The poorest nation in the Western hemisphere has a rich musical life and harbours a treasure trove of classical music under threat of being lost forever.Ever since the independence won with the shedding of blood in 1804, Haiti has been rich in culture of classical Caribbean music. An amalgam of courtly French music, African culture and Caribbean influences.In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries many Haitian composers would do their studies in the West, return to the home country and help develop a musical culture and language of their own.In 2006 I was involved in creating the first Haitian opera in the vernacular language, the Creole. The pleasure was mine to complete and conduct this opera, in close cooperation with composer Ipharès Blan and librettist Rassoul Labuchin. During the Haiti tour which brought the opera 'Maryaj Lenglensou' (The Blood Marriage) to the attention of tens of thousands of people, I came to know the Haitian people's yearning for art and culture as well as their hunger for education. It was in this period that I was introduced to the very vital Haitian classical music culture and to the heirs of a number of great Haitian composers.Unfortunately, the level of music making and the recognition of their own classical history has seriously eroded by the the continual economic downturn, the grinding poverty and the lack of teachers of good quality.