hours of classes each week, taught by 7 dedicated teachers:
- David Goraiah: A former student of Mo’zar, David teaches music theory and guitar.
- Ivan Bazile: Another former Mo’zar student, Ivan teaches music theory and saxophone. He recently took on the role of leading a new musical group composed of 14 students.
- Dario Ramdeal: Drum instructor.
- Philippe Thomas: Trumpet and music theory teacher, as well as the artistic director of Mo’zar. He is in charge of the association's Big Band.
- Samuel Saide: A former Mo’zar student who now teaches music theory and piano.
- Hermans Pierre Louis: Guitar teacher. This visually impaired young man is a former student of Mo’zar and serves as an inspiration to his students, demonstrating that determination can overcome any obstacle.
- Rick Cupidon: Assistant drum instructor. He is a beneficiary of the association since about ten years.
Beneficiaries: The association currently has 95 students aged 6 to 23. Two-thirds of the students come from the underprivileged neighbourhood of Roche Bois, while the remaining third are from nearby areas or other regions of the island. All classes are free, and instruments are loaned to the students. In 20 years of operation, only one instrument has been lost. The students of Mo’zar are exemplary, not only in their musical talents but also in the life lessons they impart by standing tall in the face of adversity.
Mo'zar: A Journey That Began with José Thérèse
José Thérèse had a unique way of playing barefoot, a statement that said, "Yes, I was born in poverty, in a corrugated iron house, yet here I am, blowing jazz notes through my saxophones. Look at me, listen to me. My roots are in Camp Zoulou, Roche Bois, but being born poor is not a destiny. You have to believe in your dreams. You have to believe in the children of Roche Bois. My bare feet are my roots, my breath carries notes of dreams... This is Mo'zar, my genre, my style, it's me." This is how José Thérèse was: a jazz musician, saxophonist, flutist, socio-musicologist, and the founder of Mo'zar Espace Artistic.
The association Mo'zar Espace Artistic was founded in 1996. After completing his studies at the Copenhagen Conservatory of Music, José Thérèse returned to his native island. He realised that while Mauritius had experienced extraordinary economic development over the years, the neighbourhood of Roche Bois, where he grew up, had been largely left behind. Its residents lived in conditions of poverty and even extreme poverty. Some families crammed into small one-room tin houses without sanitation, water, or electricity, while less than a kilometre away in Port Louis, the capital, skyscrapers and shopping centres were emerging.
At that time, in the neighbourhood of Roche Bois, 80% of the children were failing in school. Left to their own devices, they became easy targets for drug dealers and pimps who thrived in the area. José Thérèse decided to help these children. Using his savings, he bought a few musical instruments and invited the children he saw loitering in the streets to come and learn to play one or more instruments and to play jazz.
In October 1996, just a few months after starting their musical training, José's students achieved their Grade 1 of the Royal School of Music with distinction, shattering a major prejudice: "Bann zenfan Roche Bois, zott mové" (the children of Roche Bois are good for nothing). After struggling to find and finally securing subsidies, José Thérèse bought more instruments, sheet music, books, and CDs, and over the years, he trained musicians.
Some of them made music their profession and built careers in the local hospitality industry or abroad. Other students were recruited by the Mauritian police band. The students of Mo'zar have participated in several jazz festivals in the Indian Ocean region.
José Thérèse passed away in November 2014, but not a day goes by without the sound of a piano, saxophone, flute, violin, or guitar filling the small space of Mo'zar. The story continues...
Mo'zar Espace Artistic aims to provide musical education to underprivileged children in Roche Bois. By offering regular performance opportunities, including participation in regional festivals and Master Classes with international jazz musicians, Mo'zar helps students gain invaluable musical and social experience. Through these efforts, Mo'zar nurtures talent, fosters hope, and creates prospects for a brighter future for the children of Roche Bois.
- Mo’zar students are regularly invited to perform, providing them with invaluable musical and social experience.
- Our Big Band has performed at various festivals in the Indian Ocean region.
- Students occasionally participate in Master Classes organised by foreign jazz musicians.
- Our repertoire includes jazz classics and has been enriched with a new form of jazz known as Sega Jazz—a blend of traditional Mauritian music (Sega) and jazz. Philippe Thomas, the artistic director of Mo’zar, is responsible for curating and managing the repertoire.
Mo’zar Espace Artistic does not receive any subsidies from the Mauritian government. To continue its operations, the organisation relies on sponsors and donations.