In 1975 in Venezuela, a man named Jose Abreu began rehearsing an orchestra in a parking garage. Thirty years later his "Sistema" has changed the lives of tens of thousands of Venezuelans, and produced some of the finest classical musicians on the planet.
This fall, Moncton became the first "Sistema" pilot site in Canada.
There's no doubt New Brunswickers struggle with the burden of poverty, and offering free music instruction to children five days a week is not just a musical opportunity. It builds patience, perseverence, team work and joy that lasts a lifetime.
Watch Abreu's astounding video on ted.com here. Read about the Moncton program here. Gustavo Dudamel started training with Sistema in Venezuela at age 4. At age 26 he was appointed conductor and music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
The New Brunswick Youth Orchestra will have a guest conductor to promote the Sistema program on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 8:00 pm Wesleyan Celebration Centre in Moncton. I will be there to hear it live. There's no substitute for the collective excellence of an orchestra in action.
2 comments:
First and foremost let me say that I think it is wonderful that the NBYO has visionary types like Ken McLeod onboard to help get these things going. It is heartwarming to hear that 15,000 saw them last year - especially considering when I played with them we regularly played shows to our parents and host families (I'm talking less than 150 at one show).
My biggest criticism of the NBYO has been and will likely continue to be the fact that many of the students who are eligible across the province might never hear about it, or be given the chance to audition, because they don't live in the M'ton/SJ/F'ton area. How wonderful for those kids in Moncton who are getting exposed from such a young age! And how sad for those in the northern part of the province who are still being limited to in-school instruction on traditional band instruments.
Well said. It's interesting that the Sistema pliot has expanded to different parts of Venezuela, even rural parts. I think rural poverty is largely the same, no matter whether it's the plains of Kenya or the thick forest of Plaster Rock....
I am thinking a lot these days about NB's historical and current isolation problem, and how it might be mitigated. And I think music is certainly part of that equation. Look at the youtube orchestra. Who says you couldn't learn to play via the internet?
Post a Comment