The word is cute.
This little boy is a student of the young man Maestro Abreu points out on the video in my last posting. When I met him he asked to learn more of March Slave. I said NO we start with Creston next week.
Chevere!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Maestro Abreu visits my class
Someone asked me if I would meet the founder of El Sistema. No, I am sure he will be too busy to meet me. Well, apparently not. The video is while I was teaching a trombone class with members of the Simon Bolivar Orchestra and with elementary up to university students. If you notice, he recognizes los niños first and the other young man recognized is one of his conducting students. Oh, by the way, the lady is Venezuela’s Vice Presidents wife. Chevere!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
My first video and it was so easy.
My friend Ruben is the principal trombonist of the only professional band in Caracas and you will see how the audience enjoys a Sunday afternoon.
This was last Sunday afternoon following a concert of the Orchesta Municipal De Caracas. The performance was Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and Shostakovich 10. The soloist was Sholomo Mintz and was a great treat. On Saturday I heard the Simon Bolivar Orchestra performing Shostakovich 5. Today I taught at the Conservatoia Simon Bolívar and tomorrow I begin teaching a series of master classes at the Centro de Acción Social por la Música, which is the new performance facility that houses the Simon Bolivar Orchestra. I should have plenty of pictures next posting.
Hasta luego
What is Fundación del Estado para el Sistema Nacional de Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Venezuela?
I am at home here in Venezuela. I am sure to be seen as this nosy guy from the United States only desiring to bring back what has been learned through the work of Jose Abreu and the Fundación del Estado para el Sistema Nacional de Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Venezuela (El Sistema). So, what have I learned so far?
In the 60 Minute documentary we met Rafael Elster, director of the Sarria Nuclei. If you remember, Sarria is one of the poorest barrios (slums) in Caracas. Rafael has such passion for the mission of El Sistema as we saw in his conversation with Moray Saver. Rafael is the same in person as on camera. When we met, I told him I was from Philadelphia and he immediately referred to a group who came from a large US city school district to find out how to create the same El Sistema in their city.
“We have 200,000 students”! said the officials from the US “Do you?” said Rafael. He went on to explain, “You don’t just have a bunch of students to make a program like El Sistema.” All of the men I spoke to in the El Sistema offices were very clear on that point. It is all about personal relationships. Teacher and student alike reciprocate these relationships. Angel Larcas, Deputy Management Director of Nuclei said that both feed on each other. The teacher gets much from the process just as the student. There is no expectation to be great musicians but the idea is to help children grow up as good citizens. The great musician is but a by-product.
El Sistema means system but it is unlike any system we know in the US. El Sistema breathes, sings, dances, ebbs and flows. It is one big relationship intertwining with all who are part of the system. Since my sabbatical entails my study of El Sistema I thought if I didn’t come to Venezuela for a number of reasons, I could go to other US cities attempting El Sistema and catch on there. Boy, was I wrong!
El Sistema is all the beautiful things of Venezuela, the PEOPLE! I have yet to meet any Venezuelan I didn’t love.
If you know the right people and I do, you can go to were ever you wish. Today I met Maestro Jose Abreu, the founder of El Sistema. Belmary took me to his office and he has invited me to return when he has more time. Even with a bad cold, I thought I was meeting someone like Mother Teresa. What I mean by that is that he was remarkably humble and most gracious. His smile was disarming and why he has not won the Nobel Peace Prize, I will never understand.
Later we ran into the Director of the Simon Bolivar Conservatory. He decided on the spot that I was to give a recital and made provisions with one of the top pianist in Caracas, Surge Pilenkofv.
When I figure out how to put pictures in this Blog, I will start posting them.
Ciao
In the 60 Minute documentary we met Rafael Elster, director of the Sarria Nuclei. If you remember, Sarria is one of the poorest barrios (slums) in Caracas. Rafael has such passion for the mission of El Sistema as we saw in his conversation with Moray Saver. Rafael is the same in person as on camera. When we met, I told him I was from Philadelphia and he immediately referred to a group who came from a large US city school district to find out how to create the same El Sistema in their city.
“We have 200,000 students”! said the officials from the US “Do you?” said Rafael. He went on to explain, “You don’t just have a bunch of students to make a program like El Sistema.” All of the men I spoke to in the El Sistema offices were very clear on that point. It is all about personal relationships. Teacher and student alike reciprocate these relationships. Angel Larcas, Deputy Management Director of Nuclei said that both feed on each other. The teacher gets much from the process just as the student. There is no expectation to be great musicians but the idea is to help children grow up as good citizens. The great musician is but a by-product.
El Sistema means system but it is unlike any system we know in the US. El Sistema breathes, sings, dances, ebbs and flows. It is one big relationship intertwining with all who are part of the system. Since my sabbatical entails my study of El Sistema I thought if I didn’t come to Venezuela for a number of reasons, I could go to other US cities attempting El Sistema and catch on there. Boy, was I wrong!
El Sistema is all the beautiful things of Venezuela, the PEOPLE! I have yet to meet any Venezuelan I didn’t love.
If you know the right people and I do, you can go to were ever you wish. Today I met Maestro Jose Abreu, the founder of El Sistema. Belmary took me to his office and he has invited me to return when he has more time. Even with a bad cold, I thought I was meeting someone like Mother Teresa. What I mean by that is that he was remarkably humble and most gracious. His smile was disarming and why he has not won the Nobel Peace Prize, I will never understand.
Later we ran into the Director of the Simon Bolivar Conservatory. He decided on the spot that I was to give a recital and made provisions with one of the top pianist in Caracas, Surge Pilenkofv.
When I figure out how to put pictures in this Blog, I will start posting them.
Ciao
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Caracas at last!
The flight went well and the sun rise was magnificent. I got through customs without a hitch, Belmary and Ruben met me just as planned.
Ruben is a former trombonist in the Simon Bolivar Orchestra presently teaching in El Sistema as well as Belmary is a former violinist in Simon Bolivar Orchestra. Belmary lives in the USA, freelances in Philadelphia and teaches Suzuki violin at the Community Music School of Collegeville. Both are assigned to keep me out of trouble. So far so good!
I am living in San Paulo a suburb of Caracas and the view out my window is magnificent. I have a panoramic view of much of Caracas with El Avila looming in the back ground. !Es hermoso!
I will be teaching at El Conservatoia Simon Bolívar tomorrow with a class of trombonist. When I learn to post my videos I hope to show you some action shots.
Hasta luego
Ruben is a former trombonist in the Simon Bolivar Orchestra presently teaching in El Sistema as well as Belmary is a former violinist in Simon Bolivar Orchestra. Belmary lives in the USA, freelances in Philadelphia and teaches Suzuki violin at the Community Music School of Collegeville. Both are assigned to keep me out of trouble. So far so good!
I am living in San Paulo a suburb of Caracas and the view out my window is magnificent. I have a panoramic view of much of Caracas with El Avila looming in the back ground. !Es hermoso!
I will be teaching at El Conservatoia Simon Bolívar tomorrow with a class of trombonist. When I learn to post my videos I hope to show you some action shots.
Hasta luego
Friday, March 5, 2010
A little back ground on El Sistema
El Sistema, Venezuela
Led by organist, economist, and politician José Antonio Abreu, FESNOJIV (the State Foundation for the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras), more commonly known as “El Sistema,” teaches music to 300,000 of Venezuela’s poorest children. It is a tested model of how a music program can create both great musicians and dramatically change the life trajectory of hundreds of thousands of a nation’s neediest kids. Amongst its graduates, El Sistema has nurtured international musicians such as Edicson Ruiz and Gustavo Dudamel and the world-renowned Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra.
Yesterday while in North Philadelphia at a men's homeless shelter I was very much aware that this is the type of area where so many children are living with very little hope of the future. Just like in Venezuela it is the El Sistema concept that might possibly change these children to have hope. This in turn would give them the motivation to have a more productive life and break the cycle of desperation. I shared with about 50 men who were jobless, homeless and hungry that I was going to Venezuela to be part of El Sistema. There response was overwhelming. "Brother, I'm going to pray for you" several men told me. It was if they woke from a deep depression and had a since of hope that I was concerned for their children. The experience of meeting with these men for the past month every Thursday with my friends Phil and Jennifer Beaufort, David Allen and Cheryl Sanfacon has really changed me. It makes one realize that when you desire to help others in need, you become the recipient of a far greater blessing.
Hasta luego
Led by organist, economist, and politician José Antonio Abreu, FESNOJIV (the State Foundation for the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras), more commonly known as “El Sistema,” teaches music to 300,000 of Venezuela’s poorest children. It is a tested model of how a music program can create both great musicians and dramatically change the life trajectory of hundreds of thousands of a nation’s neediest kids. Amongst its graduates, El Sistema has nurtured international musicians such as Edicson Ruiz and Gustavo Dudamel and the world-renowned Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra.
Yesterday while in North Philadelphia at a men's homeless shelter I was very much aware that this is the type of area where so many children are living with very little hope of the future. Just like in Venezuela it is the El Sistema concept that might possibly change these children to have hope. This in turn would give them the motivation to have a more productive life and break the cycle of desperation. I shared with about 50 men who were jobless, homeless and hungry that I was going to Venezuela to be part of El Sistema. There response was overwhelming. "Brother, I'm going to pray for you" several men told me. It was if they woke from a deep depression and had a since of hope that I was concerned for their children. The experience of meeting with these men for the past month every Thursday with my friends Phil and Jennifer Beaufort, David Allen and Cheryl Sanfacon has really changed me. It makes one realize that when you desire to help others in need, you become the recipient of a far greater blessing.
Hasta luego
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Got my ticket!
Now it seems real. Many wonderful Venezuelan friends have been extremely helpful and supportive of this endeavour. Thanks to Belmary, Ruben, Angel, Rosanna and my list will certainly multiply through out this journey. A special thanks to David Kim for recommending Belmary who has been most helpful. I also would like to thank my Spanish teacher Sara Nemoy.
My itinerary is to fly to Houston and connecting there to continue on to Caracas. The time difference is a half hour. This was instigated a few years back by the President of Venezuela and I don't know the reason.
Being this is my very first blog I learned the concept from the movie Julie and Julia a few months back.
In the future I will have more interesting topics but finally getting my airplane ticket has been an interesting topic for me.
Hasta luego
My itinerary is to fly to Houston and connecting there to continue on to Caracas. The time difference is a half hour. This was instigated a few years back by the President of Venezuela and I don't know the reason.
Being this is my very first blog I learned the concept from the movie Julie and Julia a few months back.
In the future I will have more interesting topics but finally getting my airplane ticket has been an interesting topic for me.
Hasta luego
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