Ali and Dilara

We are Dilara and Mehmet Ali, a couple who has been sharing life together for four years. Ali worked as a farmer in Turkey for many years, while I pursued a career as a lawyer. Our story is woven not only through our professions, but also through the fact that we come from different sects and different backgrounds. In the society we live in, and at times even in the eyes of our families, this union was questioned, sometimes even unwelcomed. Yet we have always believed that the strongest bond that truly holds people together is love and respect. We are proud to live by this belief and to reflect it to humanity.

In the fourth year of our marriage, our daughter Ronya crowned this journey with her presence. Her name means “light”, and she reminds us that a world full of brightness and hope for humanity’s future is possible.

Music is another expression of this belief. It is a unique language that brings together people of different faiths and cultures under the same sky, offering everyone the freedom to express themselves. That is why we choose to be part of the Dovetail Orchestra. For where music and kind-hearted people exist, there is no place for darkness; only hope, light, and beauty can flourish.

We thank the Dovetail Orchestra for giving us this hope, this light, and this beauty.

Miguel

Hello friends, I am Miguel Torijano. I was born in Putumayo-Colombia, located on the border between Ecuador and Peru. I have been playing the guitar in Dovetail Orchestra since January 2024 and have been building my knowledge and skills on the instrument.

When I was 11 years old, I started to feel a great passion for the music, that’s why I started taking lessons after school. I created a musical group that won the award for the best musical group in the department of Putumayo and later, even the best group in Southern Colmobia.

Dovetail Orchestra is a family where everyone is included and made to feel welcome. I feel really pleased because every time we have the opportunity to perform our music, we can also include our family and friends. I am very grateful to all the members for making my life great.

Esme

I am Esme — a woman shaped by passion, determination, resilience, and dreams.

I was born in Medellín, Colombia — a land of breathtaking beauty, yet full of contradictions and marked by profound challenges. From a very young age, I learned that life is not just about surviving; it’s about moving forward with a steady heart. My mother, my sister, and my grandmother taught me that berraquera — that fierce inner strength — runs in our blood, and that joy can bloom even in the harshest soil.

Music has been my refuge since I was two years old. Singing and dancing have always been my truest forms of expression. But I also carry a deep love for learning. I studied Business Administration with the dream of growing and building something of my own. I also began studies in gastronomy as a complement, because creating and serving are essential parts of who I am — of my essence.

I’ve been working since I was very young. It taught me independence and the value of the process itself — that with effort, great things can be achieved. Leaving my country was an incredibly difficult decision, but one made out of necessity for our survival. Although the distance from my loved ones hurts, it has also made me stronger, more aware, and deeply grateful.

My dream is to continue with music, to keep studying, and one day to create a business that brings together everything I am: art, knowledge, and service. Not just as an economic goal, but as a way to offer something meaningful to the world. The road has not been easy, but I move forward — because when passion leads the way, the future becomes filled with infinite possibilities.

Thank you, Dovetail Orchestra, for offering me a space where I could believe in myself again. In a moment when displacement weighed heavy, you reminded me that art is also a form of belonging — and that singing is not just a talent, but a way of coming home, even from afar.

“Sometimes, the meaning of life isn’t found in having all the answers — but in learning to endure with grace, to turn the wound into a root, and the path into a destiny.”

Mohammad

I’m from Afghanistan. I didn’t choose to leave my home — I had to. Leaving behind family, memories, and my dreams was one of the hardest journeys I’ve faced.

Music became my refuge. My guitar spoke when words couldn’t. It helped me heal and find hope again.

Joining Dovetail Orchestra gave me more than music — it gave me a family. A place where we all share our stories, cultures, and dreams through the language of music.

Here, I’ve learned that no matter where we come from, music can bring us together — and help us rise again.

Thank you, Dovetail, for giving me a place to belong.

Ayham

I’m from Syria, a country which people think that they heard much about, but living there is another story. When the revolution was launched in 2011 I was supposed to start my university but instead I was living day by day trying to survive the war and going to university would have been a deadly risky decision.

Before losing myself or at least my future, I took the heartbreaking decision and fled my home saying goodbye to my family, friends and all the places and the memories, making such a long hard traumatising journey on top of the war trauma I experienced.

Music played a major role in my healing process. Today I could finally communicate with my inner self through music much better than I had. Being able to be part of an incredible group of such talented and warmhearted musicians has nourished my soul. Their kindness and enthusiasm has empowered me and their music has always touched my heart.

I feel so privileged to be with the others celebrating our diversity and differences with all of us brought around music,our language of beauty and beautiful creation.

Thank you Dovetail for existing. Keep the beautiful work.

Samira

I lived in Iran. I had a bachelor’s degree in painting and was teaching painting. My sisters and brothers got married.

When my father passed away, it was the saddest day of my life, and from that day on my siblings left the house to live with their respective new families.

The fear of losing my mother came over me. This was the beginning of my anxiety and depression, but I didn’t believe I was depressed. When my mother died, I lost all hope in life, I felt like the ground had collapsed under my feet and I was the loneliest person.

I couldn’t stop crying. I wanted to change the decor of my house, but living in that space was not comfortable. There were memories of my parents.

I had to migrate, a path full of challenges and facing my fears. God was by my side and supporting me, I could feel it.

When I arrived in Bristol, I joined this band on the advice of a friend to fight depression. In the beginning, it was very difficult. After every music session, I would cry for hours in my room. The friendly behaviour of the group made me continue and now I feel better when I see my friends in the group, who may not be in less pain than me but still manage to keep in a good mood.

I consider myself a strong person because I fought my fears and my sorrows and today I laugh the loudest.

Yasmin

My name is Yasmin. I am from Eritrea, a country in East Africa. I was born and raised in the Middle East. I lived a calm and beautiful life with my parents and siblings.

The hardest feeling and experience I’ve ever lived through is the feeling of not belonging. Since my birth, I’ve always had the sense of not belonging.

The challenge I’ve faced since my early years has been the differences in language, culture, colour, ethnicity, and identity. Everywhere I went, I found myself searching for someone who resembled me. Even during my first visit to my homeland, I believed that the issue of not belonging would finally end, but it has continued to follow me. When I arrived in the UK, I expected to face the same problem and thought it would persist, but…

..the most amazing and beautiful experience I’ve had was when I joined the Dovetail organisation. It was there that I found many people who are similar to me in the differences we share. They resemble me in the very issue I’ve struggled with the most: belonging.

Gibrilla (Gbo)

My name is Gibrilla Kamara (Gbo), and I am 33 years old from Sierra Leone, West Africa. After the conflict in my country, I spent seven years living on the streets of Freetown. It was a tough time, but it helped me discover who I truly am and what I want for my future.

I was once a lost and traumatised young man with no hope. Coming from a community filled with violence, bullying, and poverty, I witnessed unemployment, drug abuse, depression, and trauma all around me. Facing these challenges was a difficult journey, but learning music, and photography helped me see these problems in a new way.

I used to be full of anger, but now I am using the arts to help others. I treat everyone with dignity, respect, and compassion, no matter their background.

Joining Dovetail Orchestra has been an amazing experience. Being part of the Orchestra has given me the chance to perform at events, play my country’s music and sing – and play saxophone, something I never imagined I could do! My confidence has grown so much, and I feel more humble and eager to learn and give back to society.

The staff and team here are very supportive and encouraging, providing me with the help I need. This environment not only boosts my confidence but also gives me hope for the future. It has allowed me to connect with people in the arts community and build meaningful relationships that enrich my journey.

The orchestra has helped me find purpose and meaning in the arts. My story shows how creativity and empathy can transform lives.

Players' Stories

Ali and Dilara

Miguel

Esme

Mohammad

Ayham

Samira

Yasmin

Gibrilla (Gbo)

Ali and Dilara

Miguel

Esme

Mohammad

Ayham

Samira

Yasmin

Gibrilla (Gbo)