Help me do a Masters in Amsterdam

Hi everybody, my name is Francisco I’m a Venezuelan musician based in Amsterdam and I’m making this video because I need your help

I’ve been accepted to the Masters program in the Conservatorium van Amsterdam to do a research and whilst this is a great opportunity it also is a big financial step

Through my 4 year bachelor in this school I was lucky enough to have been supported by a cultural foundation, but unfortunately for the masters I’m not going to supported by them anymore.

Because of the tough situation of my home country of Venezuela my parents are not able to help me as they struggle themselves to make ends meet. Besides this the Netherlands has a strict 16 hour limit for working as a non-european. As this barely allows me to pay for rent, food and therapy, it makes it impossible for me to afford my studies.

I’m also still recovering from a big mental health crisis that I had last year, partially caused by overworking myself for years. Which makes it even harder to work and deal with the stress and anxiety of this situation.

I have decided to make a gofundme for anybody that wants to help out. Any help is deeply appreciated. Be it a small donation or just sharing this video.

Besides this we’re also going to do two fundraiser concerts in Amsterdam. The first one being in August 22nd and the second in September 20th

The concerts will feature some of my favorite artists in Amsterdam.

The first will feature the great River Adomeit, Macondo, Henry Cameron and a solo set by me

And the second concert Siebren Smink, Ton Felices, Nacho Pintó and Perpetual Bike Crash

The entry to this concert will be free for anybody that donates!

Thank you and Have a good day :)

About Francisco:

Francisco Garrido is a Venezuelan singer-songwriter, composer, and producer based in Amsterdam, working under the alias “Tzara the Machine.” Francisco studied at Berklee College of Music and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and has been supported by the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation Scholarship for seven years. Active in the Dutch music scene, Francisco performs with various emerging projects, including his own Perpetual Bike Crash and Tzara The Machine, at prestigious venues like BIMHUIS, Zonnehuis, Cinetol, De Ruimte, and more.

Growing up in Venezuela, Francisco began making music at the age of 12 and started composing at 14. Raised in a household of photographers, he developed a strong sense of visual narratives, which permeates his entire body of work. While living in Venezuela, he performed alongside award-winning classical flutist Luis Julio Toro. At 17, he received the opportunity to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA, where he focused on jazz music, both in composition and performance, while playing with various projects across different genres in the Boston music scene.

In 2017, Francisco moved to France and became active in the French music scene as a sideman for several projects and with his own group, The Rain Dance Collective. He also recorded with Django d'Or-winning pianist Pierre-Alain Goualch. During his time in France, Francisco developed a highly personal approach to composing and playing guitar, the result of many hours of dedicated practice. He graduated from the Conservatoire Regional du Grand Nancy with unanimity and congratulations from the jury in his final exam.

In 2020, Francisco moved to Amsterdam and has since established himself as one of the rising voices of his generation, known for his unique approach to composition, characterized by great imagination, weaving sweet, flowing melodies with fresh harmonies and unconventional production that create a deeply textured and colorful melancholic sound. He is also the founder and director of the Amsterdam Arthouse, a collective that organizes events in the Netherlands aimed at providing a platform for unconventional music within the Amsterdam community.