How Music Saved Venezuela's Children

The remarkable accomplishment of a great humanist, José Antonio Abreu, who dedicated his life to set up the 'Sistema' in 1975, an extraordinary music and social project which has been running in Venezuela in an attempt to transform the lives of the nations poorest children.

It has been using classical music to tackle the social problems of a country where 60% of the population live below the poverty line. By offering free instruments and tuition through a network of after-school centres all over the country, the Sistema has kept thousands of children away from the drugs, alcohol and gang-related violence of the streets and has led to the creation of 30 professional orchestras in a country that had only 2 before it started. Currently, 275,000 children attend the Sistemas schools and many of them play in one of the 125 youth orchestras.

At the pinnacle of the system stands the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela under its music director Gustavo Dudamel who is himself a product of the Sistema and is also the musical director for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• 2008
• bbc
• imagine
• docu
• documentary
• classical
• peace
• hope
• inspire
• inspirational
• children
• latin
• america
• programme
• fundación
• estado
• orquestas
• juveniles
• infantiles

[luverlything]

I have never seen or heard an orchestra play with such passion!! What a truly amazing achievement. Bravo!!!!!!

[sinclairpurch]

I send this link to others because everyone needs a little inspiration. I am in awe of this achievement and the joy they bring to the world.

[MrGtsouk]

@nattxsulfur hehe , yes I am :P This is for a response essay that we have to write .

[nattxsulfur]

@MrGtsouk i guess u r studying at deree college...;)

[MrGtsouk]

My teacher told us to write about this :)

[insomniacgrace]

Wow! So inspiring.

[CeruleanRomantic]

"The World Values Survey has consistently shown Venezuelans to be among the happiest people in the world, with 55% of those questioned saying they were "very happy"." Venezuelans have gone through hell and back more than once and are a resilient people and im more than proud to be one

[eliobruni]

El Sistema del Maestro Abreu ha tenido mucho más soporte, recursos y hasta sede propia justamente es en el gobierno actual, ya que los anteriores nunca le dieron la importancia que merecía dicho Sistema, de hecho, cada año le asignaban dinero en los presupuestos pero nunca llegaban o simplemente eran casi limosnas. Lo anterior es solo una aclaratoria sin ánimos de crear controversias políticas, solamente creo que es justo decirlo.

Con orgullo venezolano... saludos a todos

[gaiasoundandvision]

Such passion & joy for all to behold

The seeds of new life in great beauty unfold