tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91155937396527884752024-03-13T06:08:01.446-04:00DANTES’ BLOGDANTES' BLOGDanteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-77070430993300608892011-03-23T04:46:00.007-04:002011-03-23T14:10:42.203-04:00ON DOING EL SISTEMA IN ATLANTAI can't believe a couple of weeks ago marked the six-month anniversary of the first day of <a href="http://www.atlantamusicproject.org/">Atlanta Music Project</a> classes. Everything is going by so fast! Looking back on my last year and a half, I feel I've come a pretty long way. It turns out the <a href="http://elsistemausa.org/the-abreu-fellows-program/the-program/">Abreu Fellows Program</a> was an opportunity of a lifetime. <br />
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I think back to February of 2009, long before the Abreu Fellows Program existed. I was still in school and visiting Boston for an audition and I distinctly remember telling my cousin and his wife that I wanted to combine my performing with some El Sistema-style educational endeavors. I told my them, if only there was a way I could learn the skills needed to do this. Perhaps I could use a grant-writing course. Maybe I could do a non-profit management seminar. I left Boston brainstorming about doing El Sistema. <br />
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Fast forward four months and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Antonio_Abreu">Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu</a> (pictured with me at the top of my blog), founder of El Sistema, had <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/jose_abreu_on_kids_transformed_by_music.html">won the TED Prize</a>. Subsequently the New England Conservatory announced, per Dr. Abreu's wish, a fellowship program to train gifted musicians and music educators in the El Sistema philosophy, non-profit management, community partnerships and music education. The fellowship even included a <a href="http://dantesrameau.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html">trip to Venezuela to study El Sistema up close</a>. Of course, I applied and got a spot in the inaugural class of the Abreu Fellows Program. I called my cousins in Boston to tell them I was moving to their city to do exactly what I had told them I wanted to do not four months earlier.<br />
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After graduating from the Abreu Fellows Program in June 2010, <a href="http://dantesrameau.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html">the ten Abreu Fellows went about leading an El Sistema-style programs all over the USA</a>. Of course, along with <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/boardroom/al-meyers/">Al Meyers</a>, I co-founded the Atlanta Music Project. <br />
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Growing up studying music helped me develop a strong work ethic from an early age, so I found myself quite at home with the busy and hectic schedule offered by the Abreu Fellows Program. It was an intense year, definitely the most I had worked in all my life...until the Atlanta Music Project came along. The joys of running a start-up non-profit include: picking between downtime and no sleep or no downtime and no sleep (I usually pick the former), missing all of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men%27s_Division_I_Basketball_Championship">March Madness</a>, people asking me why I emailed them at 3:30am, and hoping the other person will pay for that business lunch. <br />
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Besides these annoying issues, I can say that I wouldn't trade places with anyone. It's fun as heck. The Atlanta Music Project is fulfilling its mission every day. To see our students developing their musical, social and emotional abilities right before my very eyes is mind boggling. No doubt, this combination of intense musical training and academic tutoring (done by our collaborator, the <a href="http://www.atlafterschoolallstars.org/">Atlanta After School All-Stars</a>) is working. <br />
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Here are a few highlights on doing El Sistema in Atlanta:<br />
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Since moving to Atlanta, I've quickly learned that this is a <a href="http://www.cocacola.com/">Coca-Cola</a> town. With its headquarters here in Atlanta, the world's biggest brand has its footprint all over the city, especially when its comes to supporting charitable efforts. The Atlanta Music Project is fortunate to have been awarded a grant from the Coca-Cola Company, which, with generous in-kind donations from our <a href="http://www.ocaatlanta.com/">City Of Atlanta Office Of Cultural Affairs</a>, enabled us to launch our program. In July 2010, Coca-Cola invited me to the <a href="http://www.nbaf.org/">National Black Arts Festival</a> Gala. I got the chance to meet Atlanta's Mayor, Kasim Reed, for the first time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgugF2FKuUdUdzJbjX6nI-Tlw71o_R_2PAwRM0EHiaH-C_RPEqc8zhgBxBBCLGxykUCy5nQlvguVMH-asIcqgVTsRmtmWlpHRIn8Kyg-YznMr7-e6gurlwxJZG02hUAFT0s08NqwwikTA/s1600/MeWithMayor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgugF2FKuUdUdzJbjX6nI-Tlw71o_R_2PAwRM0EHiaH-C_RPEqc8zhgBxBBCLGxykUCy5nQlvguVMH-asIcqgVTsRmtmWlpHRIn8Kyg-YznMr7-e6gurlwxJZG02hUAFT0s08NqwwikTA/s400/MeWithMayor.jpg" width="377" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting Mayor Kasim Reed for the first time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Here's some video (courtesy of Armentria Favors of <a href="http://www.modernmatter.com/">Modern Matter Graphic Design and Art Direction</a>) of our open house, which was held at the end of September 2010 at the <a href="http://www.atlantaga.gov/government/urbandesign_gilbert.aspx">Gilbert House</a>, the Atlanta Music Project's first site. People often ask me if we had a recruitment strategy. Well...kind of. Literally 30 minutes before these kids were at our open house, I found them just up the street from the Gilbert House, hanging out in their front yard doing not much. I handed them a flyer for their parents and 30 minutes later they were trying out violins and cellos. It's grassroots, but it worked!<br />
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Here I am at CNN studios just before doing a live interview with <a href="http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/velshi.ali.html">Ali Velshi</a> about the Atlanta Music Project. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/living/2010/11/16/nr.music.to.fight.poverty.cnn.html">You can watch a video of the CNN interview here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQUd2ufn933UEV3CmHozflFGvkxFRHiii4E2zofwUtBVSt_IAXhU5O9AlPoRx8xa5txIoJJb5mD2trqO9ss7AsXRDNsDC-5pymLb7Ngg_4k8I0N1PiaP2JjSWNng1bkuhgH5IXHwcySE/s1600/AMPatCNNforblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQUd2ufn933UEV3CmHozflFGvkxFRHiii4E2zofwUtBVSt_IAXhU5O9AlPoRx8xa5txIoJJb5mD2trqO9ss7AsXRDNsDC-5pymLb7Ngg_4k8I0N1PiaP2JjSWNng1bkuhgH5IXHwcySE/s400/AMPatCNNforblog.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About to start a live interview with Ali Velshi on CNN.<br />
Photo courtesy of <a href="http://green-theory.com/">Green Theory PR&Marketing</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>When I went to Venezuela to observe El Sistema during the Abreu Fellows Program, I <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_34587295">visited around 30 music centers, also known as </a><i><a href="http://dantesrameau.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html">nucleos</a>. </i>They were all very impressive, but some were certainly better than others. I came to the conclusion after much observation, questioning and teaching their students that one thing and one thing only made a nucleo what it was: teachers. If you're building an El Sistema program, especially with limited resources, your key to success will be your teachers' ability to inspire their students to learn, no matter the circumstance. I feel very fortunate that here at the Atlanta Music Project we have amazing teaching artists. Our <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/">teaching artists</a> are talented, dedicated, innovative, cooperative, continuously learning and desire nothing but the best for our students. I should also mention the non-music teachers at the Gilbert House who are responsible for our students outside their AMP music classes. They include the two Gilbert House site managers (Armentria Favors and Emory Clark) and the academic tutors (Gloria Glass and Shanna Baker) from the <a href="http://www.atlafterschoolallstars.org/">Atlanta After School All Stars</a>. Together, all these teachers get it. They understand why we all do what we do. Simply put, this team of teachers makes the Atlanta Music Project what it is.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9Q9WaIyIjcJozWl1dNOQGsrUz6HUt7fGWlaeireyRlJh9vRUGxszOU4vYjlOiMOVCWPlym6TF-lve59vYZ1BFgUr78Ztc-IspvwvoJbkD2bHWQmvkrUg-cXmeVrqai9zJ_m6U_GxhTQ/s1600/AMP_Winter_Concert_145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9Q9WaIyIjcJozWl1dNOQGsrUz6HUt7fGWlaeireyRlJh9vRUGxszOU4vYjlOiMOVCWPlym6TF-lve59vYZ1BFgUr78Ztc-IspvwvoJbkD2bHWQmvkrUg-cXmeVrqai9zJ_m6U_GxhTQ/s400/AMP_Winter_Concert_145.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AMP Teaching Artists after Winter Performance<br />
L to R: <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/dr-jackie-pickett/">Dr. Jackie Pickett</a>, <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/kristen-faust/">Kristen Faust</a>, <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/john-bryant/">John Bryant</a>, <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/bryan-crumpler/">Bryan Crumpler</a>, <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/elizabeth-oladele/">Elizabeth Oladele</a>, <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/jessica-sherer/">Jessica Sherer</a>, <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/aisha-bowden/">Aisha Bowden</a>, <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/dantes-rameau/">Dantes Rameau</a>. Photo Courtesy of <a href="http://www.mytruevision.com/">My True Vision Photography</a>.</td></tr>
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Hanging out with <a href="http://www.wyntonmarsalis.org/">Wynton Marsalis</a> after his <a href="http://www.jalc.org/">Jazz At Lincoln Center</a> performance at the <a href="http://www.woodruffcenter.org/">Woodruff Arts Center.</a> A big fan of El Sistema, Wynton has been to Venezuela, met Abreu and seen El Sistema for himself. The Atlanta Music Project students also got to meet him and watch his dress rehearsal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKCFgQ-Ubeui2KdKoeam-y6JKpoOo9Y2zhbs1DYAXdxbYX1xwlHEbxZfVkSEQZIB5P4lL1z_YmBc1wh_nkd1Zy98GZ-EvL4NFbhHTm9ry1bBSeNxdI4FBkd-BBqRDUry9KjigkqQTIyQ/s1600/IMAG0187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKCFgQ-Ubeui2KdKoeam-y6JKpoOo9Y2zhbs1DYAXdxbYX1xwlHEbxZfVkSEQZIB5P4lL1z_YmBc1wh_nkd1Zy98GZ-EvL4NFbhHTm9ry1bBSeNxdI4FBkd-BBqRDUry9KjigkqQTIyQ/s400/IMAG0187.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Wynton Marsalis</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mentoring. Mentoring. Mentoring. This is the reason Gustavo Dudamel and classical music are among the most popular things in Venezuela these days. Every kid in Venezuela knows a kid in their neighbourhood or a distant family member who grew up in an El Sistema program. In Venezuela, being in a youth orchestra is a cool thing to do. At the Atlanta Music Project, we constantly surround our students with talented high school students from the local youth orchestras. I'll never forget the look on the face of one of our trombone students when his trombone mentor walked into the class. How do you convince an 11-year-old that playing the trombone two hours a day is cool? Have a 15-year-old trombonist tell him so. A few weeks ago we took our students to go see the <a href="http://www.atlantasymphony.org/Community/ASYO.aspx">Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra</a> perform at the Woodruff Arts Center. It was great to see our students interacting with their Music Mentors, who they see on a weekly basis at AMP classes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aNLyrbFl4Wdoagct1J3hF9jhwRmbXYosh2s1kxxaMgFNrv2fZHLcVuCHKk_NdjvGBpxDzcks0OMJLVP72K756HBsKQ68AYv23Xlyt7tven6SpgX-l6VGlKs2v7c96TKl1ke8TlYWqaU/s1600/IMAG0210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3aNLyrbFl4Wdoagct1J3hF9jhwRmbXYosh2s1kxxaMgFNrv2fZHLcVuCHKk_NdjvGBpxDzcks0OMJLVP72K756HBsKQ68AYv23Xlyt7tven6SpgX-l6VGlKs2v7c96TKl1ke8TlYWqaU/s400/IMAG0210.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Atlanta Music Project students hang with their music mentors at the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra Concert.</td></tr>
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Below is a picture the AMP students performing as a choir during our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=134499223236668&aid=46112">Winter Performance</a> at the <a href="http://www.atlantamuseumbar.com/">Museum Bar</a>. Our students are a joy to work with. However, some of them, as we expected, do have some behaviour issues. Not that I blame them, it's amazing to hear what some of them have already gone through at their age. But I'm around them so much that I'm privileged to be able to see all the sides of their personalities.<br />
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The instance that most caught my attention in these first months was seeing one of our students, who can come off as particularly hardened, backstage before going out to perform. Here was this kid, one of our bigger ones, who can be quite the bully and troublemaker, scared out of his/her mind to go out on stage to perform. I smiled and said to myself "that's the real him/her." I could see it in his/her face. Behind all that bravado was simply a young child: humbled, intimidated, unpolished, innocent and full of potential.<br />
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On doing El Sistema in Atlanta, I always keep in mind that, through music, we're developing <i>the true side </i>of our children.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbi4Us_B_nNC3NLCWUdWfZ5XISgiHU9m8F8zW5W9GiwZi0ThmmuDD6mGW4FHU8RLh2pzoJCRrGfb0-RJ1U0O_SPlJJ5yISWw9UhfpcqczMJk5TDKQMw_ywsAlwTN2cuhkjO2ZdRQQ129w/s1600/AMP_Winter_Concert_119+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbi4Us_B_nNC3NLCWUdWfZ5XISgiHU9m8F8zW5W9GiwZi0ThmmuDD6mGW4FHU8RLh2pzoJCRrGfb0-RJ1U0O_SPlJJ5yISWw9UhfpcqczMJk5TDKQMw_ywsAlwTN2cuhkjO2ZdRQQ129w/s400/AMP_Winter_Concert_119+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What it's all about. Led by choir director <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/aisha-bowden/">Aisha Bowden</a>, AMP students perform during their Winter Performance.<br />
Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.mytruevision.com/">My True Vision Photography</a>.</td></tr>
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<u>Next AMP Concert:</u><br />
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If you're in Atlanta, be sure to come check out the Atlanta Music Project Teaching Artists in concert at the Gilbert House on Thursday March 31 at 6pm. <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/concerts/">More info here</a>.<br />
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</script>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-36487022071545775292010-11-21T15:35:00.004-05:002010-11-23T00:55:43.893-05:00Luck, In Launching The Atlanta Music Project<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1325069309"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtM5oyi3PY9xsOw78p0G33evOGCcDYxIKaH54tiRTHEwkhQA7ACLEgnOhdPheQNnh6JPjxGTJRPyIck6XFtxFqYjX9OxoJzkFPX3B-BX8_STDW2DONR0_FydbaOj1-U1jhbzerreI_1U/s200/AMP+Logo_final-1.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Atlanta Music Project Logo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After the <a href="http://dantesrameau.blogspot.com/2010/06/abreu-fellows-graduate-what-next.html">Abreu Fellows graduated</a>, my plan was to continue blogging as the <a href="http://Atlanta Music Project">Atlanta Music Project</a> started coming together. I thought it'd be interesting for people to come along for the ride of the developments and ups-and-downs of launching an El Sistema program outside of Venezuela. Well obviously, those blogs never happened and I'd like to blame it on the fact that I was just too busy trying to start the program.<br />
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By now you may know that the Atlanta Music Project, the El Sistema-inspired program that I co-founded with our <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/boardroom/al-meyers/">board chair Al Meyers,</a> was successfully launched on October 4, 2010 in Southwest Atlanta, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=159837030702887&set=a.145725468780710.21511.134499223236668">in partnership</a> with the <a href="http://ocaatlanta.com/">City Of Atlanta Office Of Cultural Affairs</a>. I don't want to bore you with the all the details involved with starting a non-profit. Obviously it's a lot of work and requires a great team, which we have. But what I feel really helped us - and I'd be kidding myself if I didn't admit it - was quite simply, luck. A lot of it. Here's just a few examples from many.<br />
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As the new <a href="http://www.atlantaga.gov/Mayor/Meet.aspx">Mayor of Atlanta, Kasim Reed</a>, started his term in January 2010, he announced plans to re-open all the recreation centers so kids would have somewhere to hang out after school. In July 2010, I got a phone call from <a href="http://www.atlantaga.gov/government/parks/bca_base_091003.aspx?section=Bureau%20of%20Cultural%20Affairs">Camille Love, the Director of the City Of Atlanta's Office Of Cultural Affairs</a>. She wanted the Atlanta Music Project to be one of the after-school programs taking place at the Mayor's recreation centers, starting in September 2010. The Atlanta Music Project now runs out of the Office Of Cultural Affairs' <a href="http://www.atlantaga.gov/government/urbandesign_gilbert.aspx">Gilbert House</a>, where we're given the space, administration staff and infrastructure to run our classes. It's a great partnership, that partly comes down to luck and great timing, because if it wasn't for the Mayor and Ms. Love's vision, the Atlanta Music Project may not have launched this quickly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyMeRVXaReWJfx4COvAtV1Clw2BgkzRKy0enhhaQSRsKv5o-078adgv34I-JE-eNy2V6FeKSQOTd-eprzYkzfOWityVk9mURaUjDT-TQ9pt1gREH-aXOtEZMYrynOCzE4w-jVEvhL8Hk/s1600/Rameau.Love.Myers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyMeRVXaReWJfx4COvAtV1Clw2BgkzRKy0enhhaQSRsKv5o-078adgv34I-JE-eNy2V6FeKSQOTd-eprzYkzfOWityVk9mURaUjDT-TQ9pt1gREH-aXOtEZMYrynOCzE4w-jVEvhL8Hk/s400/Rameau.Love.Myers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Camille Love (Director of Cultural Affairs), Al Meyers (Co-Founder and Board Chair of AMP) at a press conference where Mayor Kasim Reed announced the launch of the "Culture Club: An After-School Experience". <br />
The Atlanta Music Project is the provider of music classes in this after-school program.</td></tr>
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Here's another one. In April of 2010, the 2010 Abreu Fellows left <a href="http://dantesrameau.blogspot.com/2010/02/introduction-to-el-sistema-in-caracas.html">Caracas</a> to go back to the United States. The first leg of the trip was from Caracas to Atlanta, so I opted to spend our spring break in Atlanta, where I would keep trying to get things going with the Atlanta Music Project. Showered, but unshaven and in need of a haircut, I rented a car at the airport and drove straight to the <a href="http://www.woodruffcenter.org/">Woodruff Arts Center</a>, home of the <a href="http://www.atlantasymphony.org/">Atlanta Symphony Orchestra</a>, where students of the <a href="http://www.atlantasymphony.org/Community/TalentDevelopmentProgram.aspx">Talent Development Program </a>were performing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Students of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony's Talent Development Program at the Gilbert House, giving a performance and demonstration of string instruments to the students of the <br />
Atlanta Music Project.</span></td></tr>
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At the reception for this concert, <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/boardroom/">Melanie Darby, who is on our board of advisors</a>, introduced me to <a href="http://www.woodruffcenter.org/About-Us/People/Stanley-Romanstein.aspx">Dr. Stanley Romanstein</a>, the new President of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. I asked Dr. Romanstein if we could meet so I could talk to him about my plans for El Sistema in Atlanta. The meeting went great and at the end he asked "So, what do you need?" On the advice of my Abreu Fellows Program mentor, Don Jones, I was prepared for this question. I asked Dr. Romanstein for office space within the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra offices (I was tired of spending my days at coffees shops for their wifi and my evenings going to FedEx to print documents, spending money I didn't have). His exact response was "done." I was actually kind of confused for a second because I had prepared a bunch of reasons why I the office space was needed, but I never had to explain. I believe we were lucky that Dr. Romanstein, who is a former Executive Director of the <a href="http://www.bsfa.org/">Baltimore School For The Arts</a> and a champion of music education, joined the Atlanta Symphony literally a few weeks before I arrived in Atlanta from Venezuela. Dr. Romanstein and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra have been strong supporters of our program from the beginning and I couldn't be more grateful for their support. The timing couldn't have been better.<br />
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In February 2010, I went to <a href="http://dantesrameau.blogspot.com/2010/02/abreu-fellows-at-ted-2010.html">TED2010 with some of the 2010 Abreu Fellows</a>. I blogged about performing on stage, meeting Will Smith and Sheryl Crow etc. What I didn't tell you then, because I didn't know where it would lead, is that on the last night I walked into the elevator at our hotel and met two TEDsters who happened to work for <a href="http://www.coca-cola.com/">Coca Cola</a> in Atlanta. They had just seen me perform with the Abreu Fellows on the TED Stage and so they knew all about El Sistema, El Sistema USA and the Abreu Fellows Program. I told them I was planning El Sistema in Atlanta and asked if there was a Coca Cola Foundation I could apply to for funds. They put me in touch with the Coca-Cola Foundation and I met with them later in April. The foundation folks said it sounds like a good idea, but please come back when you have more traction. Fair enough, but not the answer you want to hear when what you need to get traction is, funding. But with the City Of Atlanta partnership developing, we were finally able to secure funding from Coca-Cola that essentially enabled us to launch the program. The Coca-Cola company is still our biggest sponsor to date and I'm thankful for them having taken a leap of faith to support our music for social change initiative. To see all our sponsors and collaborators, please visit <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/partners/sponsors/">this page</a> and <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/partners/collaborators/">this page</a> on the Atlanta Music Project website.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7KW3S1v9j2kUgxeDXnJP4cZKqoiQqRACPmOlNwCkEfEFV84x_JfGN7MmO17Qp6jzxcUM2lf2H9Y16VkBN214dUJ4WebLYKBsWSuaIcwxtFPyQxLtOuhvkrm480PRk5hgLYp6gmWsPjE/s1600/Fellows+at+TED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7KW3S1v9j2kUgxeDXnJP4cZKqoiQqRACPmOlNwCkEfEFV84x_JfGN7MmO17Qp6jzxcUM2lf2H9Y16VkBN214dUJ4WebLYKBsWSuaIcwxtFPyQxLtOuhvkrm480PRk5hgLYp6gmWsPjE/s400/Fellows+at+TED.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Abreu Fellows performing at TED2010. </td></tr>
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The City Of Atlanta Office Of Cultural Affairs, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Coca-Cola Company are three of our partners, without whom, the Atlanta Music Project couldn't have launched. When I talk about us being lucky, people often tell me it's not luck but the result of hard work. I certainly believe that is true. We have a board, volunteers and enthusiasts who work tirelessly on our behalf. But I think the two biggest factors in our successful launch are that we have a good <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/the-program/">mission</a> and we've been lucky. So far, no one has told me (at least not to my face!), that what we're doing here is not both needed and positive. I believe that what <a href="http://www.fesnojiv.gob.ve/en.html">El Sistema</a> has done in Venezuela and what the <a href="http://elsistemausa.org/the-abreu-fellows-program/the-program/">Abreu Fellows Program</a> has become in the United States, is extremely credible, and we at the Atlanta Music Project are just a small part of a huge <a href="http://www.elsistemausa.org/">movement</a> to save lives with music. With all these elements supporting us, time and time again, my planning team and I found ourselves in the right place at the right time, with good fortune that helped advance our launch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKeI_y-CnNfK4tOlbQFGjgEC0LZAPFMYbf80EUsZbuACeNzWxvF2vcu5p8_CvadSwN3ChD1xr7NkAT85B407lUWdvKQKxreBNsMpUwlLZD5SCyBlyKMRVLcyj8OuTjVNgncbjykOT60gY/s1600/IMG_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKeI_y-CnNfK4tOlbQFGjgEC0LZAPFMYbf80EUsZbuACeNzWxvF2vcu5p8_CvadSwN3ChD1xr7NkAT85B407lUWdvKQKxreBNsMpUwlLZD5SCyBlyKMRVLcyj8OuTjVNgncbjykOT60gY/s400/IMG_0089.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AMP students in a trombone group lesson with <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/about-amp/teaching-artists/ed-nicholson/">AMP teaching artist Ed Nicholson</a>.</td></tr>
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In the end it is most important that our luck as a planning team has found its way to the community. <a href="http://atlantamusicproject.org/news/photos/">Our students</a> now have the opportunity to learn an instrument, sing in a choir, learn musicianship and play in orchestra, right in their own neighbourhood everyday of the week. They're great kids and I'll tell you a little bit about them in my next blog. Comments, concerns and questions about my blog or the Atlanta Music Project are always appreciated. Thank you for reading!<br />
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Check us out at <a href="http://www.atlantamusicproject.org/">www.atlantamusicproject.org</a>.<br />
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</script>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-27193038709508922092010-06-28T12:28:00.002-04:002010-07-06T22:03:11.159-04:00THE ABREU FELLOWS GRADUATE! WHAT NEXT?!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHf1dayUJj_VCub70TveB70gLmtkAu2j0bu5DYXkZfaqMgl3mMlRUC1bLMK1Mx01YXVGdW7y2mDe49-X3pdSXTnSnxR1Wjz-TNXZNRjC-RQiN27E7_YNgyUKEHMcz_-IZ1rmXCIwp_i_Y/s1600/DSC03240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHf1dayUJj_VCub70TveB70gLmtkAu2j0bu5DYXkZfaqMgl3mMlRUC1bLMK1Mx01YXVGdW7y2mDe49-X3pdSXTnSnxR1Wjz-TNXZNRjC-RQiN27E7_YNgyUKEHMcz_-IZ1rmXCIwp_i_Y/s400/DSC03240.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Graduation Pic</div><br />
Graduation Day. Just like that, a whole school year has flown by and my Abreu Fellowship colleagues and I have graduated. And we're now on to the reality of leading El Sistema programs outside of Venezuela.<br />
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For our graduation the New England Conservatory arranged a great little ceremony and reception for us. In attendance were many of the seminar leaders we had had over the year as well as NEC board members, faculty and staff. I enjoyed seeing both of my mentors in the audience: NEC viola faculty Martha Katz and NEC Vice-President for Institutional Development, Don Jones. The superb <a href="http://www.marcussantos.com/">Marcus Santos</a>, who led our Samba percussion workshop in January also showed up. And Martha, our spanish teacher was present with her new 3-week old baby boy. Oh, and how could I forget Anna Verghese and Amy Novogratz from the TED Prize! It feels like only yesterday they were interviewing me for the fellowship.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGF95vo9KYNf0zTN0HDbsVxZZ9-8ZIJT3xHFoCuiJJpb962UF2rDpxY3NGCqq-59IFB4cbW16ckiwcb3h-SZpfilGuipzKGwgtyPmXGTyNHZ77dg-nUMAjJr86PsjB4AkUbhC3RvTZrAs/s1600/DSC03243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGF95vo9KYNf0zTN0HDbsVxZZ9-8ZIJT3xHFoCuiJJpb962UF2rDpxY3NGCqq-59IFB4cbW16ckiwcb3h-SZpfilGuipzKGwgtyPmXGTyNHZ77dg-nUMAjJr86PsjB4AkUbhC3RvTZrAs/s400/DSC03243.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">With the Amy Novogratz and Anna Verghese of the TED Prize production team</div><br />
The ceremony opened with Katie Wyatt and I playing a couple of movements from Bach's First Suite for Cello, and Katie encored with a beautiful rendition of a song we heard many, many, many, many times in Venezuela, aptly titled "Venezuela". I didn't do nearly enough concertizing this year so when we were offered the chance to perform at the graduation I jumped at it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwyJADGyILVFQzXIoepsGjjRN9Kl3Zw9FaM5iyl4yiuyo1Bq5uLbn2ShrcQPw6N3HyshK05ulSr-NHfwRdPW09tUu-6uY4RHKlvObRx_4JXyq5KdUl_g_DE7BqlSc4AfzE0X7PMe7l-vI/s1600/DSC03250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwyJADGyILVFQzXIoepsGjjRN9Kl3Zw9FaM5iyl4yiuyo1Bq5uLbn2ShrcQPw6N3HyshK05ulSr-NHfwRdPW09tUu-6uY4RHKlvObRx_4JXyq5KdUl_g_DE7BqlSc4AfzE0X7PMe7l-vI/s400/DSC03250.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The two Abreu Fellows doing El Sistema in the South. Katie Wyatt in Durham and myself in Atlanta.</div><br />
As this was my fourth post-secondary graduation, I selfishly decided I had earned the right to dress the way I wanted. I wore khakis, a collared shirt and on top of that a t-shirt that was hand-made and given to me by one of the mothers of a child from the nucleo in Acarigua. It read: "YO SOY100% FESNOJIV" (I am 100% El Sistema), and below that were the Venzuelan flag and Canadian flag side-by-side. I thought it was appropriate attire and nobody complained (to my face).<br />
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Following the music we began our group presentation, very similar to the one we did in Los Angeles, basically reflecting on our time in Venezuela through anecdotes, stories, pictures and videos. I again told the story of 10-year old Carlos in Acarigua, who, nine days after I gave him his first bassoon lesson, was thrown into the nucleo orchestra to play Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture in concert. It's a great story that represents what El Sistema is about in so many ways. I discuss this in more detail in my blog post on our time in <a href="http://dantesrameau.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html">Acarigua, Venezuela</a>.<br />
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I have to say, after doing this presentation for Dr. Abreu in Caracas, in <a href="http://www.laphil.com/education/yola-symposium/index.cfm">Los Angeles for 200 professional music educators, administrators and musicians</a>, we had it down pretty good. I am particularly happy with having had so many opportunities to do public speaking throughout the year as I know it will come in very handy during the coming years doing this work. I'm still more comfortable playing the bassoon in public but compared to last October when just starting the fellowship, speaking in public is now a lot easier. In fact I quite enjoy it and would be lying if I said it wasn't fun. It doesn't hurt to have something so inspiring as El Sistema to talk about. It practically pitches itself!<br />
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Our presentation was followed by the presentation of the Abreu Fellows Program certificates, a reception in the office of NEC President, Tony Woodcock and tons of pictures.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5spyW51ckf9uwQ29OdJielVkSxBt2QibWy_z5Zrtc2rMXyhkwUraR0RXByQpLfWIgV5SueTz0f9bLtGxd-tXvM9mN895hSrdcAZB13CKicFH3GTopFzQuCW7GHKt-MrvuiL7aTEsqbew/s1600/DSC03253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5spyW51ckf9uwQ29OdJielVkSxBt2QibWy_z5Zrtc2rMXyhkwUraR0RXByQpLfWIgV5SueTz0f9bLtGxd-tXvM9mN895hSrdcAZB13CKicFH3GTopFzQuCW7GHKt-MrvuiL7aTEsqbew/s400/DSC03253.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">At the post-graduation reception with El Sistema USA Director Mark Churchill and El Sistema USA Managing Director, Stephanie Scherpf.</div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">AND NOW FOR NEXT YEAR...</span><br />
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This year of training went by very fast and has come to an end for us, the first class of Abreu Fellows, but the journey of playing our part as ambassadors of El Sistema has really just begun.<br />
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I should mention that I'm thrilled to learn that 10 new Abreu Fellows have been selected to form the second class. We've met quite a few of them already and read their biographies. As you will see soon when they are officially announced, they are a stellar group and I look forward to getting to know them better and working alongside them in the future. Remember, Abreu's TED Prize wish was to train 50 fellows, so this program will be around for at least the next four years and hopefully more. If you're thinking of applying, don't wait until the fifth year because it's going to get harder and harder to get accepted as more and more people apply for the fellowship.<br />
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Abreu Fellow and my "El Sistema in the South" partner in crime, Katie Wyatt, performs at the Abreu Fellows graduation ceremony.<br />
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As for the the first class of Fellows, we're taking our training and experiences to the real world. After spending the year searching for job opportunities, being recruited, doing interviews and tons of travelling, we'll be playing leading roles in El Sistema program all over the United States. Here's how it's breaking out:<br />
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Lorrie Heagy is returning to Juneau, Alaska to initiate Juneau Music Matters, Dan Berkowitz is Manager of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's YOLA, Christine Witkowski is leading YOLA's second site called YOLA at HOLA (Heart of Los Angeles), Alvaro Rodas is founding the Corona Youth Music Project in Queens, NY, David Malek and Rebecca Levi are co-directing a program in Boston at the Conservatory Lab Charter School, my main man Stanford Thompson is director of Tune-Up Philly, a program of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and Katie Wyatt is executive director of KidzNotes in Durham, NC. As for me, I will head to down to Atlanta as executive director of the <a href="http://www.atlantamusicproject.org/">Atlanta Music Project</a>.<br />
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The Atlanta Music Project will launch its pilot year in late 2010 in an underserved community in Atlanta. I have a great team in Atlanta and we've been working hard all year to get this program off the ground. It was hard to balance learning a bunch of new skills in the fellowship while applying them literally at the same time to a real world project. Several times I found myself in Venezuela working late into the night on the Atlanta Music Project. Balancing the fellowship curriculum, the Venezuelan residency and working on next year's project was a handful but at the same time it was exhilarating to be able to watch something spectacular in Venezuela during the day and then go back to the hotel at night and immediately apply what I had seen to a real-life project. I can assure you that all the other fellows were doing the same routine as me this year in order to have their programs launch on time too. El Sistema is very nice and all but no one ever said it was easy. A few times I asked myself what the hell I had signed up for. This year was a steep learning curve and sometimes I feel like we're all crazy to be jumping into this. But then again everyone thought Dr. Abreu was crazy too...<br />
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You can read all about the Atlanta Music Project on our <a href="http://www.atlantamusicproject.org/">website</a> and you visit our page on <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1833375224/the-atlanta-music-project-music-for-social-change-0">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1833375224/the-atlanta-music-project-music-for-social-change-0</a> to learn how you can represent the Atlanta Music Project by buying t-shirts, medallions, DVDs etc. We're also on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ATLmusicproject">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Atlanta-Music-Project/134499223236668?ref=mf">Facebook </a>where you can follow our developments daily.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXinSjKKMcGX5MBY6A5aktsSN_cty2d5VfSayBiRxmwzFXg3x1l2R9UxBa2Abff4AhzSJiLHqReyO5CqbtJlaaMK35iPPNtrXqAp4_OTcsba7-iNXnvCoJi60KizByoXEiaUYc2rdkRQc/s1600/DSC00029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXinSjKKMcGX5MBY6A5aktsSN_cty2d5VfSayBiRxmwzFXg3x1l2R9UxBa2Abff4AhzSJiLHqReyO5CqbtJlaaMK35iPPNtrXqAp4_OTcsba7-iNXnvCoJi60KizByoXEiaUYc2rdkRQc/s400/DSC00029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Abreu Fellows back at the beginning of the fellowship in October 2009.</div><br />
For me, the best thing about the Abreu Fellows Program is that it has given me the opportunity to engage in something that I felt was in me all along but was going to be hard to manifest itself from me simply playing the bassoon. I've always been sort of impatient and had low tolerance for injustice and inequality but I felt I couldn't do much about that by simply playing in orchestra, and this always bothered me. But thanks to the Abreu Fellowship, I now have a way to use music as a vehicle for something even greater. <br />
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Towards the end of our first meeting with Dr. Abreu in Caracas, he began to thank everyone for helping make the Abreu Fellows Program come true. Then, he sort of jokingly thanked himself for thinking of the idea of the Abreu Fellows Program. Later that day, one of Dr. Abreu's aids mentioned to us that that was the first time he'd ever heard Dr. Abreu give himself credit for any of the work he has done. I think he's right to thank himself, and I thank him too. Nobel Peace Prize for Dr. Abreu?<br />
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As I said, the real fun is only just beginning for my colleagues and I. Of course I will continue blogging about all things Atlanta Music Project, El Sistema and Abreu Fellows for (hopefully) many more years to come. Thank you for following my blog this year and please stay tuned for more!<br />
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Back the Atlanta Music Project on Kickstarter!<br />
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div>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-89978478344884781182010-06-22T02:08:00.003-04:002010-06-27T20:55:15.656-04:00El Sistema in the USA: The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra OrchKids Program<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovrVX7lsyI-e_gRggjarPmWX0qFmgHEcDtDnx6tj_k5bW-bUgqkk8eC5FxqKnUK-IWht_2vKqU7vEvvpAvuZjSHjG856vZrpcBkTZSBAmWEPbGBZyO7ykwhTKffWivXOxJMhz70DaiK8/s1600/DSC03226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovrVX7lsyI-e_gRggjarPmWX0qFmgHEcDtDnx6tj_k5bW-bUgqkk8eC5FxqKnUK-IWht_2vKqU7vEvvpAvuZjSHjG856vZrpcBkTZSBAmWEPbGBZyO7ykwhTKffWivXOxJMhz70DaiK8/s320/DSC03226.JPG" /></a></div>Back in May 2010 each Abreu Fellow interned at an El Sistema-inspired program somewhere outside of Venezuela. The idea was to experience how a program took its understanding of El Sistema concepts and applied them to their own community. The fellows interned at programs in <a href="http://www.yosa.org/">San Antonio</a>, <a href="http://www.laphil.com/yola">Los Angeles</a>, <a href="http://www.vyma.org/">Pasadena</a>, <a href="http://www.citymusiccleveland.org/">Cleveland</a>, <a href="http://www.peoplesmusicschool.org/index_files/yours.htm">Chicago</a>, <a href="http://www.harmonyprogram.cuny.edu/">New York</a>, <a href="http://www.makeabignoise.org.uk/">Scotland</a> and myself in Baltimore with the <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=10">OrchKids program</a>. <br />
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I arrived on the scene on May 16th, the night <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6490456n&tag=cbsnewsMainColumnArea.4">60 Minutes aired their segment on Gustavo Dudamel, the LA Phil's Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's OrchKids program</a>. I watched the segment with <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=9,5,1,1,2">Dan Trahey, program director</a> and Eli Worth, program conductor. Dan was pacing beforehand but I think he was quite thrilled with the outcome. I also thought it was a good segment. But since they were focusing on the spread of El Sistema in the USA I just wished they would had mentioned El Sistema USA or the Abreu Fellows. They did have a short clip of Mark Churchill (El Sistema USA/Abreu Fellows Program Director) speaking but only referred to him as "the head of El Sistema in the USA." It's a curious omission but I can understand this somewhat after spending the year trying to explain the complex links between Jose Antonio Abreu and the Abreu Fellows Program. It's not easy.<br />
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Just to recap (or explain, for newcomers), the short, incomplete version goes something like this:<br />
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-Jose Antonio Abreu launches <a href="http://www.fesnojiv.gob.ve/en.html">El Sistema</a> in Caracas, Venezuela in 1975 with 11 kids in a parking garage.<br />
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- In the 1990s El Sistema forms a National Children's Orchestra, of which <a href="http://www.gustavodudamel.com/">Gustavo Dudamel</a> is a part as a violinist and conductor. They eventually take on the name of Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra "B".<br />
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-Gustavo Dudamel wins the <a href="http://www.bambergsymphony.com/dirigentenwettbewerb1.html?&L=0">Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition</a> in 2004. Everyone asks "Who is this kid and where does he come from?" The answer is, of course, he is a product of El Sistema (El who?).<br />
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-Somewhere during this time, <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/faculty/mark-churchill?lid=8&sid=2">Mark Churchill</a>, Dean of the Prep School and of Continuing Education at the New England Conservatory, takes note of this national youth orchestra program in Venezula. This is the beginning of a long relationship between Churchill and NEC and Jose Antonio Abreu and El Sistema.<br />
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-Dudamel's victory in the Mahler competition leads to instant curiousity and eventually recognition of El Sistema, their Simon Bolivar Orchestra and Gustavo Dudamel. Who knew there were 350,000 kids playing in neighbourhood youth orchestras everyday after school all over a country better known for its oil, its president and its <a href="http://www.missuniverse.com/members/home">Miss Universes</a>.<br />
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-Cue concerts with the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra B and Dudamel all over the world, including the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vwZAkfLKK8">London Proms</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi1XVyYGkow">La Scala</a>, Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall. Plus hundreds of thousands of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=simon+bolivar+youth+orchestra&aq=1">hits on YouTube</a>.<br />
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-Dudamel is named music director of the <a href="http://www.laphil.com/">Los Angeles Philharmonic</a>.<br />
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-Jose Antonio Abreu is garnering prizes all over the world, including in the United States, the <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/jose_abreu_on_kids_transformed_by_music.html">TED Prize</a>, which is worth $100,000 and "one wish." His wish: to create the Abreu Fellows Program in order to train musicians to start El Sistema in the United States and beyond.<br />
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-Given its relationship with El Sistema in Venezuela, the New England Conservatory hosts the <a href="http://elsistemausa.org/the-abreu-fellows-program/the-program/">Abreu Fellows Program</a>. <a href="http://www.elsistemausa.org/">El Sistema USA</a>, a networking and resource organization, is formed to spearhead the Abreu Fellows Program and connect other American (and other) El Sistema programs to each other. Mark Churchill is director of both the Abreu Fellows Program and El Sistema USA.<br />
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-The Abreu Fellows study El Sistema all year (2009-2010), including trips to Venezuela and various US-based El Sistema-like programs.<br />
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Simple no? If you have questions or want to add or correct anything, please feel free to add your comment below the end of the blog.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7izyNXRVSMyluyxfwYvSuRoWLeSopgAY0Gh8Szkoc6ghPdthIS6cAMFSCIadb6-T9zjkeqpeXGsVtpYpu4u_ar5Rs6SGIlw_d3bb33cjV_r6vdV-NQSdUjMlHUhFVrj2fr1bLlUIMvLk/s1600/DSC03185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7izyNXRVSMyluyxfwYvSuRoWLeSopgAY0Gh8Szkoc6ghPdthIS6cAMFSCIadb6-T9zjkeqpeXGsVtpYpu4u_ar5Rs6SGIlw_d3bb33cjV_r6vdV-NQSdUjMlHUhFVrj2fr1bLlUIMvLk/s320/DSC03185.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Back to Baltimore. I believe the Baltimore Symphony OrchKids program has the right idea with its educational and community pursuits because just like El Sistema, they're using music to uplift youths and communities. An orchestra's weapon of contribution is music, and by bringing it to the community, especially underserved communities, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is winning the hearts of many, many people (including 60 Minutes), some of whom have never been anywhere near a symphony orchestra. I say it's a "weapon" because music, in this instance, is consciously being used as a tool to combat povery of spirit, lack of motivation and an abundance of free time. And when I say "bringing music to the community" I mean, putting instruments in the youths' hands...several times a week...all year long...all over the city.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApeVXuMEf_gsh5J1qIXHmT36xe6WgFbG_rIlhzxUSDbprroE2Knzlu-YSCu0rwHq36rBiF8vGMI1oWkJTopwKgHL8mavibhYNSsK8Zpmi603W1SueWW0aSkh5gauP1Lz3iCY0X-Xavng/s1600/DSC03184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApeVXuMEf_gsh5J1qIXHmT36xe6WgFbG_rIlhzxUSDbprroE2Knzlu-YSCu0rwHq36rBiF8vGMI1oWkJTopwKgHL8mavibhYNSsK8Zpmi603W1SueWW0aSkh5gauP1Lz3iCY0X-Xavng/s320/DSC03184.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>The OrchKids Program wants all 82,000 <a href="http://www.bcps.k12.md.us/">Baltimore City Public School</a> students to eventually be part of their program. It's a lofty goal, but I think it's the right direction to go in. I saw their 10-year plan. If they're able to stick to it, tickets to the Baltimore Symphony will be hard to come by in 10-15 years. To be sure, it's certainly an investment, but in due time, those kids (and their parents, friends and families) will have a life-long appreciation of the Baltimore Symphony. This kind of hands-on, sustained investment in youths and communities ought to be part of any good philanthropic plan if symphony orchestras are going to continue to be relevant in their own cities.<br />
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For more program details and behind the scenes footage on the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra OrchKids Program please see my blogs from November 2009 <a href="http://dantesrameau.blogspot.com/2009/11/week-with-baltimore-symphony-orchkids.html">here</a> and <a href="http://dantesrameau.blogspot.com/2009/11/week-with-baltimore-symphony-orchkids_14.html">here</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJQUK-CMWj_Y7Op2sTsZ6OST93x70xpjHon1tnvze_ba_6ogY2QVVviw9F1vdYSDuq4nUSZ_cKIpJbgKt-UkG2kTPg8D63d7PockefuAJsviIG4KC4Dp4euiHKtd95hrwx3gRhHoPh9w/s1600/DSC03211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJQUK-CMWj_Y7Op2sTsZ6OST93x70xpjHon1tnvze_ba_6ogY2QVVviw9F1vdYSDuq4nUSZ_cKIpJbgKt-UkG2kTPg8D63d7PockefuAJsviIG4KC4Dp4euiHKtd95hrwx3gRhHoPh9w/s320/DSC03211.JPG" /></a></div>I arrived at the OrchKids Program as they were preparing their end of the year concert. The idea was to turn the Lockerman Bundy Elementary School gym into a lavish concert hall. Baltimore Symphony music director <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=9,5,1,1,1">Marin Alsop</a> was to come conduct AND play violin as part of the concert (that's her in the picture on the left at the dress rehearsal). Certainly the program could have rented a nice hall, but I thought it was a strong statement by the BSO to bring the music to the school, which is in West Baltimore.<br />
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Along with some other volunteers and interns, I was tasked with helping out with the concert production, striking the stage, teaching some classes and acting as a stage hand during the concert.<br />
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Here's how we decorated the gym. First off, we needed to cover the hideous, beige, concrete-blocked walls with something more fancy. So we went to Wal-Mart and bought loads of black material to cover the walls. We used velcro tape to hang it. We ran white Christmas lights along the edge of the material. An actual three-foot stage was brought in for the ensembles to play on top of. We covered portable chalk boards with black construction paper to create the stage wings. We bought small floodlamps and fitted them strategically around the gym to create mood lighting. We needed lights aimed at the stage so using a ladder and some zip ties we fixed some floodlights to the basketball nets and pointed them toward the stage. We decorated the edge of the stage and the music stands with music notes cut out of construction paper. 300+ chairs were brought in for the audience, which included the familes, teachers and donors. Add the American flag, the State of Maryland flag and a podium for speeches. We turned off the gym lights, turned on the floodlights, turned on the air conditioning (which never ended up working) and VOILA, the gym was turned into a "concert hall". The picture of the dress rehearsal below and to the right shows our work. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oQkO7m2Gy_hMZPxB_cgvKNkh2Q-x44aJiSYJQqLg-z0RBBTiVoylw3cfVaIXbvdXv50WR4JxxSN-5t8ew6IhY2eNa7e08fEgk1wxczN_1uPkksyslSdicYoBDopS-sfnCLjnz_1mtqM/s1600/DSC03205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oQkO7m2Gy_hMZPxB_cgvKNkh2Q-x44aJiSYJQqLg-z0RBBTiVoylw3cfVaIXbvdXv50WR4JxxSN-5t8ew6IhY2eNa7e08fEgk1wxczN_1uPkksyslSdicYoBDopS-sfnCLjnz_1mtqM/s320/DSC03205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Flyers were made to announce the concert which was given the name: <br />
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"A Night With The Future: A Community Affair". <br />
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The concert involved about 150 OrchKids. There were several choir pieces, including Beyonce's "Halo", a bucket band number led by Baltimore Symphony percussionist <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=4,4,1,1&id=BrianPrechtl">Brian Pretchl</a>, a piece for piano and orchestra featuring Peabody Conservatory <a href="http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/418">Marian Hahm</a> on piano, a woodwind ensemble, a Stevie Wonder piece, a blues where every kid on stage took a solo and Baltimore Symphony music director Marin Alsop conducted the OrchKids orchestra in Amazing Grace. Marin also played violin in one of the pieces. The OrchKids teachers played with the kids on stage when needed but they made a point of staying out of the way and keeping the focus on the students. The kids performed admirably. The oldest are only in third grade and if they keep going at this rate they're going to be virtuosos.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvsbkvrnNBZ-Sg8sCq18ZxFTLF-jV2-5L1HPJZ4G5pqFYhPBLjgQdqfWpQ7NRhyfiMZuu85w4pcIQWxx3V5YiHRIxkHfUGxMQGwdbZDHOwN7z6QZgw62FSDmQwlun5pkegg6UaXa_eio/s1600/DSC03215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvsbkvrnNBZ-Sg8sCq18ZxFTLF-jV2-5L1HPJZ4G5pqFYhPBLjgQdqfWpQ7NRhyfiMZuu85w4pcIQWxx3V5YiHRIxkHfUGxMQGwdbZDHOwN7z6QZgw62FSDmQwlun5pkegg6UaXa_eio/s320/DSC03215.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The concert was followed by a reception in the school cafeteria where donors mingled with parents and kids with teachers. It truly was a community affair with the focus on "the future."<br />
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The OrchKids program embodies many of the concepts and philosophies I saw in Venezuela, indeed their program leadership (Dan Trahey and Nick Skinner) spent some time in <a href="http://dantesrameau.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html">Acarigua</a>, before the Abreu Fellows Program even existed, so they certainly know what they're doing. By keeping the focus on the music, the kids and the community I'm certain the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra will become an even bigger part of the city.<br />
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Please stay tuned for my next blog which will come out before the end of this week. It will include writings on our graduation, the new class of Abreu Fellows and my and the fellows' plans for next year.<br />
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</script>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-48285053581536024892010-05-17T00:23:00.010-04:002010-05-17T23:48:08.497-04:00CATCH UP!LET’S DO SOME CATCHING UP SHALL WE?<br />
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HOLY WEEK WITH THE NEW NATIONAL CHILDREN’S ORCHESTRA<br />
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I promised a surprise in my last blog, which was written in Venezuela, so here it is: <br />
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In an awesome example of how far El Sistema has come in the last 35 years, they are now putting out a fourth national orchestra. Just to be clear, there are presently 3 El Sistema orchestras that get their musicians from all over the country: <br />
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1) Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra A: An excellent orchestra of El Sistema veterans and graduates that performs mainly in Venezuela, <br />
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2) Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra B: They play all over the world and we’ve <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZbJOE9zNjw&feature=related">seen them on YouTube</a>. They actually started out as a national children’s orchestra (later changing their name to the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra) and slowly developed into the phenomenon they are today, with Gustavo Dudamel winning the Mahler conducting competition acting as a catalyst for the international El Sistema boom. Many of the players in Simon Bolivar “B” have been playing together since they were 10 or 11 years old. Indeed Dudamel himself was a violinist in the orchestra when he was growing up, and got one of his first conducting opportunities when a conductor was late to rehearsal and he voluntarily stepped in to conduct. <br />
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3) Teresa Careno Youth Orchestra: a national orchestra of high school students. If you’ve seen <a href="http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jose_abreu_on_kids_transformed_by_music.html">Abreu’s TED Prize video</a>, you’ve seen this marvelous orchestra. <br />
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And now, there’s a new, fourth orchestra: the National Children’s Orchestra, comprised of kids 15 years old and under. Their first week of rehearsals was held during Holy Week in Caracas and the Abreu Fellows were graciously invited to watch. We’re not allowed to show any videos or pictures of the orchestra yet so I’ll attempt to describe the scene.<br />
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The rehearsals are complete madness. Happening simultaneously we had: 358 kids playing Mahler’s 1st symphony. 20 basses. 18 bassoons. A trillion violins. A coach for every instrument section. Too many apprentice conductors. And running the rehearsal is Jose Antonio Abreu himself, sitting comfortably behind the apprentice conductor sipping ice tea. Yes, that’s correct, the 71-year-old founder of El Sistema still runs rehearsals. This is his baby, after all. <br />
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During the rehearsals the kids are told to sit tight because there’s a surprise for them. A few minutes later in walks Gustavo Dudamel. The kids go nuts. I almost start screaming myself but then remember that I am a guest and seated at the front of the room where I can be seen. <br />
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They play through Mahler 1, 4th movement for Gustavo. Then the teachers ask him if he has any comments and if he’d maybe like to conduct. The crowd goes nuts again. Gustavo can’t say no. Off comes the watch and out of the pocket the cell phone goes. He looks for a baton and within a few seconds there are a dozen batons in his face. He picks one. It doesn’t feel right. He picks another and steps onto the podium. He turns the score to the beginning of the 4th movement. He then proceeds to conduct the whole movement and never turns a page in the score. The kids play amazingly, like it’s their last day on earth. He then rehearses the orchestra, still without ever using the score, as the kids hang on to his every last word. Without question Dudamel is a rock star. The plan for this new children’s orchestra is for them to go on tour with a world-renowned conductor who I’m not allowed to mention, yet. Watch out.<br />
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Oh, I forgot to mention the six (maybe seven)-year old simply known as “Volcan.” He’s a percussionist who successfully auditioned for a spot in the children’s orchestra. In his spare time he conducts (and you should be accustomed to these stories by now), so of course, he was put on the podium for Dudamel, Abreu and the Fellows to watch him conduct, from memory, the 358 musicians in Venezuela’s national anthem. I have the video of this if you don’t believe me, I’m just not allowed to show it to you.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5p_37mDPzmIcbZRUfX0dNlkfxjAPS8eb8Za9dD3QGpBME7L9OXQVP-od5LnrUxcW_UmnxaiHeKRNWfq3DRFKRM5xTfpmbCisLgnkYaAXdy_0aZoBP0Kn7ugLktXQeBUlo3ecgSRG1Oqo/s1600/DSC02834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5p_37mDPzmIcbZRUfX0dNlkfxjAPS8eb8Za9dD3QGpBME7L9OXQVP-od5LnrUxcW_UmnxaiHeKRNWfq3DRFKRM5xTfpmbCisLgnkYaAXdy_0aZoBP0Kn7ugLktXQeBUlo3ecgSRG1Oqo/s400/DSC02834.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5p_37mDPzmIcbZRUfX0dNlkfxjAPS8eb8Za9dD3QGpBME7L9OXQVP-od5LnrUxcW_UmnxaiHeKRNWfq3DRFKRM5xTfpmbCisLgnkYaAXdy_0aZoBP0Kn7ugLktXQeBUlo3ecgSRG1Oqo/s1600/DSC02834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>With "Volcan" and Luis Cordova, bassoonist with the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra "B"</div><br />
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CUMANA<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46wZz8ahiZPSPiJmpRfLgTOzkA-HWuIufn_R4fINixJbT8fnBtqcKn9aXoFWY2lAzARsUJt6Ek-kzwy7n9IL2D1V_h4OSH2MEOksGo7oG-I6LikJmOE7m9KPTtT8N2DW3raEQfEHBLpo/s1600/DSC02896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46wZz8ahiZPSPiJmpRfLgTOzkA-HWuIufn_R4fINixJbT8fnBtqcKn9aXoFWY2lAzARsUJt6Ek-kzwy7n9IL2D1V_h4OSH2MEOksGo7oG-I6LikJmOE7m9KPTtT8N2DW3raEQfEHBLpo/s400/DSC02896.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cumana</div><br />
I need to mention my week with Stan in Cumana, a beach town on the coast of eastern Venezuela. The nucleo there was preparing for a concert to be performed in Caracas. Among the repertoire was Shostakovich’s 10th symphony, a staple of all the El Sistema orchestras. I should mention that they were also preparing some great Latin American repertoire. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I believe a symphony orchestra in this day and age is not limited to Mozart and Beethoven. It is an instrument that can play any kind of music with any kind of artist. Indeed many North American orchestras play various genres throughout their seasons and many of my highly trained colleagues from my school days play with hip-hop artists like Kanye West and Common. I hope to see this trend continue alongside the Tchaikovskys, Bachs and Brahms.<br />
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One thing I loved about Cumana was that people wear shorts. Being close to the beach, flip flops and surfer shorts were the norm. This was good for me because otherwise I would have stood out as a tourist with my khaki shorts and high white socks (I forgot to pack short socks). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPC5CAacAJm0r_26TfAY5cbPhhOj61GNQ_BDL_atcIRdEmRSDFubGFX8wC1jzqw910L640VOErLIJIjACgKXlClb4KE6jsnab1GHm7jHhMi88PfnbNL2PZMnuaC3XKqrL7cVJqF48Af2M/s1600/DSC02894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPC5CAacAJm0r_26TfAY5cbPhhOj61GNQ_BDL_atcIRdEmRSDFubGFX8wC1jzqw910L640VOErLIJIjACgKXlClb4KE6jsnab1GHm7jHhMi88PfnbNL2PZMnuaC3XKqrL7cVJqF48Af2M/s400/DSC02894.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPC5CAacAJm0r_26TfAY5cbPhhOj61GNQ_BDL_atcIRdEmRSDFubGFX8wC1jzqw910L640VOErLIJIjACgKXlClb4KE6jsnab1GHm7jHhMi88PfnbNL2PZMnuaC3XKqrL7cVJqF48Af2M/s1600/DSC02894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Cumana, fitting in with my high socks and shorts.</div><br />
The students at the nucleo promised to take me to the beach but of course that never happened because of the intensive concert preparation. Instead of beaching it on the coast on Sunday morning, I spent it coaching bassoonists from the entire state of Sucre (where Cumana is). I can’t complain, I had a great time. I also gave away the rest of the bassoon materials I brought down to Venezuela courtesy of Sue Heineman and Matthew Ruggiero.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM7_NCCtD0AhLDF1XV2BZF926Jju1xztvO_Mh7aAjgKV1l9uxS3yqtFrm0InWOkkJEaPTPvBRTDfhjes2bWxDHvD6HFvri1gRAtV9x4Q4ALyN_wVc-A3Mlsb4zJdOBsroPp1B7vFyKx8/s1600/DSC02882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM7_NCCtD0AhLDF1XV2BZF926Jju1xztvO_Mh7aAjgKV1l9uxS3yqtFrm0InWOkkJEaPTPvBRTDfhjes2bWxDHvD6HFvri1gRAtV9x4Q4ALyN_wVc-A3Mlsb4zJdOBsroPp1B7vFyKx8/s400/DSC02882.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTM7_NCCtD0AhLDF1XV2BZF926Jju1xztvO_Mh7aAjgKV1l9uxS3yqtFrm0InWOkkJEaPTPvBRTDfhjes2bWxDHvD6HFvri1gRAtV9x4Q4ALyN_wVc-A3Mlsb4zJdOBsroPp1B7vFyKx8/s1600/DSC02882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>In Cumana with the bassoonists from the State of Sucre Orchestra</div><br />
I should mention the dedication to the nucleo that many former music students demonstrate, and not just in lip service. Many of them have jobs, engineers and accountants for example but continue to teach at the nucleo on a weekly basis. Abreu talks about music affecting the student, the student’s family and the community. Well these former students have gone on to great careers for themselves, certainly helping their families along the way and giving back to the community by teaching at the nucleo. Enough said.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcHbsQice-jdDr5g84mumD3ds5HMIgTL-HXD2c_UJQcIPgksWlgLI2mv5jLWIphCiiZAlfhHDb_LesfHHXRJL4nkbwsKEzQRcoOMasbpAs7_KCr1FnI1oeSjiy1S8LVTKuJ8tFiapVo8/s1600/DSC02933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcHbsQice-jdDr5g84mumD3ds5HMIgTL-HXD2c_UJQcIPgksWlgLI2mv5jLWIphCiiZAlfhHDb_LesfHHXRJL4nkbwsKEzQRcoOMasbpAs7_KCr1FnI1oeSjiy1S8LVTKuJ8tFiapVo8/s400/DSC02933.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcHbsQice-jdDr5g84mumD3ds5HMIgTL-HXD2c_UJQcIPgksWlgLI2mv5jLWIphCiiZAlfhHDb_LesfHHXRJL4nkbwsKEzQRcoOMasbpAs7_KCr1FnI1oeSjiy1S8LVTKuJ8tFiapVo8/s1600/DSC02933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Cumana, la playa.</div><br />
CAMERATA LATINOAMERICANA AT HARVARD<br />
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I want to plug our Venezuelan colleagues living in Boston. They have a chamber orchestra called Camerata Latinoamericana and they performed at <a href="http://www.hks.harvard.edu/">Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government</a> a few weeks ago. A few of the players grew up with Dudamel. The week before the concert, Dudamel happened to be <a href="http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/04/16/conducting_a_movement/">in Boston to receive a prize at MIT</a>. My Boston-based Venezuelan colleagues tell me that while Dudamel was in Boston they snuck him into their school (late at night to avoid attention) and away from the lights and cameras Dudamel quietly coached the group; his friends who he came up with in his hometown of Barquisimeto. Check out this video of the group playing "Como Llora Una Estrella" (The way a star cries).<br />
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<object height="224" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/764055679267" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/764055679267" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224"></embed></object><br />
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THE CONFERENCE IN LOS ANGELES<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAYEvxAL5H3XFXENHi2_4lx-DZwNumfBBndkFiHMNgP-_AdSCndRoM0kcdeZwUahEf1jItMXNjQxk7jMPLTPvAG_gXxEwFwPH3yirAsxCAvmDLrqpyoD2dLGrZ3ySYgwKIMI6Txm76F8/s1600/DSC03119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAYEvxAL5H3XFXENHi2_4lx-DZwNumfBBndkFiHMNgP-_AdSCndRoM0kcdeZwUahEf1jItMXNjQxk7jMPLTPvAG_gXxEwFwPH3yirAsxCAvmDLrqpyoD2dLGrZ3ySYgwKIMI6Txm76F8/s400/DSC03119.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAYEvxAL5H3XFXENHi2_4lx-DZwNumfBBndkFiHMNgP-_AdSCndRoM0kcdeZwUahEf1jItMXNjQxk7jMPLTPvAG_gXxEwFwPH3yirAsxCAvmDLrqpyoD2dLGrZ3ySYgwKIMI6Txm76F8/s1600/DSC03119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> Los Angeles, <a href="http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/wdch-overview.cfm">Walt Disney Concert Hall</a> with a giant poster of Gustavo Dudamel that reads: "Pasion Gustavo"</div><br />
Upon our return to Boston the Abreu Fellows were handed an almost impossible task: create a one-hour presentation on our findings from our residency in Venezuela. And to make things a little more interesting we were to do this in the context of a <a href="http://www.laphil.com/education/yola-symposium/index.cfm">conference in Los Angeles put on by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The League Of American Orchestras and El Sistema USA</a>. The conference subject: The El Sistema movement in the USA. In the audience were to be 200 top-notch professionals representing orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, school board superintendants and courageous pioneers who had already started El Sistema-inspired nucleos. No pressure.<br />
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If you ever plan to take ten strong-minded musicians/educators, give them an hour to make a presentation on the secrets of a complex, ever-changing, musical system/non-system that has been developing for 35 years, you will get a near disaster. Our rehearsals and discussions were enlightening, disheartening, loud and passionate. We had all experienced El Sistema in our own ways. And to top it all off we had several people, including <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/about-nec/leadership/presidents-office/tony-woodcock">Tony Woodcock, President of the New England Conservatory</a>, critique (severely) our run-throughs, which was helpful, I might add. I’d be lying if I said I was extremely confident in our presentation going into it, especially for myself. After all, not 8 months ago I spent most of my waken hours in tiny rooms playing the bassoon, not wearing suits while advocating for the transformation of society-at-large through music.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxMH7gkwPe4rN6uFpZsOKt9oxB74pF6fIGD9WvGe6_f3X7MoeWph_v8orH4t-Gqu04E-zH4Jy1qApQMpCFeTyNHuOepSm_gKkij8m2rB9r5G_9unnpJVEIfugFUwK6rD2bOXd0vabaUo/s1600/DSC03123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxMH7gkwPe4rN6uFpZsOKt9oxB74pF6fIGD9WvGe6_f3X7MoeWph_v8orH4t-Gqu04E-zH4Jy1qApQMpCFeTyNHuOepSm_gKkij8m2rB9r5G_9unnpJVEIfugFUwK6rD2bOXd0vabaUo/s400/DSC03123.JPG" width="300" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Presenting at the LA Phil/El Sistema USA/League of American Orchestras conference on El Sistema in the USA</div><br />
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But I have to hand it to my colleagues. In the end we came through as a group and the presentation went pretty well. Not perfect, but we definitely pulled it off, receiving a standing ovation from an audience of very accomplished people. Every fellow really stepped up their game and presented beautifully. I was especially moved by <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/david-malek">David Malek</a>’s presentation. I’ll try to get a tape of it. All in all the presentation was a public speaking learning experience for me and of course I’m thrilled to have gone through it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9awLxSvwxRGZ7PpvU-g4UKrYe3LbTRUQNxFbpIG-WBQx07zx7EW4FriJXLxUMtyzOPDybIa8gRaDwwNDhLSedlKi-tdKMe2UO1qxZvjXBaPkbr7cnYT4w-o7rmiyaqQ9glDvJ1gDOFUQ/s1600/DSC03129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9awLxSvwxRGZ7PpvU-g4UKrYe3LbTRUQNxFbpIG-WBQx07zx7EW4FriJXLxUMtyzOPDybIa8gRaDwwNDhLSedlKi-tdKMe2UO1qxZvjXBaPkbr7cnYT4w-o7rmiyaqQ9glDvJ1gDOFUQ/s400/DSC03129.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> The Abreu Fellows, post-presentation<br />
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The conference was a real success. Partly organized by Abreu Fellow <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/daniel-berkowitz">Dan Berkowitz</a>, who is now manager of YOLA, the LA Philharmonic’s El Sistema Program, it was 3 days of “how can we all come together and make this music for social change thing work as movement in the USA and the world?” I was humbled by the presenters,panelists and participants for all the work they have done in their respective fields. I should mention Debra Wanderly Dos Santos, the young founder of the <a href="http://www.peoplesmusicschool.org/index_files/yours.htm">YOURS Project in Chicago</a>. Debra started YOURS with practically nothing and now has program with over 100 kids and will be expanding in the near future. A real pioneer and visionary, I sure you will be hearing more about her and the YOURS Project soon. <br />
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I should mention that we had the opportunity to watch Gustavo Dudamel conduct the kids from the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzLcDYQQmA">YOLA orchestra</a> (LA Phil’s El Sistema program) in Walt Disney Concert Hall where the LA Phil performs. This wasn’t simply for show. I saw the same thing in Cumana with the engineers and accountants who come back to their nucleo and teach there as well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8NLZO6BoVRPwWkqyxM-G73uVv06x7TGQeXwC4Etkgy0ZBL4VCLdGDEkmeKhi7EAndhPXIvyqOX5tKKrNhal-oa_HVN368_MVL5oKMoSGU004WPGAKz7c5Fgvlmmbp1FyV1XGu1ryb2M/s1600/DSC03116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8NLZO6BoVRPwWkqyxM-G73uVv06x7TGQeXwC4Etkgy0ZBL4VCLdGDEkmeKhi7EAndhPXIvyqOX5tKKrNhal-oa_HVN368_MVL5oKMoSGU004WPGAKz7c5Fgvlmmbp1FyV1XGu1ryb2M/s320/DSC03116.JPG" /></a></div> My Venezuela group looking sharp in LA<br />
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MR. ROBERT GUPTA<br />
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Remember I blogged and bragged about my former Yale School of Music schoolmate turned Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist Robert Gupta a few months ago? He’s the one who did the great TED Talk about his time working with the real-life Nathaniel Ayers, the protagonist in the movie <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrrLJT4YS9I">“The Soloist” starring Jamie Foxx</a>. Well, here’s Gupta’s TED Talk. He also spoke as part of a panel on education and music at the LA Phil’s conference. <br />
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ABREU FELLOWS INTERNSHIPS<br />
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Now we’re finally up to today. The fellows are currently in different cities throughout and United States and Scotland doing internships in El Sistema-inspired programs. It will be a nice way for us to see how these programs have adapted the Venezuelan El Sistema to the realities in their own communities. Currently there are Abreu Fellows interning at the <a href="http://www.renarts.org/">Renaissance Arts Academy</a>, <a href="http://www.vyma.org/">Verdugo Young Musicians Association</a>, <a href="http://www.laphil.com/education/ymi-overview.cfm">Youth Orchestra Los Angeles</a>, the <a href="http://www.peoplesmusicschool.org/index_files/yours.htm">YOURS Project,</a> <a href="http://www.citymusiccleveland.org/">City Music Cleveland</a>, <a href="http://harmonyprogram.cuny.edu/">The Harmony Program</a>, <a href="http://www.makeabignoise.org.uk/">Big Noise</a> (Scotland) and the <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=10">Baltimore Symphony OrchKids</a> program. I am doing my internship in Baltimore with the OrchKids. I’ll be helping to set-up their big end of the year concert in which we will be turning the school gym into a glorious concert hall.<br />
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60 MINUTES<br />
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El Sistema was again featured on 60 Minutes tonight. This time it focused on Gustavo Dudamel’s arrival at the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the El Sistema movement in the USA. The spot featured two programs: the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Youth Orchestra Los Angeles and the Baltimore Symphony Orchkids Program. I watched the show with some of the OrchKids staff tonight. Watch the 60 minutes spot <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6490456n">here</a>.<br />
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Man…these OrchKids that the Fellows worked with in Baltimore back in November were on 60 Minutes tonight! As I watched I couldn’t help but think how music is already opening doors for them the way it opened doors for me.<br />
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The Abreu Fellows are on Twitter. Follow us at: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/theabreufellows">www.twitter.com/theabreufellows</a><br />
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</script>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-28134573695666011322010-04-01T18:08:00.486-04:002010-04-04T16:23:00.532-04:00"Seminario en Los Llanos"<span id="goog_773579330"></span><span id="goog_773579331"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg086KLWgPkt0cA-og55Iw1CSIRxyc-ACRl206HVInVUfGGn0Vy8jasFHpIe37ggb_v07mfLsSGWudCn7F3IdSCxFhNeBYLaz9pcqDnlCk6jrsfuk26lGGIhbGzduK4Q9J1YTMCR8a_giE/s1600/DSC02550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg086KLWgPkt0cA-og55Iw1CSIRxyc-ACRl206HVInVUfGGn0Vy8jasFHpIe37ggb_v07mfLsSGWudCn7F3IdSCxFhNeBYLaz9pcqDnlCk6jrsfuk26lGGIhbGzduK4Q9J1YTMCR8a_giE/s320/DSC02550.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">An iguana hanging out on the hotel property.</span></div><br />
After spending most of the last three weeks in small groups, the Abreu Fellows are back in Caracas. This week is Holy Week in Venezuela, so most of Caracas is on vacation somewhere along the Caribbean Sea.<br />
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</div><div>More on what we've been up to during Holy Week in my next blog. Until then let me tell you about my group's last two weeks.</div><div><br />
</div><div>We spent them at the nucleo in the city of Acarigua-Araure in the state of Portuguesa. Acarigua is part of "Los Llanos" or "The Plains" region in Venezuela. Wikipedia tells me Los Llanos is a tropical grassland that can encounter a lot of flooding in the rainy season. We were there in the dry season and the average temperature was probably around 35 to 38 degrees celsius. I don't really understand why, but Venezuelans aren't big on shorts, even in this ridiculous heat. We were told that it was better not to wear shorts so we could blend in more. I couldn't handle the heat in Acarigua. I wore shorts every single day.<br />
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It also didn't help that the town, including the nucleo, cut electricity everyday for as much as 3 hours. We tried to avoid rehearsing when this happened but the students told me that they sometimes rehearse without electricity, hence without air conditioning. Ridiculous. The nucleo is trying to acquire a new space at the local university. I really hope they get it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRMUWkmZaf52WubeHDTHPGzlvBU61bcxP033YBafJ9nzTCWy0hdmsRa4rCojfSZSYTulXU1Pvp4qhyphenhyphen5i4fkQZrRse6fhqtdRdvQwTloFrmQ5Lq-7zlY9lT_TkRE3-S7RyoPfpv3vS2lY/s1600/DSC02664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRMUWkmZaf52WubeHDTHPGzlvBU61bcxP033YBafJ9nzTCWy0hdmsRa4rCojfSZSYTulXU1Pvp4qhyphenhyphen5i4fkQZrRse6fhqtdRdvQwTloFrmQ5Lq-7zlY9lT_TkRE3-S7RyoPfpv3vS2lY/s400/DSC02664.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Some of the younger nucleo kids partying after their concert.</span></div><br />
The people from this region are known as "Llaneros" or "Plainsman". The vibe in this region reminded me of being in Aspen, Colorado or Banff, Alberta. Upon arriving they advised me that the dish of choice in Los Llanos is meat. This brought a smile to my face. I proceeded to eat some the best steak and chicken I've ever eaten. It's called "carne en vara" or "meat on a stick". It tastes as good as it looks (with apologies to vegetarians):</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAS_UiyideZMaO3_v8e_aPo49uwxzzb1p9wX_aSY24VVnVJRMA9VFiEBqzDzaChev-2afs5lXLiQGFEx68GWuL6ZB0Bfko_31A2ZSeKze83QxtZGvTVLr6tg4w9pfKUTZeLvS3CPImONo/s1600/DSC02342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAS_UiyideZMaO3_v8e_aPo49uwxzzb1p9wX_aSY24VVnVJRMA9VFiEBqzDzaChev-2afs5lXLiQGFEx68GWuL6ZB0Bfko_31A2ZSeKze83QxtZGvTVLr6tg4w9pfKUTZeLvS3CPImONo/s400/DSC02342.JPG" width="300" /></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Carne En Vara</span></div></div><div><br />
Our good friend and special guest lecturer at the Abreu Fellows Program, Robert Zambrano, is the director of the nucleo in Acarigua. He had big plans for Jonathan, Stan and I. We were to spend the two weeks leading a "seminario" for his nucleo orchestra.<br />
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In El Sistema, a seminario is when the students get together over a given period of days to participate in intensive rehearsals, sometimes in preparation for a concert. The seminario can last a weekend or a month. It can take place at a retreat or at the nucleo and is often led by a guest artist. During that time the students rehearse and practice all day in an effort to put together challenging music, usually for a concert at the end of the seminario. Ok, I'll stop beating around the bush: it's band camp. And for those who don't know what band camp is, think of it like summer camp but instead of buidling camp fires and canoeing, the kids play music. And when they return to school they often get made fun of for going to said band camp. </div><div><br />
</div><div>One thing seminarios are used for in El Sistema is to challenge the students to learn repertoire that is very challenging for them in a short period of time. Of course it's also good for bonding, making friends, having fun and getting better individually and as a group. But I think the most important reason for having seminarios is to challenge the students by giving them repertoire that they think is unplayable and then have them play it in concert. It's a confidence builder. It's an exercise is setting goals for oneself and then achieving them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDq0N3Y5QpycDeT1rhb9Lnhuw_IBv48XsdVAd1ySJaC-MhK1Nig6wRHf-cQtbpeFeNu8DNwLwklvraRb3px6sXVrFLOVPkbMB59RK7NTjhoGFVPANXfHGLfnafYcYdLTJl4lthiqaMd3Q/s1600/DSC02412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDq0N3Y5QpycDeT1rhb9Lnhuw_IBv48XsdVAd1ySJaC-MhK1Nig6wRHf-cQtbpeFeNu8DNwLwklvraRb3px6sXVrFLOVPkbMB59RK7NTjhoGFVPANXfHGLfnafYcYdLTJl4lthiqaMd3Q/s400/DSC02412.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Young violinists practicing in the backyard of the nucleo.</span></div></div><div><br />
</div><div>The repertoire Roberto chose for the orchestra to play and for Jonathan to conduct was "Gloria al Bravo Pueblo" (Glory to the Fierce People), which is the national anthem of Venezuela, Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture and Danzon by Mexican composer Arturo Marquez. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Roberto essentially let us organize and run rehearsals the way we wanted. It ended up being great on-the-job training and a chance to practice running a nucleo for two weeks. The only constraint Roberto gave us was the times available to rehearse. He said: 3pm to 8pm Monday through Friday, the entire weekend and any other time we wanted. "What if the kids have school?" I asked. "They'll get special permission to get out of school for this," he responded. Well OK then...let's roll.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAnnbMb30QnNuu7aSS_ThSdvbTBZ3JCSHPc_p1KOBjhukB7NN5wLbPR1DtNFgdryYPxDUHxOWWidvLOwu2jSsmAVD6XnvVY1sY-peTk3e5OAGQXDNxzs_BlXjOaTHV3dGfiqzWY7Uqo0/s1600/DSC02426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAnnbMb30QnNuu7aSS_ThSdvbTBZ3JCSHPc_p1KOBjhukB7NN5wLbPR1DtNFgdryYPxDUHxOWWidvLOwu2jSsmAVD6XnvVY1sY-peTk3e5OAGQXDNxzs_BlXjOaTHV3dGfiqzWY7Uqo0/s400/DSC02426.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hanging out during a break from rehearsal. The boy with the yellow shirt is the nucleo orchestra's concertmaster, at age 13.</span></div><br />
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We decided to teach private lessons and master classes in the mornings, then in the afternoons we held sectional rehearsals and full orchestra rehearsals. Stan led the brass sectionals, I led the woodwind sectionals and Jonathan led the string sectionals and full orchestra rehearsals. He also conducted the final concert, from memory, in brilliant fashion. Kudos JAG.</div><div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AphtLw0rPhyIU0vlK8bL0PuQBYH8e3N3X8n0LqaQkO26glX5Lyj6-CwOg4NveP6YuljCa2WQLQZPsL7uM1CnhE0QceV5E2LHp_uJU45crv8PfVhO6ejFayk1eNVNshrzvqDha2FDL5Q/s1600/DSC02397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AphtLw0rPhyIU0vlK8bL0PuQBYH8e3N3X8n0LqaQkO26glX5Lyj6-CwOg4NveP6YuljCa2WQLQZPsL7uM1CnhE0QceV5E2LHp_uJU45crv8PfVhO6ejFayk1eNVNshrzvqDha2FDL5Q/s400/DSC02397.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Stan teaches a trumpet lesson while our camera man, Joaquin, does some filming.</span></div></div><div><br />
</div><div>Stan and I often played in the orchestra rehearsals after having coached our sections but didn't play in the final concert. After coaching these kids for two weeks, we figured it was more appropriate to keep the spotlight on them during the concert. Us playing with them in rehearsals was simply a form of teaching by playing. </div><div><br />
</div><div>These were long days and a lot work. The orchestra had never played 1812 and for a number of the players the piece was very challenging. However, Roberto insisted that they all play the concert no matter what.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoKqJUkvHRG4ClnsIhlCqLUA7qYfNRWAcHEPW3FA0BDdnNxq_uQ_HBaLptgV03CeiC9dEd-wt4smB7aGHuOJtQLVm681mO_pKJ9qMQwQ3vw2jMN2TEP0Om-dxq_dBLygj1a4FInRRtNg/s1600/24333_1391559956329_1452046868_1039694_2760500_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoKqJUkvHRG4ClnsIhlCqLUA7qYfNRWAcHEPW3FA0BDdnNxq_uQ_HBaLptgV03CeiC9dEd-wt4smB7aGHuOJtQLVm681mO_pKJ9qMQwQ3vw2jMN2TEP0Om-dxq_dBLygj1a4FInRRtNg/s400/24333_1391559956329_1452046868_1039694_2760500_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sitting in on the nucleo orchestra rehearsal.</span></div><br />
To get around this issue and still give all the kids the satisfaction of playing great music, Jonathan came up with the idea of writing out simpler parts for the less advanced players. He even had them play an audition of these simplified parts offering prizes for the best performances.<br />
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I taught 10-year old Carlos how to put a bassoon together and play an F major scale on a Wednesday. 9 days later he played 1812 in concert. Yes, I wrote him a simplified part and he had to sit through most of the piece without playing because the music was too advanced for him. But, he got to sit through great rehearsals beside older, more advanced players, play great music and play his first orchestra concert. This is inclusion.<br />
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I have to admit that it was difficult for me to understand why you would throw a kid into a concert when he can barely put the instrument together. But the way Roberto Zambrano explained it to me it was important that Carlos participate so he can see what it's like to prepare a piece, play it in concert and experience the audience's recognition for his work.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UOFykTFmpI6NI4S5RgusaLp3h22-cFdVIXEOF3FTxoQ-i7L2ShVCwtxPk3Wbu15Ea5vemKRvLoEhrdtQk8lKDWF1CS0qpAP-i124NRi2faDp8-ta_VN-tLvuO2xuPzrVfWTxYftEVj0/s1600/DSC02563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UOFykTFmpI6NI4S5RgusaLp3h22-cFdVIXEOF3FTxoQ-i7L2ShVCwtxPk3Wbu15Ea5vemKRvLoEhrdtQk8lKDWF1CS0qpAP-i124NRi2faDp8-ta_VN-tLvuO2xuPzrVfWTxYftEVj0/s400/DSC02563.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With Carlos and his family at his first orchestra concert. Hence, he received his first Tocar Y Luchar medal. </span></div></div><div><br />
</div><div>Was he bored or discouraged? I don't think he was. After singing in the choir and playing recorder for at least a year while watching the older players rehearse in orchestra, he was so wound up to play in orchestra that I don't think it mattered to him that he couldn't play all the notes. After our first lesson, I gave him a reed, had him put away his instrument and gave him some drills to do over the week. I went for a drink of water, came back a minute later, and found him with the bassoon put back together and practicing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTU8DH3MitwnGCMvY1d6-EjrwW4qcIS5fqnx7Yu9GIjB0CbQDyn76w4lOmzg_pEoMNPgL2T1igQ3Pa7PXoe0P-PmhxpDcYMbVB_8Sb9pDfjRWlGwVqWqKocUu01ieKnlvI3RoMx77TAE/s1600/DSC02540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTU8DH3MitwnGCMvY1d6-EjrwW4qcIS5fqnx7Yu9GIjB0CbQDyn76w4lOmzg_pEoMNPgL2T1igQ3Pa7PXoe0P-PmhxpDcYMbVB_8Sb9pDfjRWlGwVqWqKocUu01ieKnlvI3RoMx77TAE/s400/DSC02540.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"los vientos maderas" aka the woodwinds.</span></div></div><div><br />
</div><div>The notion of always challenging their participants and always setting goals that are a little bit outside of their reach is part of the spirit of El Sistema. Their motto is "tocar y luchar" or "to play and to struggle". The idea is that this fighting spirit can be applied to other areas of their lives. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Throughout these two weeks I also started thinking more about how the kids in El Sistema (or other similar music programs) transfer their music skills to life skills. One Saturday morning we called a rehearsal for 8 am. When we arrived at the nucleo there was only one student there. We didn't have enough people to rehearse until 9:30am. I was livid. I was upset that the kids were late, but I knew there was a more important reason why I was angry, but at the time I just couldn't quite put my finger on it.<br />
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I had spent most of the week coaching the woodwind sectionals. Coaching them to play the right style here, working endlessly on tuning there, giving them ideas on how to practice difficult passages and how to mark their orchestra parts. I thought I was being hard on them because I wanted them to play well and also to have some tools to keep on improving when we weren't around. But after they arrived late that Saturday morning, it started coming together for me. I wasn't being hard on them because I wanted them to play perfectly.</div><div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYDIJ0o6OQaTjV7W_wBXB0DiLpnXmW18VQ-skP81FySmYsVdM_2zyia8BNSUHD9LrVGNhekYwuZbNtwRECdhJz8TzZJxaabLMh3-B8VDX_FbkkzUI05SJdQKm1ZApH16LyEzMFTp8M-0/s1600/DSC02580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYDIJ0o6OQaTjV7W_wBXB0DiLpnXmW18VQ-skP81FySmYsVdM_2zyia8BNSUHD9LrVGNhekYwuZbNtwRECdhJz8TzZJxaabLMh3-B8VDX_FbkkzUI05SJdQKm1ZApH16LyEzMFTp8M-0/s400/DSC02580.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Acarigua nucleo director, Roberto Zambrano, gets the orchestra ready before showtime.</span></div><br />
Through teaching them all this musical stuff they were implicitly learning skills for life. Having the discipline to practice their part at home and come to rehearsal prepared was teaching them responsibility, learning to play in tune and blend their sound with other players was teaching them how to listen and consider other people's positions and difficulties. Telling them to write notes in their parts so they wouldn't forget certain instructions was teaching them to be sharp, reliable and alert. Putting them on the spot and having them play alone was developing their confidence and ability to perform in front of others. Going over passages with lots of fast notes in a slow and methodical fashion was showing them that there's no secret to success except quality practice in a progressive and consistent way. Encouraging them to play like soloists was honing their expressiveness. Making sure they were on time was showing them that they mattered, that they were part of a large group or society that depended on each one of them and that part of being respectful of others was to be on time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJGo71ittIYehp1l7EVpFPERlrxwcVFIVocGFfMKOERb9WGYG5LUU5bl-zTKcQNVExwXt77QMbqtXhjlDqhxvSdiNrXiG61pFq5XL-X5xI52Sjemzlu5sSmbX2jhxuF-yuvKWEtShkEU/s1600/acarigua+reed+class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJGo71ittIYehp1l7EVpFPERlrxwcVFIVocGFfMKOERb9WGYG5LUU5bl-zTKcQNVExwXt77QMbqtXhjlDqhxvSdiNrXiG61pFq5XL-X5xI52Sjemzlu5sSmbX2jhxuF-yuvKWEtShkEU/s400/acarigua+reed+class.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Teaching a reed scraping class and handing out some free materials courtesy of Sue Heineman (National Symphony Orchestra) and Matthew Ruggiero (retired from Boston Symphony Orchestra).</span></div></div><div><br />
I guess these links between music skills and life skills are rather obvious, especially to music educators, but it wasn't until I was put in this position of preparing these kids for an important concert that I felt a responsibility to teach them more than music.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSqe1N-DAcXnD9MO4Te1AgxFBXvsO58M-EW9-f9ukm1xcY1feUL7ba6uRgnTSd9cuvXe9Fy5RGc-tYgEzhIaRBWiALToB8__DgGqGd9bG8ZnbmyIwgX46GHdfL8klvRYfxsH-NqgPLLU/s1600/DSC02672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSqe1N-DAcXnD9MO4Te1AgxFBXvsO58M-EW9-f9ukm1xcY1feUL7ba6uRgnTSd9cuvXe9Fy5RGc-tYgEzhIaRBWiALToB8__DgGqGd9bG8ZnbmyIwgX46GHdfL8klvRYfxsH-NqgPLLU/s400/DSC02672.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With the nucleo staff and the camera crew after the concert.</span></div><br />
It all started making more and more sense to me. I now remember in high school how I was almost like two different people: I was a musician and I was just a normal kid doing stupid things kids do. Then slowly as I developed as a musician all the tools I was using to get better were seeping into my school work and social life. The two people were becoming one: the musician took better notes in class (except chemistry class), the musician that liked playing things well in every rehearsal started hating going to class if he hadn't done the assigned reading. When others got tired of working the musician just kept going because, that's just what had to be done to get it right. And the cocky high school athlete in me got tired of hearing myself talk and instead spent more time listening to and learning from others.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7R4ELQxlR4Z3NeA1vKWnu2drsOV30VBaFtHF9L7oXjHv3vLeIPjS0JZoyp2u79YPgLVN4AZMzjFkRY9d_jSdl1n1b8HTi9wH6TErFXOxlmQCbl4udMdwqynFeCKE9tu2ukmaf3aRnOL8/s1600/DSC02599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7R4ELQxlR4Z3NeA1vKWnu2drsOV30VBaFtHF9L7oXjHv3vLeIPjS0JZoyp2u79YPgLVN4AZMzjFkRY9d_jSdl1n1b8HTi9wH6TErFXOxlmQCbl4udMdwqynFeCKE9tu2ukmaf3aRnOL8/s400/DSC02599.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Jonathan conducting the nucleo orchestra in concert.</span></div><br />
So when the kids were late that Saturday morning, I now realize that I had gotten so upset not because we missed out on rehearsal time but because they weren't fully understanding the importance of how their work as music students would benefit them in other parts of their lives. I voiced my displeasure to Roberto, who was just as upset as I was and he gave his students a good talking to. They did much better after that. I still don't know if they understand what is at stake for them here, but that doesn't matter, yet. It took me awhile to figure out too. But eventually I think they will understand that the way they approach their music will bare resemblance to the way they approach their lives. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqI3feM-lGEZZYoYvVBXVdUPz-4q93inMb65c_32N9EylgYMJAA9sAiDroX23cbQ1oiZa-SZ-4lhLTvlnzSrK6MSfahJqO_Gdg9VWeQ5RNu6kd-trsoK63V1ESvylpVsMqqoLfZxJ09nk/s1600/DSC02558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqI3feM-lGEZZYoYvVBXVdUPz-4q93inMb65c_32N9EylgYMJAA9sAiDroX23cbQ1oiZa-SZ-4lhLTvlnzSrK6MSfahJqO_Gdg9VWeQ5RNu6kd-trsoK63V1ESvylpVsMqqoLfZxJ09nk/s400/DSC02558.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Plaza Simon Bolivar in Araure, where the concert took place.</span></div><br />
The concert was scheduled for Saturday March 27th in the Simon Bolivar Plaza. In the run-up to the concert Roberto had us on two local televisions shows, do an interview for the city newspaper and took out ad space in a newspaper. On one of the TV shows I somehow got convinced to demonstrate my mediocre skill at "baile de tambores", which is a traditional Afro-Venezuelan drum dance that I've been working on. The staff at our hotel poked fun at me for my attempt. Apparently the whole town saw it. I'll keep practicing but I hope a video of it doesn't end up on YouTube.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0OdVBT1y6KZA_y9VgMmOGTKWkMBbGfa6biEZJ_kApDhEng9oMnwBV-FWPiL3DCvV7X9Q8he3-VpGgX8oHjNPEMdx1eKyVgHC9qtjkcJvrJJVr7OhiU3uARIvBPOeBfYG0lpSOVTHRTA/s1600/DSC02648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU0OdVBT1y6KZA_y9VgMmOGTKWkMBbGfa6biEZJ_kApDhEng9oMnwBV-FWPiL3DCvV7X9Q8he3-VpGgX8oHjNPEMdx1eKyVgHC9qtjkcJvrJJVr7OhiU3uARIvBPOeBfYG0lpSOVTHRTA/s400/DSC02648.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hanging out after the concert with two bassoonists from the nucleo. As you can see I've received my Tocar Y Luchar Medal and custom-made El Sistema T-shirt complete with Canadian and Venezuelan flags.</span></div><br />
The concert went off without a hitch. Jonathan did a fine job leading the orchestra and the kids played very well, showing remarkable improvement over two weeks. Just before playing the Danzon, Jonathan, Stan and I received our own Tocar y Luchar medals, a plaque, and homemade t-shirts with the words "I am 100% El Sistema" and the Canadian (American for Stan) and Venezuelan flags joined together. Following this we went back to the nucleo for a reception with the families of the participants where we did some eating, pictures and dancing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbPux02ZwQUHSHkzF6_tUf05DTBGDBgXGuwgeIB_NUOllQsB2BQ-2uP9ID6TbE7lYe6jGUMeWckr6MRQKaLdW0kTxWXZ_K75Dr9vcf39JeT9Ec4bk-eicJa3WyhbTI5oouAhMDlkLuns/s1600/DSC02607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbPux02ZwQUHSHkzF6_tUf05DTBGDBgXGuwgeIB_NUOllQsB2BQ-2uP9ID6TbE7lYe6jGUMeWckr6MRQKaLdW0kTxWXZ_K75Dr9vcf39JeT9Ec4bk-eicJa3WyhbTI5oouAhMDlkLuns/s400/DSC02607.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Roberto Zambrano presents Jonathan, Stan and I with the Tocar Y Luchar medal. His son Karel, who is holding the medals, is a percussion student at the nucleo.</span></div><br />
During the two weeks we also took two day trips. On the first one we went to the nucleo in Guanare to go see Abreu Fellows Program Seminar Director Eli Epstein, a longtime former horn player with the Cleveland Orchestra. Eli spent 10 days leading his own seminario with the brass students, which culminated in a great concert in which he conducted the Guanare Nucleo Brass Ensemble. Bravo Eli!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCwQ_jWqkNcCFXbE61xb_9naoEZJ6BAoC7821Q1l4rHveEfxfxwyLg8FvJCiCvDwnud1-Y1UPSnPemcaHUBA-wAMaJ4ekXPYwOuNcPgLnkCbyknKIDZalIfAhMcqm6hp7v2TJfT-hYgA/s1600/DSC02498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCwQ_jWqkNcCFXbE61xb_9naoEZJ6BAoC7821Q1l4rHveEfxfxwyLg8FvJCiCvDwnud1-Y1UPSnPemcaHUBA-wAMaJ4ekXPYwOuNcPgLnkCbyknKIDZalIfAhMcqm6hp7v2TJfT-hYgA/s400/DSC02498.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our Seminar Director Eli Epstein is mobbed by students after he conducts them in a brass ensemble concert in Guanare. Eli received a plaque and medal as well.</span></div><br />
Our second day trip was to Barquisimeto which is Gustavo Dudamel's hometown. Dudamel is so popular in his hometown that graffiti of his name can be found in several places. We saw the nucleo in Barquisimeto but Roberto really took us to Barquisimeto for two different reasons: to eat goat ("chivo"), which the town is famous for, and to take us to a nearby town called Quibor, to do some souvenir shopping at the markets.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Vg4OwsmAqIQPq2vEihh09n0BdOrHT79tc0BPfZPZH3MvVPVIvNGqWlYr1DX4Bg47qL1uxs5ObIvVfoTeK6-6DpOmuYFJKOBlMJThsr_3tpuzsapZHBxqE2ZrQzwPI6sqmX3mC6OR1gw/s1600/DSC02710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Vg4OwsmAqIQPq2vEihh09n0BdOrHT79tc0BPfZPZH3MvVPVIvNGqWlYr1DX4Bg47qL1uxs5ObIvVfoTeK6-6DpOmuYFJKOBlMJThsr_3tpuzsapZHBxqE2ZrQzwPI6sqmX3mC6OR1gw/s400/DSC02710.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The market...great for souvenirs.</span></div><br />
There is some really big stuff going on here in Caracas this week. I'll write about it in my next blog. If you think El Sistema is just another music program, you have another thing coming.<br />
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As always, I'm open to questions, comments and requests. If there's something about El Sistema that you'd like to know more about just let me know. And more importantly, if there's something about El Sistema that you don't like or disagree with, I want to know as well. I know and they know that the program isn't perfect. It's in constant development, as their motto suggests. But what truly impresses me about El Sistema, are its philosophies and how they are applied with such commitment and to such a vast number of youth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHG77EQvYeymU8ofJBOssEifHZoJIRUw9vzlDOFdNCUiAA8yefJNyh8swf4SPvqw1RVc3orXTFjMf7RTlzC4b7ebEuEtXpPiRZjNe1w4o_qYW2khX7jSpZ1k8GT6ASFdelNRmCH9gYvw/s1600/DSC02589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHG77EQvYeymU8ofJBOssEifHZoJIRUw9vzlDOFdNCUiAA8yefJNyh8swf4SPvqw1RVc3orXTFjMf7RTlzC4b7ebEuEtXpPiRZjNe1w4o_qYW2khX7jSpZ1k8GT6ASFdelNRmCH9gYvw/s400/DSC02589.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The nucleo percussion section before the concert starts.</span></div><br />
After Holy Week, we're back into our groups again. Jonathan has returned to North America for a couple of weeks to do some auditions but Stan and I will be heading to Cumana, a town which is on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. Stay tuned for more.<br />
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</script>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-62023976675514378752010-03-16T03:24:00.002-04:002010-04-04T16:27:09.727-04:00Mérida: Part 1: Words<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMh2C56vccPM1t7pXY4uZ3zKZ6QedR6K1AFz2NOS__3I_hxV5GKT1m_dR1EMySLROOxE3zNNCVZSdxsiWbf6ad87VUTDvjfOy_n6h8UksaaTu7bqlieiXjPH40d_UWbq3gcDFFrIr7rEc/s1600-h/DSC02332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMh2C56vccPM1t7pXY4uZ3zKZ6QedR6K1AFz2NOS__3I_hxV5GKT1m_dR1EMySLROOxE3zNNCVZSdxsiWbf6ad87VUTDvjfOy_n6h8UksaaTu7bqlieiXjPH40d_UWbq3gcDFFrIr7rEc/s400/DSC02332.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Welcome to a three-part blog on my ten days in the Venezuelan Andes. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I haven't been able to blog in a while because we've been really busy and have had spotty internet access but I've been documenting quite a bit so I have lots to share. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We've been doing lots of different things from teaching, performing, learning through observation and improving our Spanish. Part 1 of the Mérida blog will be in words, Part 2 in photos and Part 3 in videos. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After spending two weeks in Caracas, on March 4 the Abreu Fellows split up into three groups. My group is Stan (trumpet), Jonathan (conductor/french horn) and myself (bassoon). We set out to learn as much about El Sistema in Mérida by observing/learning, teaching and performing. For me, to get a full understanding of El Sistema and Venezuela, it's important to be equal parts observer, musician, teacher and student and I'm really happy that our time in Mérida has turned out that way.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The director of the Mérida nucleo, Jesus Perez, wanted us to get an overview of how El Sistema works in his state so throughout these 10 days we got to see several nucleos all over the state of Mérida in the following cities: La Azulita, Tabay, El Vigia, Mucuchies, Santa Cruz De Mora, Chiguara and of course Mérida. Just to avoid confusion I should probably mention that Mérida is a State and its capital is the city of Mérida. Much of the state of Mérida is in the Venezuelan Andes, so most of the towns we visited are way up in the mountains. As you'll see from the scenery pictures, it's a beautiful state.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlChGzOrENufmCWPJLkxzRVsT8Q0HLRL1MDX3njnigTJO0YIVcLaL1D57K2DAY2wjajPIml-CRN6W7ffKmpuRybAc93QTZyUVAcGYcBYYZQr0GMfOvyPNg21SLxWzBeLz2VPddj1RV_M/s1600-h/DSC02324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlChGzOrENufmCWPJLkxzRVsT8Q0HLRL1MDX3njnigTJO0YIVcLaL1D57K2DAY2wjajPIml-CRN6W7ffKmpuRybAc93QTZyUVAcGYcBYYZQr0GMfOvyPNg21SLxWzBeLz2VPddj1RV_M/s400/DSC02324.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On our excursions to the different cities, every nucleo presented us with a showcase of their students and ensembles. We saw everything from orchestras, recorder ensembles, special education ensembles, choirs, violin lessons and more.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The nucleo directors were all great and wanted us to perform and teach after the showcases. That's exactly what we wanted to do anyway so our visits were always of a give and take nature. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For example in Mérida, Mucuchies and Chiguara, Jonathan conducted and rehearsed the orchestras. In San Juan De Mora, Mérida, and Tabay, Stan taught trumpet masterclasses. In La Azulita, which is a newer nucleo with less students, all three of us played with the orchestra for the showcases.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">All the nucleos seem to have a book of pieces that they play. Arrangements of pieces like Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, Beethoven's Ode to Joy, Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, Brahms Hungarian Dance #5, Shostakovich Symphony 10 2nd movement, Bach Brandenburg Concerto #3 and of course Danzon and Mambo. In terms of a system, there is definitely a systematic list of pieces that is available to all the nucleos but it is up to the teachers at each nucleo to decide which piece will be played and when.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeRWxTGCeX8QWIAG2ih0PYDbr_kr8Is_DZyu3MFnNatu2NSWyb-HOkCHJjSjyrMke6JxBbcaG_psBVglJjus4QQIv3i6Gk7WZF0dX0kI30jP1WU9L6yQnqq1yWXpAabtCTITRS6CzrRQ/s1600-h/DSC01949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeRWxTGCeX8QWIAG2ih0PYDbr_kr8Is_DZyu3MFnNatu2NSWyb-HOkCHJjSjyrMke6JxBbcaG_psBVglJjus4QQIv3i6Gk7WZF0dX0kI30jP1WU9L6yQnqq1yWXpAabtCTITRS6CzrRQ/s400/DSC01949.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Alongside the typical orchestral instruments, some nucleos have Venezuelan folk music programs with instruments like cuatros, maracas, Venezuealan folk harp and more. So while the orchestra is the main ensemble of the nucleos, El Sistema allows room for many other forms of music.<br />
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In North America that means our El Sistema-inspired programs can consist not only of orchestras but also of jazz ensembles, bluegrass ensembles, hip-hop ensembles, funk ensembles, rock ensembles and more. In my opinion, if the music is uplifting and requires daily practice in order to master the skills needed to perform, then I think it's legit.<br />
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Throughout our stay I also got a chance to teach some private lessons, lead some woodwind section rehearsals and perform. I somehow managed to get through all this in Spanish. The students were very patient with me regarding my Spanish and often corrected my mistakes, which I was grateful for because it helps me learn more quickly.<br />
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I can't say enough about the enthusiasm the students have. They'll all so eager to learn and play. It happened several times that the showcase was over and they wouldn't leave the stage. They love to perform and they seem to know nothing about stage fright.<br />
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At one sectional rehearsal I led in El Vigia, it was extremely hot and we had worked hard all afternoon so I thought I'd give them a choice: leave 15 minutes early or keep working. All hands went up to keep working. In Tabay, the nucleo showcase lasted 10 minutes. Stan and I then played a few solo pieces for them and thought that would be the end of it. Then they started screaming "otra!, otra!, otra!" So we played more. Then when we ran out of stuff to play for them, we played their music with them...for two hours! They wanted to keep going. Luckily a ballet class kicked us out of the room or I think I'd still be in Tabay right now. Their enthusiasm is contagious. No matter how tired I was when I got to the nucleos, at the end of the day I didn't want to leave.<br />
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I also love the feel of the nucleos. It's hard to explain, so maybe I'll try to get a video of this sometime. The feeling of the nucleo reminds me of that of a YMCA or Boys and Girls Club, but for music. It's a place where kids can just hang out: before their rehearsals, after their rehearsals, they can drop in whenever they want to practice, or they can drop in just to hang around. The nucleos (at least the ones that have enough staff) are always open even when classes are not taking place. Picture a street corner with a big building that is the nucleo. There's a little snack shop beside the big building with tables outside. It's hot and sunny, all day, everyday (this definitely helps with the relaxed feel). The corner is swarming with kids: some eating, some playing marbles, some playing instruments on the sidewalk. I could have spent entire days just hanging out in the lobby. And for me the great thing is that it was always about music. Everyone there was dedicated to the program: the security guards, the nucleo driver, the parents, the teachers, everyone. Hanging on the corner with a violin or a trumpet, waiting for your rehearsal to start. That's sounds so much better than hanging on the corner with nothing to do and nowhere to go. And if kids don't have anything to do once school is done, who's fault is that? I think it's ours (adults), so let's give 'em instruments and music.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQHkGnwyiPim_k8GoswJ_Fd3crl2dZuKN5lIFqcvRENM9oeTzxOIH15NQaXnMohDZFCCKsiy5VhMELU2L9BILdyZicQQtIQ3OgUlzIgzjdJKGjSy5u_rjcSYT8LxmZuTd7oRmeahCIxI/s1600-h/DSC02150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQHkGnwyiPim_k8GoswJ_Fd3crl2dZuKN5lIFqcvRENM9oeTzxOIH15NQaXnMohDZFCCKsiy5VhMELU2L9BILdyZicQQtIQ3OgUlzIgzjdJKGjSy5u_rjcSYT8LxmZuTd7oRmeahCIxI/s320/DSC02150.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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El Sistema brings new meaning to the word access. I believed it but down I'm seeing in person. Their thing is that because music is so good for you, everyone should have the right to experience it. So the programs are available to any child, rich or poor, white or black, with no initial audition. If a student is talented, works hard and wants to play in a more advanced orchestra then there are many opportunities. El Sistema has city, regional, state and national orchestras which are very competitive to get into. In this way nobody is denied but then again nobody is held back. If you just want to play in the nucleo orchestra with your friends then you can do that (you still have to do it well though) but if you want to be the next Yo-Yo Ma, then there's a track for you too. Enough with the one youth orchestra per city, only two spots available each year, thing. Our professional concert halls are half-empty. It's time to get more kids into youth orchestras so that in the future when they're adults they're actually interested in going to see live music.<br />
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Continuing with access, El Sistema also has programs for students with cognitive, hearing, sight and physical deficiencies. We saw choirs of deaf children alongside choirs of children that can hear, we saw two blind boys play a percussion duet, a lady with cerebral palsy play the piano and a percussion ensemble of children with hearing and sight deficiencies, learning disabilities and physical handicaps. It doesn't matter what the issue is. If there is a way for the child to play music, and there almost always is, then the special education teachers find a way to integrate the kids. I saw a mother in tears (of joy) as she helped her daughter, who's blind, off stage after she performed three solo pieces on violin.<br />
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I also really enjoyed seeing how the special education programs were integrated to the regular programs whenever possible. For example the, White Hands Choir was not only for deaf children but for any child that wanted to be in the choir. I can only the imagine the sensitivity, patience and empathy a child develops if they sing everyday in a choir with others that can't see or can't hear. In terms of music programs for kids with special needs, I believe El Sistema is miles ahead of the game. I'd like to know more about similar programs in North America so please let me know if you know of any.<br />
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There's even an El Sistema program for inmates at one of the jails in Merida. We were supposed to go see it but some of the inmates were on a hunger strike so we were told it was too dangerous to go. I met the conductor of the jail orchestra and he's going to try and get me pictures from the jail.<br />
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After 10 days, we've now come down from the mountains and are in the Los Llanos (The Plains) for the next 15 days, in a city called Acarigua. Roberto Zambrano, the director of the nucleo here, has lots of plans for Jonathan, Stan and I so I'm sure it will be a great two weeks. It's also ridiculously hot here. My friends in Canada will love this: the average temperature in Acarigua for this week is about 38 degrees celsius, 100 degrees fahrenheit for my American friends.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oB_I9uXZhOrSW544PGrhg-phgRWVjpp83ku-1EDAn6tYZb0Mj0pkxt9RZKprz-X1StXUU-WrKsMUesBns1-WerkU65TXo6gTjPLNkii_wcZv953QN7NjKWwnlhoR6tluI1NMrIPVAmU/s1600-h/DSC02181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oB_I9uXZhOrSW544PGrhg-phgRWVjpp83ku-1EDAn6tYZb0Mj0pkxt9RZKprz-X1StXUU-WrKsMUesBns1-WerkU65TXo6gTjPLNkii_wcZv953QN7NjKWwnlhoR6tluI1NMrIPVAmU/s400/DSC02181.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Please check out Part 2 and 3 for pictures and videos of our time in the El Sistema programs in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">. I recommend watching the videos through to the end so that you have can see the reactions of some of the students when they finish playing and the audience applauds. In that moment music means the world to them. They seem confident, happy and understand why they work so hard. For me, that's the beginning of the social change that music provides.</span></span><br />
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</script>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-58788987406850370942010-03-16T03:23:00.004-04:002010-03-16T12:51:50.533-04:00Mérida Part 2: Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNBebIPwoSd__s-Cwr4fdVGyH0ClY6xULHehurEkZdXHRDYhxYvt1uoShzWVIzPwbQMOBuVDDf8EyJsAwd6xl22HfcH0G46l504R9lmT7iAVeuk8uWQ6rBygQCk_c6SuaDQZFVaWgeTQ/s1600-h/DSC01946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNBebIPwoSd__s-Cwr4fdVGyH0ClY6xULHehurEkZdXHRDYhxYvt1uoShzWVIzPwbQMOBuVDDf8EyJsAwd6xl22HfcH0G46l504R9lmT7iAVeuk8uWQ6rBygQCk_c6SuaDQZFVaWgeTQ/s400/DSC01946.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Stan warms up while a student looks on at La Azulita Nucleo in La Azulita, Venezuela. The kids were always so curious and excited to see us and listen to us. I'm pretty sure they didn't know exactly who we were or why we were there but as soon as they saw us playing they would follow us around, ask questions or as in this picture, just sit and listen.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeNx5irVEuddB3aLVoT8e4WoN7-wd2L8yZJSbxyHa6VDF1sqhWEO-2wwm1kmAguV-d1xIXe0rZdhlVu9_9hoRYGTqdeNHOFsRso4sAmEgU-iAf4lqXdULcYC0fJyfMxnwbwY6AP9Zgvw/s1600-h/DSC02096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeNx5irVEuddB3aLVoT8e4WoN7-wd2L8yZJSbxyHa6VDF1sqhWEO-2wwm1kmAguV-d1xIXe0rZdhlVu9_9hoRYGTqdeNHOFsRso4sAmEgU-iAf4lqXdULcYC0fJyfMxnwbwY6AP9Zgvw/s400/DSC02096.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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The choir performs for us at El Vigia Nucleo in El Vigia, Venezuela. Notice the difference in age between the singers. Mixing kids of all ages is common in all El Sistema ensembles. The younger kids look up to the older ones for guidance and improvement and the older ones learn responsibility and leadership. Social change through music.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCGcaPSKMENYOwsYGELo6gc7xccJ_WPqKEqMQglECMEqv84EdZIHm8wKArJPPge5gDqvz0E8TXZ1ppqhHhHRaLs1kxZcbMMfV7Ey2nKo8EmfiVWfyd_7hQeRFLM_7H8nAbSRU6lxspEU/s1600-h/DSC02129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCGcaPSKMENYOwsYGELo6gc7xccJ_WPqKEqMQglECMEqv84EdZIHm8wKArJPPge5gDqvz0E8TXZ1ppqhHhHRaLs1kxZcbMMfV7Ey2nKo8EmfiVWfyd_7hQeRFLM_7H8nAbSRU6lxspEU/s400/DSC02129.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The three fellows with our hosts in front of the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida Nucleo director's house. From L to R:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">me, Director's son Abraham, Nucleo Director Jesus Perez and his wife, Omar, our driver with his son </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Omar Jr, Jesus Perez Jr with his sister Jessica, Stan, Jonathan. The director's son, 18 year-old Jesus Perez Jr, is a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">percussionist with the Simon Bolivar A Orchestra and often returns to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida to teach at his </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">father's nucleo.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaG236skZRAxM_Z6G-eC0bFR9_z5YJze-supBOzvbSgrujuspLplq_YFk-j5dEw2eT7jwVxFJPN3gUF0tQYgAsF2vR0vYfFlPw62NHGG6w0mojZJmF9ZFvkHT3dCikE1TFhgLmRLIf4U/s1600-h/DSC02135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaG236skZRAxM_Z6G-eC0bFR9_z5YJze-supBOzvbSgrujuspLplq_YFk-j5dEw2eT7jwVxFJPN3gUF0tQYgAsF2vR0vYfFlPw62NHGG6w0mojZJmF9ZFvkHT3dCikE1TFhgLmRLIf4U/s400/DSC02135.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jonathan leads the orchestra through some Haydn at the Mucuchies nucleo. Mucuchies is located at 10,000 feet. It's significantly colder up there. I saw many of the kids playing with tuques, scarves or jackets. I was pleasantly surprised to find nucleos in the most remote, mountainous areas. Most of the nucleos in the state of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida are within 2 hours of the city of Mérida so they have a great structure </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">regarding the teaching. Most of the instrumental teachers in the city of Mérida nucleo belong to the </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">professional orchestra in town. However there are too many nucleos in the state of Mérida for these </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">teachers to get at all of them so what happens is that the best players in the city of Merida are paid to </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMDyxayg2NMrXQmnv8xbYFUFeN20wZI8W_AimX9KxtP7qsIHmFDRUzNP96oDMOm7t5W5aHOiM9oVvWlvZmgNa3QkadmF6SCxqxNa4N2mhFeBg5BLLnZaqNc_mEeoUImqZViq5xazXyQw/s1600-h/DSC02187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMDyxayg2NMrXQmnv8xbYFUFeN20wZI8W_AimX9KxtP7qsIHmFDRUzNP96oDMOm7t5W5aHOiM9oVvWlvZmgNa3QkadmF6SCxqxNa4N2mhFeBg5BLLnZaqNc_mEeoUImqZViq5xazXyQw/s400/DSC02187.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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The woodwind section from the nucleo in Santa Cruz De Mora. I worked with them on intonation, moving and listening when playing in orchestra and chamber music and led them through some of Brahms' Hungarian Dance #5. The kids at this nucleo were great and eager to learn. We got there around 10am and didn't leave until 7 pm. We were supposed to be done after lunch. Oops.<br />
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I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">n this picture below we see the orchestra of the nucleo in Santa Cruz De Mora playing a Bach Bradenburg Concerto. The older gentleman playing with the kids is Mauricio, the nucleo director/conductor. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXtj6dwfmvQL-KohKWKgPQWvuHWA3aQm4TFd7vj19cSH1TbbGk5owi8wdvUKX_c8vqJjpLiiihlnkSeD1lHxdPp7-IvT8ddmjJq3Pqd1_7AjsEI4Pi_cGz-4zNCEMu8Kvaey2PVTlW_4/s1600-h/DSC02215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXtj6dwfmvQL-KohKWKgPQWvuHWA3aQm4TFd7vj19cSH1TbbGk5owi8wdvUKX_c8vqJjpLiiihlnkSeD1lHxdPp7-IvT8ddmjJq3Pqd1_7AjsEI4Pi_cGz-4zNCEMu8Kvaey2PVTlW_4/s400/DSC02215.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfwIPjlVNYrj9xdNVcOVyn8SAwIQ1gO-ivQQ6myzInzWepoBRfw5mfT19vL56FQMsp_WKa5aGZpaUZMNlwWLS-TVdcnitL5TxqBneWbCB2Hxo95L1UWVN2_qNaW2Sc9jj62SMSfnuZ_0/s1600-h/DSC02245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfwIPjlVNYrj9xdNVcOVyn8SAwIQ1gO-ivQQ6myzInzWepoBRfw5mfT19vL56FQMsp_WKa5aGZpaUZMNlwWLS-TVdcnitL5TxqBneWbCB2Hxo95L1UWVN2_qNaW2Sc9jj62SMSfnuZ_0/s320/DSC02245.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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I never got this child's name here in the wheelchair. He was part of the percussion ensemble in the special education showcase at the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida nucleo. He never smiled until the music started and he </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">was able to bang on his drum. His part was simple, but he was able to play in time with the </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">rest of the ensemble. </span></span><br />
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This young girl in the picture below is blind. At the special education showcase she played three solo pieces, bringing her mother to tears. In this picture she is playing the Suzuki classic Go Tell Aunt Rhodie. She also sings in the White Hands Choir, which you can see sitting behind her.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcaNnJi45Qs0CEGCbuJXr9vfpk7QrjFLnZDuY9neFWs8GajWlzQtGx3GUDTwA5_P_gO0FAh7Ew5j0b6PoeaQxw3Z1yMyRVyBnVHRnZvU9qzIH8f2yl57HqozDaeNSGmHjLi0jJoEMJ1Q/s1600-h/DSC02252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcaNnJi45Qs0CEGCbuJXr9vfpk7QrjFLnZDuY9neFWs8GajWlzQtGx3GUDTwA5_P_gO0FAh7Ew5j0b6PoeaQxw3Z1yMyRVyBnVHRnZvU9qzIH8f2yl57HqozDaeNSGmHjLi0jJoEMJ1Q/s400/DSC02252.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I teamed up with the bassoon students and teacher at the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida nucleo to play a small bassoon chamber music concert. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">From L to R: Professor of Bassoon Ruben Duran, Jorge, Emiro, Marco, me. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Everyone of these students goes to the nucleo six days a week while simultaneously going to university. Some are studying music and others are studying engineering. I'm not sure if there's an age limit for </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">participation in El Sistema and I will find out, but my impression is that theydon't have an age limit and </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVT55pdV1A8Slm0QhKw0_B2OnfaDqVssG5nSVV6idfdVEiQm_RuG3PEjPOrhHnhus_CgOGhOg4QlrEHmRL9gdpSiWqISePk5N4S8M8rNdUcpNHeizm_MIgXXMxNvENy29NpYc3vY5Dxq8/s1600-h/DSC02304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVT55pdV1A8Slm0QhKw0_B2OnfaDqVssG5nSVV6idfdVEiQm_RuG3PEjPOrhHnhus_CgOGhOg4QlrEHmRL9gdpSiWqISePk5N4S8M8rNdUcpNHeizm_MIgXXMxNvENy29NpYc3vY5Dxq8/s400/DSC02304.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Hanging out in the Simon Bolivar square in town of Chiguara. Every city in Venezuela has one or more public squares and they're always named after Simon Bolivar and have statues or busts of him.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Students from the El Sistema Folk Music program at the nucleo in San Juan De Los Morros peform for us. This didn't take place during our time in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. San Juan De Los Morros is about 2 hours from Caracas. I put up this video because it was a simply a great performance. How great would it be to have music from different cultures be played at El Sistema programs in North America? Since North America is such a melting pot of cultures, the sky's the limit in terms of the type of music.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another performance from San Juan De Los Morros. Watch these two blind students play a snare drum duet for a crowd of about 500+. What I really like about this video, besides the playing, is to see the students in the background so excited to be watching and then applauding at the end. I noticed this at all the nucleos I've been to. All the students at the nucleos love to watch the special education students perform. I'm sure they appreciate how much more difficult it is to play music without seeing or hearing.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><object height="224" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/749803760227" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/749803760227" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224"></embed></object></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This video is of "El Coro De Los Manos Blancos" or "The White Hands Choir". Basically the concept is that students with hearing deficiencies participate in a choir by using sign language instead of singing. In order to keep the beat they use movements such as dancing or swaying side to side. When the White Hands Choir performs they do so at the same time as another choir in which the participants actually sing the music. So there are two conductors conducting at the same time, one leading the sign language for the White Hands Choir and one leading the singing choir. The result is what you see in this video taken at San Juan De Los Morros near Caracas. I should point out that the White Hands Choir is open to any student, not just the ones with hearing deficiencies.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This video is from the city of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> nucleo. In it we get to see how the special education teachers work with students who have hearing deficiencies. For example, in order to teach violin, the teachers color code the four strings with bells. Each bell is a different color and has the same pitch as the strings on the violin. From there I'm not sure how they get to more complicated stuff, I missed some of the explanations because they were in Spanish. I'd appreciate any insight. But suffice it to say that this is painstaking work and takes a lot of time. I should point out that several of the special education teachers at the Merida nucleo are students in the regular music program who give their time to work with the kids that have special needs. Another excellent opportunity for peer-to-peer mentorship.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><object height="224" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/749803081587" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/749803081587" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224"></embed></object></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is the choir from the Santa Cruz De Mora Nucleo in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> State. The song is called "Himno A La Paz, or Hymn To Peace and it's by a Venezuelan named Jose Apolinar Cantor. My eyes got watery while watching this performance and I don't even understand what they're saying! </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><object height="224" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/749854987567" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/749854987567" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224"></embed></object></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here's a video of my fellow Abreu Fellow Jonathan Govias conducting the end of Beethoven's Egmont Overture during one of the rehearsals of the youth orchestra in the city of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida nucleo</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. The nucleo director wanted our roles as fellows to be hands on so he had us participate in some of the rehearsals. From my seat in the bassoon section I took a little break from playing to record this clip.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><object height="224" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/749854413717" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/749854413717" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224"></embed></object></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This video is from the string orchestra class at the city of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> nucleo. In it we catch a glimpse of perhaps the next Gustavo Dudamel. The teacher simply asked who wanted to come up and lead the orchestra through an exercise and this kid volunteered. If you're a music student in Venezuela and you want to conduct, you will have an opportunity. Here, as soon as a student can, he/she is given the responsibility to lead his peers. We've probably seen around 30 or 40 performances in Venezuela and I'd guess that the average age of the people conducting the performances is somewhere between 20 and 30, with several under 25. How is Dudamel conducting all this great repertoire all over the world at the age of 28? People here tell me that he started conducting orchestras when he was about 11 years old so maybe that's the answer. Look out for a Venezuelan maestro in a concert hall near you because believe me, they start them young and they're coming.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<object height="224" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.facebook.com/v/750102850847" /><embed src="http://www.facebook.com/v/750102850847" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="224"></embed></object><br />
I capped off my stay in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> by teaming up with some of the bassoon students and the bassoon teacher to play a little chamber music concert. In this video we play two movements of a well-known bassoon quartet (well-known among bassoonists, that is) called Le Phoenix by Michel Corrette. Thank you to bassoon professor Ruben Duran and his students, Jorge, Emiro, Marco, Leonar and Claret for a great 10 days at the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mérida</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> nucleo. </span></span></span></span></span></div><br />
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I learned my first important lesson about El Sistema this past week. We all know that "El Sistema" translates to "The System." Well please allow me to reveal to you one of the secrets of El Sistema: There Is No System.<br />
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Our camera man Joaquin, who is a native of Caracas, compares this lack of system to the traffic in Caracas. The traffic here is almost always congested. Motorcycles and mopeds can drive between in the lanes legally and pedestrians make frequent and casual appearances in the roads. In some places the traffic is so slow that venders easily walk between the lanes selling everything from car chargers to tupperware. <br />
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Now to an outsider like myself it seems like complete chaos, but ask any Caraqueno and they will tell you that every car or motorcycle knows exactly what they're doing and where they're going. How they do it though, is always changing, reacting in real-time, adjusting to the world around them.<br />
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This is how El Sistema functions. It's mission, the democratization of music. Its method, fluid, flexible and always adapting.<br />
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So when they told us last week that we would be going to Montalban, the flagship nucleo in Caracas, I was really looking foward to it. Then Monday came and plans changed. Instead of Montalban we went to Rinconada. Apparently Montalban was being fumigated.<br />
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On Tuesday I saw my colleague Dan during lunch and he said, "the jazz band at the Simon Bolivar Conservatory has invited us to observe their rehearsal. If you want to go you have to be ready in 2 minutes."<br />
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Wednesday it was back to La Rinconada. We had Thursday afternoon off until it was announced, at the last minute of course, that we were going to Montalban to observe their classes. We also went to Montalban on Saturday to watch the orchestra rehearsals but we arrived to find out that the orchestra was departing for an impromptu concert. <br />
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All week I heard plans for us to go Barquisimento next week, but everytime I heard about this trip the day changed. I still don't know if we're going. Tuesday is the latest I've heard. We were originally supposed to be in Caracas until about Feb 26. Well, ends up we'll be here until March 4. Why? They haven't told us.<br />
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This is "The System." And I think it's beautiful.<br />
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I quickly came to terms with the fact that here, writing anything in an agenda is a futile exercise, so now I just keep my bassoon, camera, note pad, pen and bottle of water ready to go. It's actually quite nice as everyday is a surprise.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT8Vr1Cwc99_NzfzGwfynwXQBJGPSNra_RE28h2KWxbdYJrI4XkRlei8OaA3RJQwm-JoUBKOGkwSwagw0d-OatLcQQCaX8kMBT2FSLytyUfdFXuI6-EKiUGXJn-gcM2L10o1kmNCrK-w/s1600-h/DSC01582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisT8Vr1Cwc99_NzfzGwfynwXQBJGPSNra_RE28h2KWxbdYJrI4XkRlei8OaA3RJQwm-JoUBKOGkwSwagw0d-OatLcQQCaX8kMBT2FSLytyUfdFXuI6-EKiUGXJn-gcM2L10o1kmNCrK-w/s320/DSC01582.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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So how does this apparent lack of organization help? I think for one that it helps El Sistema make the most of every opportunity. In a movement that is trying to grow and reach 1 million kids in 5 years, they have to have an organizational structure and mechanism in place that is flexible and adaptable to take advantage of any opportunity: to play a concert at a big event, to take a meeting with a potential community partner or funder or to find a spot for 20 new students in a nucleo.<br />
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This kind of thinking helps in the teaching of the the students as well. For example, we were told at La Rinconada Nucleo that for the string classes there are no set pieces to be played. They have plenty of options for pieces so instead of a strict curriculum, they adjust to the development of each individual class. If the class moves slower as a group they'll play easier music. If the class loves to play percussive and fast music, they'll play more of that style. If the class needs to work on style perhaps they'll play more Mozart.<br />
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And finally this model of flexibility keeps everyone on their toes and motivated. Did the Montalban orchestra kids know they were going to play a concert yesterday when they arrived at the nucleo? I doubt it, since we were sent there to watch their rehearsal. That means that students better be ready to play anytime or anywhere. Responsibility and courage are learned without even being taught explicitly.<br />
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Yesterday we were at a function when a few top brass El Sistema employees got a call from Maestro Abreu for something important. They were up and gone in a few minutes. Apparently this happens quite often. Does this get annoying for them? I'm sure it does, but what a feeling it must be to know that no day at work will be the same and that you're part of something that is moving forward, constantly reshaping itself in order to fulfill its mission.<br />
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Yes, the mission. Let's not forget that the <a href="http://www.fesnojiv.gob.ve/en/mission-and-vision.html">El Sistema mission</a> is so clear, and let's be honest, so good, that you can't help but think that while things are a little chaotic there is a goal and everyone involved knows what is being strived for.<br />
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Here are some pictures and videos from our activities this week.<br />
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Observing a bass and cello class at La Rinconada nucleo. They were working on a two-octave G major scale and a Suite by Jean-Phillipe Rameau. The teacher constantly emphasized to the class that they had to be ready to play, all of them together, when they were instructed to. This is normal, one has to be alert in an orchestra rehearsal. What stood out for me was how the teacher emphasized that they all had to be ready, so if one person wasn't ready, they would put their instruments down and start the process over. So this process was developing personal responsibility, teamwork and looking out for one another.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsI0tZdbJ4pDja-PT0T2BBhiYuapHM81GWvtZDlbpdh14S5w5yty026mlQaY40ahyphenhyphen9mvpgSyEBxUg8rPzmagOxv-9bUUvGV9aW1Ck56DoFDeTTyurrpBlDlLJdzp_FMPCdlnVaIFgDkQ/s1600-h/DSC01380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsI0tZdbJ4pDja-PT0T2BBhiYuapHM81GWvtZDlbpdh14S5w5yty026mlQaY40ahyphenhyphen9mvpgSyEBxUg8rPzmagOxv-9bUUvGV9aW1Ck56DoFDeTTyurrpBlDlLJdzp_FMPCdlnVaIFgDkQ/s400/DSC01380.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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With the teacher, Amilcar, and his bass students from the cello/bass class:<br />
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La Rinconada string teacher, Josbel Poche explaining to us the paper orchestra. The paper orchestra, which was started a few years ago because of a lack of real instruments is now a full-fledged part of the initiation to music process (hello Flexibility and Adaptivity!). Before the students can play real instruments, they build an instrument made of paper and materials with their parents. They learn how to care for their instruments, hold them properly, what the different parts are, how to sit in rehearsal and they even "play" the instruments as a piece of music is being played over a stereo system. This process lasts about three months, at the end of which they "perform" a concert. After that they move on to real instruments. Thanks to the paper orchestra, they'll already know how an orchestra rehearsal works and the discipline that comes with it. All that's left is learning to play the instrument.<br />
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With Rinconada students Moises (clarinet) and Claudia (bassoon). I worked with Claudia on some Bach Brandenburg, Weissenborn studies and long tones. She sounded great.<br />
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Montalban is the flagship nucleo of El Sistema in Caracas. It has more then 1000 students. When El Sistema wants to show off their program this is where they often bring guests, although I'm sure you could walk into any nucleo and be amazed. They walked us through the building where in every room there was an ensemble and conductor ready to dazzle us. In all we saw 5 different orchestras. Here's a video of the first stop. You'll recognize the tune: the Finale from Rossini's Overture to William Tell.<br />
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El Sistema does jazz. On Thursday we went to see the first and only official jazz band in El Sistema. Most of the students in this band are classically trained and have only been playing jazz for a year and a half. Their director was really adamant that the <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/">New England Conservatory</a> send down some of their jazz faculty to work with the ensemble. How do they sound? Check them out playing a Buddy Rich tune:<br />
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With the bassoon students from Montalban. Their orchestra was the last stop on the tour of the Montalban nucleo and they played Danzon #2 and Mambo, two pieces that the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra are well-known for. Check my earlier blogs for videos of those two pieces.<br />
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Here is a video of an early childhood music class. The class includes things like moving to music, singing, acting, note name recognition, improvisation and listening skills. In this video we see body movement, percussion and listening skills all wrapped into one. I like this class because it encourages creativity and expression. The kids can do no wrong, there is no bad answer. What matters is that they come away feeling that music makes them feel good. <br />
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Abreu Fellows Lorrie and Rebecca lead a recorder class in an exercise at La Rinconada nucleo:<br />
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At Montalban with Abreu Fellows, David, Stan and Jonathan:<br />
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I love this last picture below. I took this from inside the courtyard of La Rinconada nucleo. Many of the students at this nucleo live in this neighbourhood of shanty houses in the hills, known as barrios. It's a great example of bringing the opportunity to play music right to the doorstep of the kids that need it most.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSA_EQw7C3eQwTRN-k3ZCvBFF2ZoUqitDcYkeul-TaEA8DX8CrHofAqhjUifO25aRwL5cxXRIwSd-sFJjybxmmziNWZGzUFZveyqZVgHsr0OSE3rOGn0ndbbBLcLNrotmFMEWptfUqEo/s1600-h/DSC01411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSA_EQw7C3eQwTRN-k3ZCvBFF2ZoUqitDcYkeul-TaEA8DX8CrHofAqhjUifO25aRwL5cxXRIwSd-sFJjybxmmziNWZGzUFZveyqZVgHsr0OSE3rOGn0ndbbBLcLNrotmFMEWptfUqEo/s400/DSC01411.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I'll write again pretty soon as there is some great stuff coming up this week: two road trips, another Simon Bolivar concert and some dinners at restaurants or houses.<br />
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But then again this is El Sistema, so this could and probably will change.<br />
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</script>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-33432236836800013552010-02-22T04:22:00.008-05:002010-02-24T01:13:33.943-05:00PHOTO ESSAY: INTRODUCTION TO EL SISTEMA IN CARACASFinally in Venezuela!<br />
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In the days prior to arriving in <span id="goog_1266821576045"></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracas">Caracas</a><span id="goog_1266821576046"></span> chaos reigned in my life: too many things to do before leaving and not enough time to do them all. People often asked me if I was excited about getting here and I had to tell that I didn't really know how I felt because I hadn't had time to think about it.<br />
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With everything that has been thrown at us this year, the residency in Venezuela seemed very far away to me. My thoughts were consumed with things like budgets, YouTube videos, first-hand testimonies, management skills, Abreu, fundraising, El Sistema, Spanish. I never had time think much about what Venezuela would be like. On top of that I didn't know what to expect. Travelling so far away seemed vague to me. I hadn't left North America in 12 years or so, the last time being when my high school orchestra travelled to Cuba to do an exchange with the Havana Conservatory orchestra.<br />
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As I write this, I realize that's it's kind of interesting that the only other time I've been to a Latin American country was to do something music-related. I am consistently amazed at how music has and keeps opening doors for me to experience different cultures, meet different people and learn new things. I believe that with music I can sit down with someone from anywhere in the world and connect with them without saying a word. I know our time here in Venezuela will prove me right.<br />
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It wasn't until the plane landed and the flight attendant announced "ladies and gentlemen welcome to Caracas" that I actually started getting really excited. I immediately went shutter-happy and to the dismay of my colleagues began snapping away pictures to no avail. Our first days here have been mostly an introduction to El Sistema and since I'm overjoyed to be here and taking way too many pictures, I figured why not show what we've been up to.<br />
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Upon our arrival at the airport in Caracas we were greeted by El Sistema staff, which included Roberto Zambrano, the director of the El Sistema program in Acarigua. You may remember him from by blog #3 as he was the one who gave us the El Sistema "Tocar Y Luchar" medallions.<br />
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Here I am at the airport with Rodrigo, our guide/host here in Caracas. Rodrigo works in El Sistema's office of International Affairs. He is a marvellous host with impeccable English and an encyclopedic knowledge of El Sistema's history and development. I was thrilled to see that when he greeted us at the airport he was wearing a Leading Note Foundation (Ottawa's own El Sistema-like program) T-Shirt. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCNXyjCmb7NUUyDOU_C57G5RaPbl0LeDlEF4qz9LTpN54bfXZ4hd6Iyt1vwh-s4KGAcBT0dPBIKPnW1zw2TszLC_ERAaIdgQRAvZxC5W0QcNbGxfhvixdSLELIQ89FCOSnJGPPgENFNk/s1600-h/DSC01083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCNXyjCmb7NUUyDOU_C57G5RaPbl0LeDlEF4qz9LTpN54bfXZ4hd6Iyt1vwh-s4KGAcBT0dPBIKPnW1zw2TszLC_ERAaIdgQRAvZxC5W0QcNbGxfhvixdSLELIQ89FCOSnJGPPgENFNk/s400/DSC01083.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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Meet 19 year-old oboist Carmello. He hails from Chacao, a municipal area in Caracas. Rodrigo was leading us on a tour of El Sistema's stunning new performance and rehearsal center named "The Center For Social Action Through Music." Carmello's El Sistema nucleo is in Chacao but I imagine he was at the center to get in a bit of practice before going to attend the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orquesta_Sinf%C3%B3nica_Sim%C3%B3n_Bol%C3%ADvar">Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra</a> Concert, which was also taking place at the Center.<br />
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Here are all the fellows plus Rodrigo and Stephanie on the far left on a terrace of The Center For Social Action Through Music. This building is beautiful, with several terraces, which are accessible directly from the hallways. Every room in the building is multi-purpose and was built with acoustics in mind. They can all be used for rehearsals, performance or recording of any type of ensemble. The rooms are all equipped with multi-media outlets so performances can be broadcast via radio, TV and internet. Furthermore, the rooms all have floating floors which helps to minimize sound transference from room to room. There is minimal office space and at a whim, any office space can be turned into a performance space. What I admire most about this building, besides its great architecture is that it caters to music-making first and foremost. And from what I understand this was intentional, as this center's focus is to give the students the very best conditions in which to develop.<br />
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The same night of our tour we were invited to watch a concert celebrating the 35th anniversary of El Sistema. The program consisted of <a href="http://www.gustavodudamel.com/">Gustavo Dudamel</a> conducting the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra "A" (which contains the founding members of this orchestra), in Mahler's 9th Symphony. In this picture Dudamel takes a bow with the orchestra at the end of show. I have to point out that Dudamel is one of the only big-time conductors I know of that refuses to stand on the podium when he takes his bows with the orchestra. As you can see in this picture he's on the floor with the orchestra members. I've noticed this sense of togetherness and humility in every El Sistema student I've come across, from Boston to Caracas. Here, playing in the orchestra is as much about being a family as it is being musicians and this is easily recognizable when they play.<br />
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Backstage with Gustavo after the concert.<br />
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On Saturday morning we attended a concert at the Center given by the Teresa Carreno Youth Symphony, which is an orchestra of mostly high school students from Caracas. These are some kids lining up for the concert. This here is the future of instrumental music. These are the people that must be attending concerts.<br />
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In the picture below, on the left is Lila, the concertmistress of the Teresa Carreno Youth Symphony. She played her solos beautifully in Camille Saint-Saens' Danse Macabre. On the right is Daniel Arias who performed Saint-Saens' concerto for cello #1 brilliantly. I played both of these pieces in high school so this concert brought back some good memories.<br />
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I'm not sure if it's simply the size of the orchestras in El Sistema but they have a way of really drawing in the listener, especially the string sections which seem to all be playing for their life. It's not always perfect, no orchestra is all the time anyway, but it's intoxicating and mesmerizing. And just for your reference, this orchestra is the same one that performs in Jose Antonio Abreu's TED Prize talk, which I put in my blog #1. Believe me, this orchestra is even better live.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhFjprdRDuUCBOMMf1saN2cbn-2jBKMogjPaNnTQh0nA-9Uee5ElBouGjIu35jbRn3Dz3i6je_xLqYi1NxTpZUWCqPe1AlLv51mJCR8lhxUco0cG_2EmeusXhHXswFf4cuiDoSVZppu0/s1600-h/DSC01189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhFjprdRDuUCBOMMf1saN2cbn-2jBKMogjPaNnTQh0nA-9Uee5ElBouGjIu35jbRn3Dz3i6je_xLqYi1NxTpZUWCqPe1AlLv51mJCR8lhxUco0cG_2EmeusXhHXswFf4cuiDoSVZppu0/s400/DSC01189.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Before coming to Venezuela I collected bassoon related materials to give out to El Sistema programs. While Caracas has a healthy supply of these materials, a lot of the nucleos in the country and the mountains are lacking key materials. Remember that there are 184 nucleos in El Sistema and they don't all have access to the materials and teachers that a big city such as Caracas does.<br />
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Robert Zambrano's nucleo in Acarigua is one of these nucleos in need, especially for bassoon and oboe materials. Here we are at the Center with his nephew, Aquarius Zambrano. These materials, which include reed cases, cane and reed knives were graciously donated by <a href="http://www.asianyouthorchestra.com/faculty-mruggiero.html">Matthew Ruggiero</a>, a long-time Bassoonist with the <a href="http://www.bso.org/">Boston Symphony Orchestra</a> and <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/?fuseaction=showIndividual&entity_id=3591&source_type=A">Sue Heineman</a>, Principal Bassoon of the <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/">National Symphony Orchestra</a>. Thank you both for your generosity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0f1QLCvZwNCbwLX1shk9af-YwLbyJm6aSoBrroxN8DAvMcSZg-RA891iO-M9ZPXEl7GOdIEjYjq6MmGO34ktTqwL5Ua3DRVvw0BxQwGpYCzg0GoS1GUhxn4FoiUacKevDFTK-ijQSWC8/s1600-h/DSC01219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0f1QLCvZwNCbwLX1shk9af-YwLbyJm6aSoBrroxN8DAvMcSZg-RA891iO-M9ZPXEl7GOdIEjYjq6MmGO34ktTqwL5Ua3DRVvw0BxQwGpYCzg0GoS1GUhxn4FoiUacKevDFTK-ijQSWC8/s400/DSC01219.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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On Saturday afternoon we attended a rehearsal of the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra "B" conducted by Claudio Abbado. This is the orchestra that you see on YouTube all the time and tours the world with Gustavo Dudamel. Here is a picture of the bass section.<br />
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In seeing them in person for the first time one thing that caught my attention was how much they moved as a group when they played. I've never seen a bass section move like that. That night we had dinner with Alejandro, the concertmaster of the orchestra, and his wife, and I spoke to Alejandro about my observation. He chuckled and said that what I had seen in rehearsal was nothing. "Just wait until the concert." Well I can't wait to see this. The concert, conducted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudio_Abbado">Claudio Abbado</a>, is Wednesday and it includes Berg's Lulu, Prokofiev's Symphonic Suite and Tchaikovsky's Symphony #6.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNEpJ75ScxctLvPuzWXKlS1dyil5t9NbuuDAfkhYKDL9qfTthFwe4jWIOuoKvy-k6SoRsA_V9fwSdMBo0wq6Hs7nliwUXwnQOqs6Sr1rz9Rr88hlHe3U9yUzJ8y5pBAck8MAJqA80l54/s1600-h/DSC01217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNEpJ75ScxctLvPuzWXKlS1dyil5t9NbuuDAfkhYKDL9qfTthFwe4jWIOuoKvy-k6SoRsA_V9fwSdMBo0wq6Hs7nliwUXwnQOqs6Sr1rz9Rr88hlHe3U9yUzJ8y5pBAck8MAJqA80l54/s400/DSC01217.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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After the rehearsal we got to meet Maestro Abbado. Here I am with Lorrie, Katie, Abbado and Jonathan.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PH5jt2G6qdhPxnm3pbELmmPVylc1tg_M5Var1K7b_U8pCCKrUavYbZzG4cfRwP4Qc9HPQ5c37YPcOhXPqI1JbHRgKoot7GrC3mqOtxItlF7qWbIIfwGGxrL00zjeBRU3hmqA6mCwHT0/s1600-h/Pic+with+Abbado.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PH5jt2G6qdhPxnm3pbELmmPVylc1tg_M5Var1K7b_U8pCCKrUavYbZzG4cfRwP4Qc9HPQ5c37YPcOhXPqI1JbHRgKoot7GrC3mqOtxItlF7qWbIIfwGGxrL00zjeBRU3hmqA6mCwHT0/s400/Pic+with+Abbado.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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On Sunday morning we got to meet with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Antonio_Abreu">Maestro Jose Antonio Abreu</a>, founder of El Sistema, for about 2 hours. In his talk with us three things really caught my attention. The first is that when he started El Sistema he insisted that human development be one of the key concepts of El Sistema. Not music, but human development. To help make his point he made sure that the government funding supporting El Sistema came not from the Ministry of Culture but from the Ministry of Social Welfare. In this way the government had to acknowledge that El Sistema was a social transformation program first and a music program second.<br />
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Second he encouraged us to put faith in our teachers, especially the younger ones. The teachers, says Maestro Abreu, will be the heart and soul of our programs. I know from our studies that I can look forward to seeing many, many young students in teaching positions throughout our stay in Venezuela.<br />
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And the third is something that will stick with me forever: "Culture for the poor should not be poor culture." This is happening here in Caracas. The diversity of the crowd at the Friday night concert with Dudamel was like nothing I've ever seen before back home. Whites, Blacks, 10 year olds (on the edge of their seats!), and senior citizens sitting side-by-side watching a very well-played Mahler symphony, at a fabulous hall with a world-class conductor.<br />
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Maestro Abreu is an incredible leader. He has complete command of his talking points, his arguments and their explanations. Even though he spoke off the cuff with us it was always eloquent and poetic.<br />
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Our meeting started as a simple meet and greet. He began speaking casually, pleasantries and all, but then it somehow morphed into a rousing speech. After 45 minutes I was ready to run through a brick wall for him. He is an amazing orator and if you've ever seen him speak you know what I'm talking about. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOBMegv2yS51KOtYIMKe4kESDuf8KwRw4PmmIssFDzM6s3cShpzEgvzWpOMjoBIkrzuQEaD0MQ_TrqkDEVikLckwRPy0RojJHaCwYb1-jahfANojX7wM5DhbR_flHVzxLK3r-gqorFiQ/s1600-h/DSC_8668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOBMegv2yS51KOtYIMKe4kESDuf8KwRw4PmmIssFDzM6s3cShpzEgvzWpOMjoBIkrzuQEaD0MQ_TrqkDEVikLckwRPy0RojJHaCwYb1-jahfANojX7wM5DhbR_flHVzxLK3r-gqorFiQ/s400/DSC_8668.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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On Sunday afternoon we took a cable car up to the top of El Avila (2175 meters), which towers above Caracas. From the top the views were stunning. One side of the mountain looks down over Caracas and the other, which is the picture below, looks down over villages and the Caribbean Sea. In the picture between Stan and I is Adam Johnston, son of author Tricia Tunstall, who you may remember is writing the very first book on El Sistema.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJhgeAKCbcSOAhTVHLxA0ietCBF5CIDiUN2_wITeN7lOU_VraX3vaH6vVMVat87hNzgX5KTGbYur34cYmtADaxeYkNzSQQ2UWW7-KiuZsbIzSr-L2QwEpJNB_UuQphsMmZVgM8VY74_8/s1600-h/DSC01293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJhgeAKCbcSOAhTVHLxA0ietCBF5CIDiUN2_wITeN7lOU_VraX3vaH6vVMVat87hNzgX5KTGbYur34cYmtADaxeYkNzSQQ2UWW7-KiuZsbIzSr-L2QwEpJNB_UuQphsMmZVgM8VY74_8/s400/DSC01293.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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This man is known as "Antonin, the poet of Avila." He was selling a poster of his own poem. They title is "Como Cambiar El Mundo" or "How To Change The World". Being the hopeless romantic I am, I had to buy a copy from him.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8w57edmSSSNIzQrXFrn-viF8LIB34zj-vgVqQhPPcgDQlYZAWhPEhGRSBuKXktbmDleGm19VlutFypxO8sKuSXVg6TLxpBC-jqoAbXROxRTFb_UBh5hFWsC9hfAv1rHZ3hD-CWAdRgx4/s1600-h/DSC01299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8w57edmSSSNIzQrXFrn-viF8LIB34zj-vgVqQhPPcgDQlYZAWhPEhGRSBuKXktbmDleGm19VlutFypxO8sKuSXVg6TLxpBC-jqoAbXROxRTFb_UBh5hFWsC9hfAv1rHZ3hD-CWAdRgx4/s400/DSC01299.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I have no idea what the body of the poem says, and I will translate it eventually, but with a title like "Como Cambiar El Mundo," I wouldn't be surprised if El Sistema was in there somewhere.<br />
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In the next few days we will be visiting Montalban, the flagship nucleo of El Sistema. Following this we will be split up into groups of two and three to visit nucleos throughout the country. Teaching and performing will be part of our residency, as well as research and documentation. My group is heading to the Andes to visit nucleos in Merida, Trujillo and Tachira.<br />
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Stay tuned for more!<br />
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</script>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-60636644148358865822010-02-13T17:12:00.012-05:002010-02-14T00:19:55.339-05:00THE ABREU FELLOWS AT TED 2010<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/S3cbFPZskYI/AAAAAAAAAMM/z1Pb3uR4paY/s1600-h/DSC01047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/S3cbFPZskYI/AAAAAAAAAMM/z1Pb3uR4paY/s320/DSC01047.JPG" /></a></div><a href="http://conferences.ted.com/TED2010/">TED 2010!</a> <br />
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This trip lasted barely two days and it went by very fast. The reason the Abreu Fellows (5 out of the 10 of us) were in Long Beach, California was to perform a number on the TED Stage during the <a href="http://www.ted.com/pages/view/id/6">TED Prize</a> session. Here's a little background. <br />
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TED, which stands for technology, entertainment and design is a non-profit dedicated to promoting "Ideas Worth Spreading." The organization holds conferences all over the world where they gather some of the best and brightest from all fields to speak for about 18 minutes on their area of expertise. No matter who they are none of the speakers are paid and they all get about 18 minutes. Past speakers have included Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, conductor Benjamin Zander, poet and spoken word artist Rives and of course our own Jose Antonio Abreu, founder of El Sistema.<br />
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The TED Conference is the main conference and it is held once a year in Long Beach, California. In theory anyone can attend but there is a pretty serious application and a $6000 attendance fee. Despite this the conference sells out very quickly. Founders, CEOs, politicians and celebrities are generally in attendance. Below is a picture of one TED session I attended where they simulcasted the talk of Britain's next Prime Minister (if all goes as planned), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Cameron">David Cameron</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVB3vfez6Wg3YZnVdhcbQjNN7Ie25QbROdtP2vp5s6obeATVjkxuFNt0Q1eCH8ehWHsTea2E1dUe79RhFt2CPLFCvSQPq5aOUgGvAi8JXeLXn1JVxb1XkQqb-H-jUMNtoRzzI3_tHh1Y/s1600-h/DSC01024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVB3vfez6Wg3YZnVdhcbQjNN7Ie25QbROdtP2vp5s6obeATVjkxuFNt0Q1eCH8ehWHsTea2E1dUe79RhFt2CPLFCvSQPq5aOUgGvAi8JXeLXn1JVxb1XkQqb-H-jUMNtoRzzI3_tHh1Y/s320/DSC01024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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So why the heck were we invited to perform? Well as you all know by now, the founder of El Sistema, Jose Antonio Abreu, won the TED Prize in 2009 and as a result he receieved $100,000 and a wish, which was to launch the Abreu Fellows Program. It is at these yearly TED Conferences that the TED Prize is announced. But before they announce the new TED Prize winner, they look back at previous winners and through speeches, videos and performances they show the audience how the previous winners' wishes are coming along. To show how Abreu's wish was developing they invited the Abreu Fellows do a skit/music performance. <br />
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It was a quick six-minute performance and I think it went really well. We got a standing ovation from the audience and lots of great feedback afterwards. I'd like to think that our performing skills are the reason for the positive reception, but I know it has much more to do with the fact that people believe in Abreu's wish. <br />
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I've spoken to so many people who tell me something special happened last year at the TED Conference when Abreu gave his TED Talk. TEDsters (people who attend TED) are generally brilliant and successful and they've seen and done it all, but apparently Abreu's talk and wish really made an impact on them last year. Fortunately for the Abreu Fellows Program, people are really behind this wish and want to see it unfold.<br />
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So now that I've given you the background here's how it all went down:<br />
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<b>Tuesday Feb 9</b><br />
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<strong>9pm:</strong> We land at LAX. It's my first time in California and I'm happy to see palm trees instead of snow.<br />
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<strong>11pm:</strong> I meet up with my colleague, former school-mate and <a href="http://www.ted.com/profiles/view/id/286728">TED Fellow Robert Gupta</a> for a drink at the hotel.<br />
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<strong>11:45pm:</strong> I walk around Long Beach looking for food. I see TEDsters everywhere.<br />
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<strong>Wednesday Feb 10</strong><br />
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<strong>7:30am:</strong> I wake-up and head to the Long Beach Performing Arts Center to watch the TED University Talks session. I'm excited to see Gupta speak and perform there.<br />
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<strong>8:45am:</strong> Gupta's TED Talk. Have you seen the movie <a href="http://www.soloistmovie.com/">"The Soloist"</a> starring Jamie Foxx? The protagonist is the real-life Nathaniel Ayers, a musician who develops schizophrenia and becomes homeless. Gupta is now his violin teacher so his TED talk is about his experience working with Ayers. Gupta also performs some Bach after his talk. Out of all the TED University speakers, Gupta is the only one that gets a standing ovation. He deserves it as he is fantastic. His talk should be available online in the next few months. Bravo Robert!<br />
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<strong>10:50am:</strong> I'm walking to meet the other fellows. From afar I see a beautiful blonde walking towards me by herself. As she gets closer I glance at her nametag. It says Cameron Diaz. She walks right by me and like an idiot, I say nothing, not even hello.<br />
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<strong>12:45pm:</strong> Rehearsal on the TED stage. The acoustic piano we were supposed to use turns into an electric keyboard. Most of our 30 minute rehearsal time is taken up by the techs trying to get this keyboard to work. Our run-through is mediocre at best so we'd like another go at it. The answer is "sorry, but no." Great...no pressure guys.<br />
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<strong>4:00pm:</strong> Hair and make-up. No seriously, hair and make-up. The make-up artist tells me I have good skin.<br />
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<strong>5:00pm:</strong> TED Prize session starts. I'm a little nervous but <a href="http://necmusic.edu/faculty/mark-churchill?lid=8&sid=2">Mark Churchill</a> the director of the Abreu Fellows program is sitting with us in the audience. Seeing a familiar face helps. <br />
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<strong>5:45ish pm:</strong> Our performance. We kill it. The TED audience is great. I'm relieved it went well. People such as Al Gore, Meg Ryan and Bill Gates are in the audience. Our performance was videotaped by TED and I'll post it as soon as we get it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZc7Z4Y69FjiCD_gbxXa7-pXI54-SonQvZb0NqYdwPCy_AIanPdxkgIcyTvKJ6EmI-VJS_JmZOzhukvyW5rLhb6kpDDK2NNsGOqMmF5zeZjPgiObqUZg7tcoRkopk2uKIFDci3MqwMuw/s1600-h/Fellows+at+TED2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZc7Z4Y69FjiCD_gbxXa7-pXI54-SonQvZb0NqYdwPCy_AIanPdxkgIcyTvKJ6EmI-VJS_JmZOzhukvyW5rLhb6kpDDK2NNsGOqMmF5zeZjPgiObqUZg7tcoRkopk2uKIFDci3MqwMuw/s400/Fellows+at+TED2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<strong>6:15pm:</strong> <a href="http://www.ted.com/speakers/jamie_oliver.html">Jamie Oliver</a> does his TED Talk and announces his wish. Personally I think it's a great wish: "To create a strong and sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity." Check out his TED talk <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html">here</a>. <br />
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<strong>6:45pm</strong> We're backstage. Sheryl Crow, who has just performed after Jamie Oliver, congratulates us, the fellows, on our performance. I ask myself what I'm doing here. <br />
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<strong>7:00pm</strong> The fellows and I head to a restaurant for a reception. <br />
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<strong>7:15pm</strong> We meet various people, all ridiculously good at what they do: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niklas_Zennstr%C3%B6m">a co-founder of Skype</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shonda_Rhimes">a writer/producer for Grey's Anatomy</a>, the President of this and CEO of that. I remind myself to take it easy on the drinks so I don't say something stupid. <br />
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<strong>8:00pm</strong> As we're standing around a table, a rather tall, black guy comes right up to me, shakes my hand and congratulates us on our performance. It's Will Smith. I tell him I'm a big fan. I decline to tell him that I know every line from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He asks what the long, brown thing was that I was playing. He introduces himself to all of us and chats with us for a few minutes. He is very humble and easy-going. As he leaves, I immediately post to Facebook about the encounter. It pains me to admit it now, but I felt giddy, like a 5-year old in a candy store. I again ask myself what I'm doing here. <br />
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<strong>11:30pm</strong> Block party on the street. I run into a few TEDsters who support the Abreu Fellows program like <a href="http://www.ted.com/profiles/view/id/59465">Carl Haney</a> and <a href="http://www.michaelmelcher.com/flash.html">Michael Melcher</a>. The band is awesome and people are dancing...as best as a bunch of CEOs and Founders dance.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/S3caBQyTDlI/AAAAAAAAAL8/5J-khVWXUUU/s1600-h/DSC01038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/S3caBQyTDlI/AAAAAAAAAL8/5J-khVWXUUU/s320/DSC01038.JPG" /></a></div> With Christine, Stan and Rebecca at the block party.<br />
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<strong>Thursday Feb 11</strong><br />
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<strong>7:00am</strong> Abreu Fellows Breakfast with TEDsters and supporters of the fellowship. Gupta attends too. I sit beside the <a href="http://www.modernguitars.com/imagefiles/gibson/2007polo/henryjams300.gif">President and CEO</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_Guitar_Corporation">Gibson Guitars</a>.<br />
<img border="0" ct="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-J8Dm6Adc-khbDCBbSRwraqUHVDwz3-wKmxuXo2QGurw2EdUDslZsyVOHuVjutgN50-V9zdia3Gko1KLngvxWW-FmiG01DEIOrNpGvxcVURI_wLRnZIErtEHigjAiT-c1Enc8SPzM0Y/s320/DSC01040.JPG" /><br />
Gupta and I at the Abreu Fellows' Breakfast.<br />
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<strong>9:00am</strong> I start writing emails to all the people I've met to thank them for their support. <br />
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<strong>12:56pm</strong> Catch flight at LAX<br />
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My TED experience was unbelievable and I feel priveleged to have been invited. Thank you to Rives, who helped us put together our performance, to Amy Novogratz and Anna Verghese who looked after us from the moment we landed at LAX and to everyone in Boston that watched our practice run-throughs and gave us feedback. <br />
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We depart for Caracas, Venezuela this Thursday where the real adventures will start. El Sistema, I'm constantly told, is the real deal and will not dissappoint. I hope so, because I've been bragging about it all year now...You'll hear from me soon. <br />
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Thanks for reading.<br />
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</script>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-77961467953289226102010-01-24T20:17:00.021-05:002010-02-15T18:51:54.352-05:00Past, Present and Future<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iFqzXwSbgquqVPmekTphE_ehr464XPRnh8fn29YMdulH406jR-HqLkIsOtEAdXpVFWofOInI3_AAUYxbS2DeZTizw3e1dEIA2-o0zdsHYlCUfsiDNl5DXBnuyqq-1RC9LDaZNHmHeps/s1600-h/DSC00900.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430538103218379442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iFqzXwSbgquqVPmekTphE_ehr464XPRnh8fn29YMdulH406jR-HqLkIsOtEAdXpVFWofOInI3_AAUYxbS2DeZTizw3e1dEIA2-o0zdsHYlCUfsiDNl5DXBnuyqq-1RC9LDaZNHmHeps/s400/DSC00900.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Abreu Fellows and students from Youth And Enrichment Family Services at Menino Arts Center.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Boston, 01/24/10</span><br />
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Video of Abreu Fellows' first semester:<br />
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<strong>WELCOME BACK TO MY BLOG ON THE 2009-2010 ABREU FELLOWS PROGRAM!</strong><br />
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Since I haven't blogged in almost two months, this post is a little long. But so much has happened that I don't want to leave anything out. And don't worry, it's mostly pictures.<br />
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As most of you know, after this year of training the fellows are expected to spend one year (and hopefully longer!) as part of an El Sistema-inpsired program somewhere in the world. So you'll begin to notice that everything that's been happening is helping to propel us towards next's year goal.<br />
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Let's go back to December of 2009.<br />
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My roommate Stan and I had the opportunity to go to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta">Atlanta, Georgia</a> to discuss the possibility of an El Sistema-style program there. We met with several people from the music performance, music education and non-profit world. We also attended a TED conference, <a href="http://tedxpeachtree.com/">TEDxPeachtree</a>, hosted by Al Meyers.<br />
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For those who don't know what <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.ted.com">TED</a> (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is, it is essentially a non-profit organization that promotes "ideas worth spreading." TED holds their annual conference each year in Long Beach, California. It is at this conference that they announce the <a href="http://www.ted.com/pages/view/id/6">TEDPrize</a>. The winners of this prestigious prize win $100, 000 and "one wish to change the world." In 2009, <a href="http://www.ted.com/speakers/jose_antonio_abreu.html">Jose Antonio Abreu</a>, the founder of Venezuela's El Sistema won the TEDPrize and his wish was to start a special training program in the United States for musicians to spread the El Sistema idea to all parts of the world. The Abreu Fellows Program is his wish coming to fruition.<br />
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At TEDxPeachtree, organizer Al Meyers, gave Stan the opportunity to do a sort of mini TED Talk on the possibility of starting an El Sistema-inspired program in Atlanta. This is quite an honor. Stan did great (see Stan's talk and presentation <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTkJ_goS8Xw">here</a>) and we managed to get a few people interested in helping move the process foward.<br />
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If you've never seen <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks">TED Talks</a>, take your computer, find a comfortable seat and check them out. The talks are given by world's most creative, innovative and inspiring people (like Abreu). Some of them will blow your mind.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIg4rY8jZ92mTS11ZJbyWzeXotBUivplxbaFfU2e0FwIgKUiWCTC0EeAhixp3UTjuPB1zaKXKxHG4fkxvk1eIshdHPKs_aFIs_I14V4tW_r28lfojisOK46vfQ5MjRfswnniFpNkOWrM/s1600-h/DSC00703.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430533016545650146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIg4rY8jZ92mTS11ZJbyWzeXotBUivplxbaFfU2e0FwIgKUiWCTC0EeAhixp3UTjuPB1zaKXKxHG4fkxvk1eIshdHPKs_aFIs_I14V4tW_r28lfojisOK46vfQ5MjRfswnniFpNkOWrM/s400/DSC00703.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Stan and Me, with Melanie Darby and Reggie Brayon at TEDxPeachtree.</span><br />
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Stan is from Atlanta and his mom is a music teacher in the public school system, so we took that as an opportunity to coach some students at her high school.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qWTypaShLYLxk-kczrQBZq6ecURhOWVCqScpQ_b0vOco2Tu5EDB3I_5VMluhrlJuXujaxF6zIWU2jTd4ogXCIOkCueG42GWXfHXLN7ZiWvalJZ5Nb001J4YKavGkqrshMOOU5OX_X7A/s1600-h/DSC00709.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430592508555006290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qWTypaShLYLxk-kczrQBZq6ecURhOWVCqScpQ_b0vOco2Tu5EDB3I_5VMluhrlJuXujaxF6zIWU2jTd4ogXCIOkCueG42GWXfHXLN7ZiWvalJZ5Nb001J4YKavGkqrshMOOU5OX_X7A/s400/DSC00709.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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We also attended a great concert combining the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.spelman.edu">Spelman College</a> and <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.morehouse.edu">Morehouse College</a> Glee Clubs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipf56QAZTdwhY9Pd7illAljd5liZmjrcuZ_dEAgVkayzUhQWSwHz8EQSep0uClaXDNlaX13-zvXHxha0LLsYeRwRN2XY2g6AOKoHAvHonXWWBBpWWpfIVI30r6SUqqD0RI9e4WjdW42Lk/s1600-h/DSC00734.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430556411277197298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipf56QAZTdwhY9Pd7illAljd5liZmjrcuZ_dEAgVkayzUhQWSwHz8EQSep0uClaXDNlaX13-zvXHxha0LLsYeRwRN2XY2g6AOKoHAvHonXWWBBpWWpfIVI30r6SUqqD0RI9e4WjdW42Lk/s400/DSC00734.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Glee Club concert at Spelman College, Atlanta<br />
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Our professional meetings in Atlanta were very productive and it looks like Atlanta has the right combination of a strong arts community (<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.atlantasymphony.org">Atlanta Symphony Orchestra</a>, ten youth orchestras and marching bands galore!) and plenty of youth to serve. Defintely furtile ground to start an El Sistema-inspired program.<br />
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Back to the pedagogical side of things now.<br />
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One of the biggest issues with starting a new music program is deciding what age group and which instruments to start with. Throughout our studies it seems that two instruments are consistently a safe bet: voice (choirs) and percussion.<br />
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Therefore this past week we had percussion seminars, led by <a href="http://www.rhombuspublishing.com/">Jerry Leake</a> and <a href="http://www.marcussantos.com/">Marcus Santos</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jO1JvKLNtwMoaCYtKodMLybH2XKjtOkDF4Xn5ZUCD5DU0HKrl7SMpNMri0NA9Sx0lz8MUIhGMUELhM8WsVcIih9OZzdp46S6g-Qhcw7PeKd8b3R3K4Kr0ivYbnjRecV4ByyLTUASebQ/s1600-h/DSC00813.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430533033717708114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jO1JvKLNtwMoaCYtKodMLybH2XKjtOkDF4Xn5ZUCD5DU0HKrl7SMpNMri0NA9Sx0lz8MUIhGMUELhM8WsVcIih9OZzdp46S6g-Qhcw7PeKd8b3R3K4Kr0ivYbnjRecV4ByyLTUASebQ/s400/DSC00813.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Abreu Fellows, </span><a href="http://necmusic.edu/christine-witkowski"><span style="font-size: 85%;">Christine</span></a><span style="font-size: 85%;"> and </span><a href="http://necmusic.edu/%C3%A1lvaro-rodas"><span style="font-size: 85%;">Alvaro</span></a><span style="font-size: 85%;"> during percussion seminar with Jerry Leake</span><br />
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We learned percussion techniques and rhythms from North and South India, West Africa, particularly Ghana, and Brazil (Samba Reggae, Samba and Samba Funk).<br />
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The reason for having percussion be a part of a music program from the beginning is that it's makes it easy for everyone to be involved right away. Hitting the bucket, djembe, repique or surdo makes an immediate sound and incorporating things like call and response, dynamics, singing and dancing provides an exilirating ensemble experience, much like playing Mahler or Brahms in a symphony orchestra. Most of the time you don't need to know how to read music to do it and it'll teach one of the most important aspects of playing music: rhythm.<br />
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This is important for kids because sometimes, especially in elementary school, to start having fun on the violin or the clarinet, it takes a long time. Producing a satisfying sound, learning the fingerings and how to read music can be a slow process at first and a child may lose interest if they are not encouraged daily. By having a percussion ensemble, they get access to a musical group performance right away. It gets them "hooked" from the get-go while they slowly build their skill on their orchestral instrument.<br />
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Speaking of percussion and Brazil, I will divulge that last semester, with the encouragement of my mentor, <a href="http://necmusic.edu/faculty/martha-strongin-katz?lid=2&sid=3">New England Conservatory Viola Faculty, Martha Katz</a>, I spent a weekend amongst Brazilians in Boston. I took a Samba class, (in which I required much assistance) and the next day I took a Samba percussion workshop, (which went much better).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-mFfOzp84ZewI25B_sgDBXu2ENKQW6rEuS4e4M182YEeuc4G6fRFEeqHNkfAdbXci3EL-QtKIVajF5cLr-yvpkyYTwe-vtxNRuS93RHNS0zsdkKIIPZUSUMbY-Jj093y2Ox0FvWGSI8/s1600-h/DSC00213.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430534882900386930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-mFfOzp84ZewI25B_sgDBXu2ENKQW6rEuS4e4M182YEeuc4G6fRFEeqHNkfAdbXci3EL-QtKIVajF5cLr-yvpkyYTwe-vtxNRuS93RHNS0zsdkKIIPZUSUMbY-Jj093y2Ox0FvWGSI8/s400/DSC00213.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">At Samba class with my roommate Rebecca (on the right).</span><br />
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I am convinced the reason that Brazilians are so good at soccer is because they dance Samba. Quick feet, a neccesity for both Samba and good ball control in soccer. I have slow feet, which is why I'm good at neither...<br />
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The Samba percussion workshop was lead <a href="http://blogs.myspace.com/midnightdrums">Meia Noite</a>, who hails from Salvador Da Bahia, Brazil, where <a href="http://www.salvadorcarnival.info/">Carnaval</a> (the biggest street party in the world) happens every year.<br />
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Shout out to my good friend Jan who should be making his way to Salvador for Carnaval in the next few weeks.<br />
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Now back to Meia Noite. Quite simply, he is amazing. He has been Sergio Mendez' principal percussionist for years and has played with Madonna, among others. Check out this video I took from his workshop. In the video he is playing the "Caixa" with a drumstick in his left hand and using his right hand to also strike the drum. Take note of all the different sounds he gets with only one drum and also watch for the call and response between him and the class towards the end of the video. How could any kid not enjoy doing this?<br />
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We have also continued our outreach activities with different music programs in the Boston area. You'll remember that last November we visited <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.yofes.org/home">Youth and Family Enrichment Services</a> (YOFES) which targets the Haitian community in Boston. Yesterday, January 24, 2010 we returned to do an outreach gig with their students. They have a Suzuki string program involving more than 50 kids.<br />
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We had set up the outreach date back in November, but in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti, it seemed even more important for us to do this gig.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3rVzgzS-Aa-3jxutuVRq8L4ngRLuHS5aBt4S27H6s8h8LF5IA4oAMo9K5nmqiKOLuOkaCmBZzjX0yKSfeX7VTePnUVhgNEVhJTP7kSjv4pKb9IXSw0DtXRtTi4r_Eu_t_99cr6EXoIc/s1600-h/DSC00907.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430534898597972482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3rVzgzS-Aa-3jxutuVRq8L4ngRLuHS5aBt4S27H6s8h8LF5IA4oAMo9K5nmqiKOLuOkaCmBZzjX0yKSfeX7VTePnUVhgNEVhJTP7kSjv4pKb9IXSw0DtXRtTi4r_Eu_t_99cr6EXoIc/s400/DSC00907.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">With Geralde Gabeau, Director of YOFES and Ms. Heidie J. Jean, Violin Instructor</span><br />
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We started off by watching their violin and viola students playing Lightly Row and Twinkle, Twinkle, which are two standard beginner pieces from the Suzuki Method. All the kids played from memory with great big sounds and solid rhythm. Credit to their teacher Ms. Heidie J. Jean.<br />
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Following this the Fellows demonstrated our instruments and played a few solo and duo pieces. We then premiered a wonderful new piece titled Puesta Del Sol, composed by New England Conservatory composition student <a href="http://www.myspace.com/albertoppenheimer">Albert Oppenheimer</a>. Nicely done Albert! And to finish off, the fellows and students took the stage together to play some Haitian folk tunes. The parents joined in singing the words, while one parent even played percussion on a chair. For me this was easily the highlight of the night.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga52h_t1jCJpadz3s-qaN22zSVPVwZx14vV5Wr-TfHO0TlbXMtnvuRKDnvb0kLZ1ud5i9cX2UXKbntZAM9BoODftrjusiGs7kS0oboWuiArrKhqdHiHRwYeGT7ADKJANSXZoZ5s2KTsaw/s1600-h/DSC00884.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430534894827471378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga52h_t1jCJpadz3s-qaN22zSVPVwZx14vV5Wr-TfHO0TlbXMtnvuRKDnvb0kLZ1ud5i9cX2UXKbntZAM9BoODftrjusiGs7kS0oboWuiArrKhqdHiHRwYeGT7ADKJANSXZoZ5s2KTsaw/s400/DSC00884.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Playing "Haiti Cherie" with the YOFES students.</span><br />
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YOFES then graciously invited us to stay for a dinner of delicious Haitian food including the classic rice and beans and fried plantains.<br />
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A big thank you to Geralde Gabeau, director of YOFES, for having us. YOFES has their own Earthquake Relief efforts aimed at Haiti and the Haitian community in Boston. Please go to the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.yofes.org/home">YOFES' website</a> to find out how you can help.<br />
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Switching gears back to TED for a moment.<br />
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Last December an announcement was made that five of the fellows had been invited to Long Beach, California to attend the TED Conference in February 2010. And not only that. But as a group, the five us will be speaking at the 2010 TED Prize presentation.<br />
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Unfortunately they could not invite all ten of us and I assume it probably has something to do with the $6000 it costs to get into the conference...<br />
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Along with me, TED has invited <a href="http://necmusic.edu/christine-witkowski">Christine</a>, <a href="http://necmusic.edu/david-malek">David</a> and my roommates <a href="http://necmusic.edu/stanford-thompson">Stan</a> and <a href="http://necmusic.edu/rebecca-levi">Rebecca</a>. I don't want to give away exactly what we'll be doing on stage but obviously it will be related to Abreu's TED Prize wish. Tune in online at 5pm Pacific Time on February 10 to watch live!<br />
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Here's a sneak peak at our rehearsals in Boston which were directed by artist and TED veteran, Rives:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ3u3KaAnGhSohphsc3omuVBj5upXp6qhbUQweggNTwyX9Pv46dRFLUIvkj5jqtrF0PjavpR9C2NJRuhE3nte4gVBmgZuBHMx_XN3FQGK2gOhabhgZsDqK0d-GJuZr3t42qIq35FaF3E/s1600-h/DSC00852.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430540763211984082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ3u3KaAnGhSohphsc3omuVBj5upXp6qhbUQweggNTwyX9Pv46dRFLUIvkj5jqtrF0PjavpR9C2NJRuhE3nte4gVBmgZuBHMx_XN3FQGK2gOhabhgZsDqK0d-GJuZr3t42qIq35FaF3E/s400/DSC00852.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">L to R: Me, Dave, Christine, Stan and Rebecca (off camera) for our TED Conference presentation.</span><br />
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I'll admit I'm feeling a bit of pressure with this thing since public speaking is not my background and apparently the TED Prize is watched live online by millions around the world, not to mention the 1500 people sitting in the audience. I've played concerts at Carnegie Hall...no problem! But this? Yikes...<br />
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Also coming up quickly is our residency in Venezuela to study El Sistema in person. We're finally starting to get some details surrounding the trip.<br />
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We will be leaving on February 18th and will be there for two months. We will be spending the first week in Caracas and then breaking up into groups to go teach, study and perform at various nucleos in different parts of Venezuela. The latest word is that during this first week we will be attending a gala in Caracas celebrating the 35th anniversary of <a href="http://www.fesnojiv.gob.ve/en.html">El Sistema Venezuela</a> where we will meet Abreu and watch Gustavo Dudamel a conduct the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra. We're told that we will also participate in rehearsals with the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestras so we can get a feel of what it is like to play in their orchestra.<br />
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I'm looking foward to teaching and performing with the El Sistema kids. My spanish is not bad, as long as I don't have to speak in the future tense. I'm especially looking foward to not having to wear boots, coats and tuques. Mid-February, the best time to head south from the winter weather...<br />
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Kudos to <a href="http://necmusic.edu/daniel-berkowitz">Dan Berkowitz</a>, one of the ten original Abreu Fellows. Over the holiday break Dan was offered and accepted the position of Manager of <a href="http://www.laphil.com/education/ymi-overview.cfm">Youth Orchestra Los Angeles</a>, the LA Philharmonic's El Sistema-program. Dan is already out in LA working hard, but will be with us when we arrive in Caracas in February. Congrats Dan!<br />
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And to finish up, shout out to my friend and <a href="http://music.yale.edu/">Yale School of Music</a> classmate <a href="http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/artist-detail.cfm?id=3309">Robert Gupta</a>. I still remember the conversation we had the day of graduation:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7RfswMtIud8gVtexnjEfrNLmZfcyacZeio_DC7ajt8sO7wBLrBEF7JkugzwHOTX_HifD2MHLIoXC5Me-w5pFW7HI0WqCffGXkHFMooHxzFk_Q_fbkLZJhOtzMvje-Uu6YsAAe0ot8z0/s1600-h/Dantes+Gupta+Yale+Grad.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430534902464287794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7RfswMtIud8gVtexnjEfrNLmZfcyacZeio_DC7ajt8sO7wBLrBEF7JkugzwHOTX_HifD2MHLIoXC5Me-w5pFW7HI0WqCffGXkHFMooHxzFk_Q_fbkLZJhOtzMvje-Uu6YsAAe0ot8z0/s400/Dantes+Gupta+Yale+Grad.bmp" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 400px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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Gupta: hey Dantes, so what are you up to next year?<br />
Me: Oh, I'm going to do more graduate work in Pittsburgh. How about you man?<br />
Gupta: Oh, I won the Los Angeles Philharmonic violin audition a fews days ago.<br />
Me: (gulp)<br />
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Gupta won his first audition, at the age of 19, with one of the best orchestras in the world. But of course, if you knew him you wouldn't be too surprised. In any case, Gupta has been named a <a href="http://www.ted.com/pages/view/id/394">2010 TED Conference Fellow</a>, quite an honor, so he'll be in Long Beach, CA at the same TED Conference we'll be. Gupta, see you soon.<br />
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More from the <a href="http://elsistemausa.org/the-abreu-fellows-program/the-program/">Abreu Fellows Program</a> in about a week. It's been a while and I'd love to hear from you, so please leave your comments or questions down below.<br />
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Thank you for reading.<br />
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</script>Danteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04182109652543904095noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9115593739652788475.post-29794414500528898492009-11-30T22:59:00.029-05:002010-01-26T00:48:04.694-05:00CHECKIN' OUT SOME VETERAN PROGRAMS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0JvScnfwF3D6XVJvNVEYJB6BqIFmZ22AVv4aLyLDduFgt5HeeuW8ojxOhe-cz6vU6t0wyR79mubgZQbnf5Brp25PQOpVNLtsVB8aEzr9gNam7MU1KWByBh_KfZAlKT4YHAGM7vygvO4/s1600-h/DSC00457.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410538938962425330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0JvScnfwF3D6XVJvNVEYJB6BqIFmZ22AVv4aLyLDduFgt5HeeuW8ojxOhe-cz6vU6t0wyR79mubgZQbnf5Brp25PQOpVNLtsVB8aEzr9gNam7MU1KWByBh_KfZAlKT4YHAGM7vygvO4/s400/DSC00457.JPG" /></a> <br />
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<div><a href="http://www.fesnojiv.gob.ve/en.html">El Sistema Venezuela</a> is garnering a lot of attention these days, in part due to its most famous graduate, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.gustavodudamel.com">Gustavo Dudamel</a>, being the hottest young conductor in the world right now. The spotlight on El Sistema Venezuela can also be attributed to the sheer magnitude of the program: more than 2.5 million youths have gone through the program and it currently serves more than than 300,000 kids. But one thing that is less often mentioned is that El Sistema has been around 35 years and it didn't always look the way it does today. Indeed, when the founder of El Sistema, Jose Antonio Abreu, conducted the first rehearsal in 1975 there were only 11 kids, in a garage! <br />
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Here in North America programs meant to enrich youths' lives have been around for even longer. Of course not all of them have been music programs, but there are some. The past two weeks saw us tour six such sites in Boston: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bostonartsacademy.org">The Boston Arts Academy</a>, <a href="http://yofes.org/home">Youth and Family Enrichment Services</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bostoncitysingers.org">The Boston City Singers</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.conservatorylab.org">The Conservatory Lab Charter School</a>, <a href="http://www.ymcaboston.org/huntington/">The YMCA</a> and the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bostonchildrenschorus.org">Boston Children's Chorus</a>. Some aspects of these programs resemble some El Sistema Venezuela aspects and others less so. While visiting these sites and working with their students, I tried to keep in mind how important it will be (when I'm working next year) to combine the best aspects of not only El Sistema Venezuela, but also the best aspects of these North American community programs that have been around for many years. Doing this, I believe, will be key in taking a system that works in one part of the globe and adapting it in a different culture and part of the globe. <br />
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The Boston Arts Academy, located just across the street from Fenway Park, is a public high school charged with the mission of being a beacon for artistic and academic innovation. It reminded me of my high school "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_secondaire_publique_De_La_Salle">Ecole Secondaire De La Salle</a>" in Ottawa because of all the arts programs it has: music, dance, theatre and visual arts. I chose the video below because it shows peer-to-peer mentorship happening within the classroom. <br />
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In El Sistema programs there is more of an emphasis on group lessons than on private lessons so the students have to help each other in order to advance. There is a sense of playing and striving together that enhances the social aspect of being in the orchestra. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='360' height='300' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyY1byKUO24pB6ByW2UE_mHzyI9YLfgiq58VmXaADd4MmSh-EZRiNMBFPycE1L6G9c6B_nSVNl0pL2TsYH3Kw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> <br />
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Youth and Family Enrichment Services Inc. (YOFES) is a non-profit organization with the intention of "attacking the root causes of poverty, health and social disparities". The music wing of the organization is called Open Access to Music Education for Children (OAMEC). YOFES serves mostly the Haitian community in greater Boston but is open to anybody. I asked Geralde Gabeau their Director how she balances teaching Haitian students their own music as well as classical music. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizi3slOPXl_GI_MMwmSQz5OKEvvRcN7DL59AMuFfmlE4o_K_oUYK7wgtjnCJgckyf4ZuQke1BC1aPARvFupXK9bLeYcw1D1MdLuAHkflgHK_VceAxn5qHmR7YVsQAhpYj9HdaZH48sops/s1600/DSC00460.JPG"> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizi3slOPXl_GI_MMwmSQz5OKEvvRcN7DL59AMuFfmlE4o_K_oUYK7wgtjnCJgckyf4ZuQke1BC1aPARvFupXK9bLeYcw1D1MdLuAHkflgHK_VceAxn5qHmR7YVsQAhpYj9HdaZH48sops/s1600/DSC00460.JPG"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizi3slOPXl_GI_MMwmSQz5OKEvvRcN7DL59AMuFfmlE4o_K_oUYK7wgtjnCJgckyf4ZuQke1BC1aPARvFupXK9bLeYcw1D1MdLuAHkflgHK_VceAxn5qHmR7YVsQAhpYj9HdaZH48sops/s1600/DSC00460.JPG"> <br />
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<p><img style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410452152856184306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizi3slOPXl_GI_MMwmSQz5OKEvvRcN7DL59AMuFfmlE4o_K_oUYK7wgtjnCJgckyf4ZuQke1BC1aPARvFupXK9bLeYcw1D1MdLuAHkflgHK_VceAxn5qHmR7YVsQAhpYj9HdaZH48sops/s400/DSC00460.JPG" /></a></p><br />
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<div>She responded that doing both was key to getting the families and community involved. They use the Suzuki string method, a classical method, but they always play other kinds of music as well: church music, Christmas music and especially Haitian folk music. They often have the audience sing along to the Haitian music, which the parents and families love. <br />
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<div></div><div>Above: the fellows, with our YOFES host, Geralde Gabeau, in the centre. <br />
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In this video below, the kids are playing a popular Haitian song called "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti_Cherie">Haiti Cherie</a>". <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzhP58kAnDc61cLHSspawFfLSMTzAXrzSeZLXMnQH02diVaNE3hgxzIV2dv9MqhPtrJj9kZ5g0BMvpWO48Hlw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> <br />
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An orchestra is simply one large instrument and is therefore capable of playing any kind of music. In El Sistema Venezuela, the repetoire they play includes Mozart, Beethoven and Mahler, but they also play lots of world music including plenty of Latin music. An El Sistema program will always have diversity in its members so there should also be diversity and flexibility in its repertoire and presentation. The community must feel the orchestra belongs to them and vice-versa. <br />
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In this video above of El Sistema's Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra you will see: an orchestra playing a mambo, their conductor Gustavo Dudamel who is just as adept doing Beethoven or Latin music, a young, diverse and participatory audience and musicians having a blast. Imagine what the young kids in OAMEC might be doing in 15 years!
To help bring more awareness to YOFES, the fellows have agreed to participate in their monthly parent meeting in January 2010. Pictures and videos to come.
The Boston City Singers (BCS), founded in 1995, "unites children and families from all neighbourhoods, ethnic and socio-economic groups through the power of music". All these organizations' missions sound very El Sistema-like to me...The BCS is a choir program serving about 300 youths ages 5 to 18. They also have a group string lessons.
At this visit we participated in their rehearsal and spent some time teaching and demonstrating our instruments. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJiDOpp1yfDF5ZdxFxoxkKSBa0wzSnoTc_aKKU9pokpD6u62kPxkYqt2RXUQK5YmuyKAX0Zl6mDp8LVNzgmHs7AjkPgWsvI3noalSSTtZy2Apyc9s_3CdXXy12_JyPbrGTuyIEbUx6N0/s1600/DSC00473.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410459855006383858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJiDOpp1yfDF5ZdxFxoxkKSBa0wzSnoTc_aKKU9pokpD6u62kPxkYqt2RXUQK5YmuyKAX0Zl6mDp8LVNzgmHs7AjkPgWsvI3noalSSTtZy2Apyc9s_3CdXXy12_JyPbrGTuyIEbUx6N0/s400/DSC00473.JPG" /></a>
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<div>In this photo one of our fellows, Katie Wyatt, teaches three BCS students a song on their violins:
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The string program at BCS differs somewhat from an El Sistema approach in that the progression is slower and incremental, whereas in El Sistema they wouldn't hesitate to throw a new player into orchestra and hope for the best. I think the BCS way is effective in building a solid base from more advanced playing, but then again to pick up a violin and be playing, the next week, in a symphony orchestra can be very exciting and motivating, but not as beneficial for individual advancement.
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<p>Looking ahead to next year, the key for me would be figuring out some kind of balance, so any kid can play in an ensemble as soon as possible while still getting the proper individual instruction to have a solid base upon which to advance. I would like to avoid the process of a student taking private lessons for a number of years, then auditioning for one of the few spots in the local youth orchestra and not getting accepted. Can we really afford to deny a kid who wants to play in a youth orchestra because "there's not enough space"? In my hometown of Ottawa I could have tried out for one of six basketball teams and each had several different levels of competition. Surely in the youth music world we can make things more accessible. </p><div>The Greater Boston YMCA is located right next to the New England Conservatory. It has been around since 1913. Now for a little trivia: where was North America's first YMCA? Answer at the end of the blog. </div>
<p>Our visit to the Y brought back many memories for me. I grew up at the <a href="http://www.ymcaywca.ca/">Y in Ottawa</a>, taking swimming lessons from a young age, playing basketball, working as a <a href="http://www.ymcaywca.ca/Children/camping/outdoordaycamps/">camp counsellor</a> and finally lifeguarding and teaching swimming.
</p><p>At this particular Y we visited, there wasn't a music program so as a group the fellows went into the after-school program and led the kids in our own arrangement of When the Saints Go Marching In. The point of this visit was to initiate some kids to music, practice group teaching and learn about the YMCA's after-school programs. The YMCA has partnerships with all kinds of community organizations so as far as potential partnerships with a music program go, the Y could be a good fit. </p><div>Here, fellow Dan Berkowitz (on trombone) leads the fellows in teaching The Saints. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/SxXWcjqEnCI/AAAAAAAAAIg/AwrlDGkFJ9A/s1600/DSC00515.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410466313451904034" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/SxXWcjqEnCI/AAAAAAAAAIg/AwrlDGkFJ9A/s400/DSC00515.JPG" /></a> We then performed it with the kids for their parents in the lobby of the Y. Performing as much as possible, for anyone who will listen, including your own colleagues is a key trait of El Sistema so I'm glad we had a chance to do that at the Y, especially since most of the kids we worked with had no musical training at all. They all happily participated and when it came time to try the instruments they went nuts! </div>
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<p>It was a great visit and I hope that if they enjoyed their time with us, they will go home to their parents and demand music lessons. I don't think it's enough to just play for young kids. As musicians I think we should be doing everything we can to actually get them playing the instruments and playing in ensembles. </p>
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Every kid wants to be a bassoonist: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UZQhdFANO7Np6iG_Ea4LNRibttOwEjbq49lluoSBkjTEPmnQK8iRtUDjVL9D4A7vM30_-501NWc1UZJNWC8hkfTkij3hsaWcMw1aOd_mXxbqh8pFyMAk2apQXJGAYSmuWh1dE3ttGQ4/s1600/BassonTrialYMCA"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410467839766969298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UZQhdFANO7Np6iG_Ea4LNRibttOwEjbq49lluoSBkjTEPmnQK8iRtUDjVL9D4A7vM30_-501NWc1UZJNWC8hkfTkij3hsaWcMw1aOd_mXxbqh8pFyMAk2apQXJGAYSmuWh1dE3ttGQ4/s400/BassonTrialYMCA" /></a>
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The Boston Children's Chorus (BCC), led by <a href="http://www.trecekking.com/">Anthony Trecek-King</a>, was founded in 2003. Their annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Concert was broadcast nationally on ABC in 2009. Three things stood out to me with this program.
The first was the diversity of their students. This is by design. Although they do target youths from lower-income communities, they want their program to be include all races, religions and socio-economic backgrounds. Of those three, it's usually hardest for kids of diverse socio-economic backgrounds to mingle with each other, so the BCC strives to bridge this gap. Their accessibility also stood out to me. They will take pretty much any kid ages 7 to 18 who wants to sing. This belief that any child has the ability to sing is very important as it turns their choir into a more inclusive organization. And the last thing that struck me: they are high-achieving. Anthony emphasizes musical literacy and sight-reading, the students often learn their music at home with nothing but a pitch fork and their performance standards are high. They perform up to 45 concerts a year, including world tours!
During our seminar Anthony said that music programs for social change must be high achieving to actually affect change. I think that is absolutely true and will keep it in mind next year. </div>
<div>In this video, Anthony leads the advanced BCC choir (there are nine choirs in all) in a sight-singing exercise where they must sing a given note based on his hand signals. They use all twelve notes of the chromatic scale and therefore must be able to sing any interval in any direction. At the end of the video you will see that Anthony checks their last sung note with the piano to make sure finished where they started and they're right on. This really is quite impressive. Watch:
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwYFTIzxzC7ut1FoVamfxcBPSFnriyKB0EypR87yyBelfFBeWVo28lc1rOVlFRXT6_86KVO6nrqckqkav1AfA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I also had the chance to do one extra unofficial site visit. Last weekend, which was American Thanksgiving weekend, I was back home in Ottawa. I dropped in on a rehearsal at Ottawa's own El Sistema-inspired program The Leading Note Foundation, which has been around since September 2007. There was a camera crew filming the rehearsal as part of a documentary which will be out at a later date. Back in September when I volunteered at the Leading Note Foundation I registered some of the kids that were already playing in orchestra. OK, so they weren't playing everything perfectly, but that's kind of just how it works in El Sistema; they throw you in the deep end and you have to try to swim. When you say I can't, they simply tell you yes, you can. Of course that's where peer mentorship, group lessons and the fun and social aspects come in handy.
Hanging out with Tina Fideski, Executive Director of The Leading Note Foundation:
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0koQhVwNrXyRN0edsqpqK0vHqcN5V2vW7S93eczWkt34WPuu8klHr2oeVuEBXIHhBK_H4FEpPPewvpluD1Xzr-M5hBogCILIxrfDV0V_kyCALQKsGR9thdnmxM6-Hgp19YWzi763LOx0/s1600-h/DSC00610.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410500308028927570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0koQhVwNrXyRN0edsqpqK0vHqcN5V2vW7S93eczWkt34WPuu8klHr2oeVuEBXIHhBK_H4FEpPPewvpluD1Xzr-M5hBogCILIxrfDV0V_kyCALQKsGR9thdnmxM6-Hgp19YWzi763LOx0/s400/DSC00610.JPG" /></a>
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<p>In this video the orchestra plays an arrangement of Pachelbel's Canon conducted by Margaret Munro Tobolowska, who plays cello in the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
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You don't see it in the video but before they start playing Margaret encouraged the students to move when they play and love the instrument. In short, you gotta feel it! If you've been reading my blog, you already know: El Sistema means passion. If not, where's the fun? The Leading Note Foundation is in good hands with their Executive Director Tina Fideski and will be getting bigger and bigger with time. I'm glad El Sistema's arrived in my hometown.
So if all of these social change music programs in Boston and around the world already exist, what makes El Sistema any different? Our trip to Venezuela is in February but as for right now, besides the sheer magnitude of it, I personally see three things being key to El Sistema. One, Intensity: kids attend El Sistema as many as six days a week. Two: High Standards, I think that chasing excellence all the time will give most youth tools to do whatever he or she wants in life. And three: Fun. The El Sistema graduates that came to speak with us in October emphasized this. You might have to push a child to go play music at first but if the child's having a good time they'll never want to leave.
There certainly is more to the success of El Sistema and I'm looking forward to the Venezuela residency to learn everything I can't be taught in a classroom, but I believe that having intensity, high standards and fun all at the same time is a big part of it.
Do you agree or disagree with what I'm saying? Do I make any sense at all? Do you have a question? I'd love to know. Please post comments below. Thanks for reading.
Trivia Answer: Montreal, on November 25, 1851.
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Welcome back to my second blog on our residency in Baltimore with <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=9,3">OrchKids Program</a>. We continued to prepare our side-by-side concert in the afternoons with the OrchKids and spent the mornings and evenings in various meetings and discussion groups.<br />
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Highlights for me included participating in a speaking event with <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/kathryn-wyatt">Katie Wyatt</a> and <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/lorrie-heagy-0">Lorrie Heagy</a> (two other fellows) organized by Dan Trahey, the OrchKids director. It was a low-key event, just speaking to a group of hotel guests about El Sistema and the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.elsistemausa.org">Abreu Fellows Program</a>. It was a chance for me to work on my public speaking and answer some questions. I have to say, being in roundtable discussions everyday during class helps with this kind of event. I felt comfortable and I'd like to think we peaked the interest of our guests.<br />
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On Thursday night we had a short discussion with <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=4,3,1">Marin Alsop</a>, the conductor of the <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/">Baltimore Symphony Orchestra</a>. Even though it was just a half hour before her concert she seemed very relaxed and personable. Regarding the programs we'll be starting ourselves next year, she encouraged us to find a community we know, some friends we trust and "just do it!".<br />
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I asked her about how to get other symphony orchestras involved. She responded that it was probably more important to start these instrumental programs for youth as soon as possible, with or without orchestras, since big orchestra management tends to move and evolve slowly. She added that parterning with smaller orchestras, where the players may have more time to teach, is a great way to involve an orchestra in El Sistema-like programs. I agree. El Sistema in Venezuela exists in the big cities and in the mountains. It's not good enough if it's only accesible to some.<br />
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And now here's another inside look at the real highlight of the week, the OrchKids.<br />
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In this video, <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/david-malek">David Malek</a> (another fellow) and I chat with two bright students in the program.<br />
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Remember the "<a href="http://www.tocaryluchar.com/">Tocar Y Luchar</a>" medallions from El Sistema Venezuela that Roberto Zambrano gave us? Well the OrchKids receive a similar one, that they wear when they play concerts. They are blue and white, the colors of Unicef. In ceremonial fashion each fellow was presented with our own OrchKids medallion by one of the kids. On the back of the medal it says "Planting Seeds for a Bright Future". Here's a video of me receiving my mine.<br />
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The Baltimore Symphony is doing great things to get involved in their community. The OrchKids have had the chance to not only attend the symphony but to also sit on stage during rehearsals AND conduct the orchestra. Most of us will never get this opportunity. Kudos to the Balitmore Symphony. In this picture, Marin Alsop is conducting the OrchKids at our concert on Friday. Mark Churchill the El Sistema USA's director is also playing with the kids in the background. Students from the Baltimore School for the Arts joined us as well.<br />
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<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEmMZzlcxsFsZz4RC5B_He6sXUSNQn_hIybL_gf0dKi-chh8gyMO5fP3361cBjNJWfee8RiNMoUj0rKiwZmFse6MvycIUCgeokn3RHmUUzGTJ4-t0gt54kXpRdYGtgABhgCwgv3Q_mgI/s1600-h/Alsop.OrchKids.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404058294831204754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEmMZzlcxsFsZz4RC5B_He6sXUSNQn_hIybL_gf0dKi-chh8gyMO5fP3361cBjNJWfee8RiNMoUj0rKiwZmFse6MvycIUCgeokn3RHmUUzGTJ4-t0gt54kXpRdYGtgABhgCwgv3Q_mgI/s400/Alsop.OrchKids.jpg" /></a><br />
The picture below is me participating in Bucket Band. For the kids this class is fun and challenging. They have to be able to play piano (softly), forte (loudly), on different parts of the bucket, recognize the different sounds the bucket can make, play with the drumsticks together or alternating, speak and play at the same time...all together as a group. It's hard. I have to admit, I messed up a few times. But this is the standard to which the teachers hold their students. OrchKids is fun, but the bar is set high, as it should be.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnxs5C8GRIv7FZ6UfrbSLTNzM8C5qaQIGYq87zhlCFXx5sYkKgz2F_sK26c_Isj6_gmFp0YM6QjsSgVChFG0zMsj-0T747IwTEbyJVuIZ0uulKlkc2Yy2mezG-icxvBRtcy9mg0Yi8i8/s1600-h/Dantes.bucket+band.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404060926266938626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnxs5C8GRIv7FZ6UfrbSLTNzM8C5qaQIGYq87zhlCFXx5sYkKgz2F_sK26c_Isj6_gmFp0YM6QjsSgVChFG0zMsj-0T747IwTEbyJVuIZ0uulKlkc2Yy2mezG-icxvBRtcy9mg0Yi8i8/s400/Dantes.bucket+band.jpg" /></a> </p><p>Here's a video of the last portion of Friday's concert. In it the OrchKids are being led in a Samba Percussion number, by Jo Wills of World in Motion, an educational percussion group based in London. You can see some of the fellows drumming as well. Mentoring and peer-to-peer is always happening. After the concert Dan Trahey addressed the kids in the audience and told them that if they want to be in OrchKids to simply ask their teachers. He added that "all of you can do what these kids are doing, you can all play music". Hopefully they've recruited a few new members.<br />
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OrchKids jamming out in their T-shirts and medallions:<br />
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</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQw_uTKmzsF0EtJANrxANzAGOKaqbPXqVOnRSUlLQRCLtL48olSE0h_t-ryowJGO2C8_fDmivZ7daZl_prOXm6CBzxbs4HD8C67E-03oqhKOEnznuwn09dyfv0KS25LMoUDAUy-MLOHQM/s1600-h/DSC00386.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404065746081886098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQw_uTKmzsF0EtJANrxANzAGOKaqbPXqVOnRSUlLQRCLtL48olSE0h_t-ryowJGO2C8_fDmivZ7daZl_prOXm6CBzxbs4HD8C67E-03oqhKOEnznuwn09dyfv0KS25LMoUDAUy-MLOHQM/s400/DSC00386.JPG" /></a><br />
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Hanging out post-concert with OrchKids, <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/christine-witkowski">Christine</a>, Raffi and <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/daniel-berkowitz">Dan</a>:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/Sv8eQBWRgxI/AAAAAAAAAHA/_Y5i62He_NU/s1600-h/DSC00396.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404071338456482578" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/Sv8eQBWRgxI/AAAAAAAAAHA/_Y5i62He_NU/s400/DSC00396.JPG" /></a><br />
Fellows back at Logan Airport waiting for the bus:<br />
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<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3aRFr_SjbYI_uQB4GBW5vMoK5I5cgxlpd4LR1kjiNqe4xJqJNlpjCVtiRocoiiL2ZrboqwPtr2afBCdYefER-YSiKRSk5irf1znzRiISvI15Wkomg6QImWzTnPGbonGppD_WdrCNtoU/s1600-h/DSC00427.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404066692173140130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3aRFr_SjbYI_uQB4GBW5vMoK5I5cgxlpd4LR1kjiNqe4xJqJNlpjCVtiRocoiiL2ZrboqwPtr2afBCdYefER-YSiKRSk5irf1znzRiISvI15Wkomg6QImWzTnPGbonGppD_WdrCNtoU/s400/DSC00427.JPG" /></a> </p><p>This week we're back in Boston for more seminars and discussion. In addition we will be doing some site tours here in Boston, including playing a concert at a local YMCA. There are rumors of another residency later on this year in Los Angeles with the LA Philharmonic's Youth Orchestra LA program. I'll keep you posted.</p><p>For more pics and videos on our week in Baltimore please visit the <a href="http://elsistemausa.org/the-fellows/meet-the-fellows/">other fellows' blogs</a>. </p><p>Questions and comments on my blog are always welcome. </p><script type="text/javascript">
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OrchKids is the Baltimore's Symphony's program but it takes place at Lockerman-Bundy Elementary school in West Baltimore, about ten minutes by car from the Josesph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall where the Baltimore Symphony performs. The program is open to any child who goes to Lockerman-Bundy Elementary from pre-K to 2nd grade. They plan to add a grade to the program each year. There is no audition process, rather just a comittment from the child to show up. The program is free of charge for all the kids. It runs Monday to Thursday for 3 hours a day after school and on Saturdays field trips are organized.<br />
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Curriculum includes musicianship classes, group lessons, ensembles and "bucket band". The instruments offered are violin, cello, bass, clarinet, flute, trumpet, french horn, trombone, euphonium and percussion. As the program expands and the kids improve they will add more instruments in order to have enough to form a complete symphony orchestra, wind ensemble and string ensemble.<br />
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Our residency consists of teaching, observing and documentation. The week will culminate in a performance this Friday. To my horror, I've been asked to play saxophone (after a 10 year hiatus) in this concert.<br />
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Pictures and videos can explain much better than I can, so here's a more visual look at what's been going on after our first two days at OrchKids.<br />
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The school where OrchKids takes place:<br />
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<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxJ02dYo5wPfOPvnxwCEmhF43V2hW7dHabaFj9m_-BroWXSKLSTx7tyFn54MrbrlWoaYgfIRlhpB2yn_YNaYuXUdUZy3bfRU1Ra5k5tvTOtTxgUt4M9oze73Pd-Vvh_2X5HyFUa2sUdo/s1600-h/DSC00323.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403107028324285634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxJ02dYo5wPfOPvnxwCEmhF43V2hW7dHabaFj9m_-BroWXSKLSTx7tyFn54MrbrlWoaYgfIRlhpB2yn_YNaYuXUdUZy3bfRU1Ra5k5tvTOtTxgUt4M9oze73Pd-Vvh_2X5HyFUa2sUdo/s400/DSC00323.JPG" /></a> </p><br />
Across the street from the school:<br />
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<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKP8Dv-ZytK5N7R-jkaK0ZJmQbVAOstMAVq26Ty9Pto8y3HB9gyQ7LazVgXKRehuD4w02RJ-VZPlq0_ecbhSsx4UxNBc9XUVlTLfRkBDBTV5QJgb2WhP3EUazpWkflBLM2Fyy0uG0Cfs/s1600-h/DSC00321.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403107457747394642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKP8Dv-ZytK5N7R-jkaK0ZJmQbVAOstMAVq26Ty9Pto8y3HB9gyQ7LazVgXKRehuD4w02RJ-VZPlq0_ecbhSsx4UxNBc9XUVlTLfRkBDBTV5QJgb2WhP3EUazpWkflBLM2Fyy0uG0Cfs/s400/DSC00321.JPG" /></a> Unfortunately this is a familiar site in West Baltimore. About half the houses on any given street are boarded up. On Tuesday as we pulled up to the school for the first time a drug deal went down at the end of the block. For many of the kids in the program, this is their neighbourhood, but they cannot play outside after school because it's too dangerous. OrchKids gives them a safe place to hang out after school. And on top of that, they are there learning how to play music.<br />
</p><p>Ladies and gentlemen, meet some of the OrchKids:<br />
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Their comfort interacting with each other and adults is something that the teachers work on everyday. Being respectful, confident and social is impressed upon these kids daily. At the end of the video you'll see Nick, the site coordinator making sure things stay calm and orderly. I have to say this all pays off. Every one of these kids are thrilled to come up to you all smiles, introduce themselves, shake your hand and look at you in the eyes as they do it all.<br />
</p><p>The kids in their bucket band class:<br />
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This sort of class is essential since hitting a bucket with drumsticks is easily done and produces a sound right away. Because of this the kids can start playing as a group very quickly while honing their rhythmic skills, memory skills and musicianship. Ensemble playing starts as soon as possible in El Sistema as they want the kids to have that community feel as soon as they start the program.<br />
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Here's an interview I did with Mr. Roosevelt Grandy whose son is in OrchKids. You can see how much the program means to him. In fact, Mr. Grandy, who is a professional drummer will join us on Friday to play our concert alongside his son. Thank you to you Mr. Grandy for speaking with me.<br />
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Fun is a big part of OrchKids but music demands a lot of focus, discipline and concentration so recess is sometimes part of the daily activities . They are pre-k to second grade, after all. In this video below they've been given a few minutes to run around in the playground and now Dan, the OrchKids director is preparing them to return to rehearsal. Notice how he instills in them a sense of respect for their instrument and a sense that what they're doing at OrchKids is something really special. As I've mentioned in previous blogs, making kids feel like they are special is at the core of El Sistema.<br />
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In rehearsal for our concert this Friday:<br />
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<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUuVaSqB-vmxZtMb1nW5Knv3DpaOSF-NehIxaVPHCWgoso16ypB2wfEPydMp_8RlWvciXbrJTZAN0HdhG590IeiYu-BXcl1yMR5-aj0O_CxlrUxcC90fOITct_XtIlpCKv4kKObrc8RY/s1600-h/DSC00309.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403107900793966018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUuVaSqB-vmxZtMb1nW5Knv3DpaOSF-NehIxaVPHCWgoso16ypB2wfEPydMp_8RlWvciXbrJTZAN0HdhG590IeiYu-BXcl1yMR5-aj0O_CxlrUxcC90fOITct_XtIlpCKv4kKObrc8RY/s400/DSC00309.JPG" /></a><br />
The instruments are provided for free, but the kids can't take them home just yet.<br />
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Also in rehearsal:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbD8IIPMwknCVX588uYkb9Hw63ScqbGbsav4h4GMdxOm_pLyr84K1pDHhRkALu1XuJBloThU3ncyLk3-AhiqQpDoy0TW2_7lo5SmknpkeAwKBlwOwZ5y3M2P4_n6Dy14vPzDTcgqju3oE/s1600-h/DSC00311.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403108471965841522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbD8IIPMwknCVX588uYkb9Hw63ScqbGbsav4h4GMdxOm_pLyr84K1pDHhRkALu1XuJBloThU3ncyLk3-AhiqQpDoy0TW2_7lo5SmknpkeAwKBlwOwZ5y3M2P4_n6Dy14vPzDTcgqju3oE/s400/DSC00311.JPG" /></a> You'll notice that the fellows are sitting in the sections with the kids just as if we were in the program too. This peer-to-peer mentorship is also a strong component of El Sistema. The more advanced students help the less advanced ones which teaches them responsability and teamwork. And the younger ones look up to the older kids as examples of what they can become, in this way the younger kids have role models in front of them everyday not just on television or in magazines. </p><p>Between the end of the regular school day and the start of OrchKids the kids have a snack in the school cafeteria. Lockerman-Bundy is a Title 1 School which means they have enough students whose families qualify as low-income to receive government funds. These funds often go towards breakfast, lunch and snacks. Here they are hanging out with me and Jonathan, the other Canadian in the Abreu Fellows Program:<br />
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<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uToevSi7vekejc1-kR7b1D_bcVobX2ZI30uW4xNjQuHn3j5TnHRjGk7Y-V3ltTbhqQtaYq8xWTausFQhIPbNE79dMuJisia059PJ5gdQbDIUezMYf9msrI4gBn-JK_q3dXbwtx2LqT0/s1600-h/DSC00327.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403129684389165186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uToevSi7vekejc1-kR7b1D_bcVobX2ZI30uW4xNjQuHn3j5TnHRjGk7Y-V3ltTbhqQtaYq8xWTausFQhIPbNE79dMuJisia059PJ5gdQbDIUezMYf9msrI4gBn-JK_q3dXbwtx2LqT0/s400/DSC00327.JPG" /></a><br />
Our stay in Baltimore continues for the next two days. We will be meeting with Marin Alsop, the conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. She is a big part of OrchKids and in fact donated 100,000$ of her own money to the program. We will also attend the BSO concert on Thursday night. The week will end with a marching band/percussion concert on Friday with the Fellows, Orchkids kids and teachers. I continue to look foward to working with these students who show nothing but the greatest potential.</p><p>As always if you have other questions or comments about our time in Baltimore please feel free to express yourself in the comment section at the bottom of this blog.</p><p>Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next blog which should be out by this weekend.</p><script type="text/javascript">
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Everyday in this program we have seminars led by fabulous people who are experts in their respective fields. While they inspire with their credentials, what I especially admire about them is that they are leaders. They support what the Abreu Fellows Program is about and I believe they have come to speak to us in part because they have taken it upon themselves to see that this whole thing succeeds. Let me tell you about some of these guys.<br />
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One of our first seminars was on leadership, with <a href="http://www.nextsteppartners.com/about/people.php#michael">Michael Melcher</a>, who is a leader in the field of human talent development as well as a speaker and author. He helped us to define what kind of leaders we are and what our leadership style is. He then challenged us with a final assignment that is to guide us throughout the year as our leadership brand develops.<br />
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Mr. Melcher and I:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6j9dI-4Qi1A0rBdIeeblApF38HS_ocnVSusQDKTkL9Tc5iYjTrGUVz4l0blWmzMESXbT3UZXTpRKweDqaPiBZe9JFBfDpJ_AvaXh2r-2QZKYxZfqS1Behk2DxkzV41kHzu4GqjGgQ9s/s1600-h/DSC00098.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399764292018330658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6j9dI-4Qi1A0rBdIeeblApF38HS_ocnVSusQDKTkL9Tc5iYjTrGUVz4l0blWmzMESXbT3UZXTpRKweDqaPiBZe9JFBfDpJ_AvaXh2r-2QZKYxZfqS1Behk2DxkzV41kHzu4GqjGgQ9s/s320/DSC00098.JPG" /></a><br />
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If you haven't heard of the <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=9,3">Baltimore Symphony ORCHkids program</a> you must know about it. It is directed by Dan Trahey with Nick Skinner as the site co-ordinator. These guys are leaders. With support from the <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=0">Baltimore Symphony Orchestra</a> and their conductor <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=4,3,1">Maestra Marin Alsop</a>, they have established a stellar music education program for pre-K to third graders at Lockerman-Bundy Elementary School, in a city where <em>33% of residents don't finish high school</em>. These guys are tireless workers. In an effort to get their program to where it is today they've done everything from boardroom presentations to re-painting the name of the school themselves. I highly recommend you check out this <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=9,3">short video</a> about ORCHkids. We will be visiting their site in two weeks and I am slated to do some playing and speaking while I'm there. More on my visit to Baltimore soon.<br />
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During seminar from left to right: Garett, Dan Trahey, Roberto Zambrano and Abreu Fellow Alvaro Rodas:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildP2daUXJz4iWom1_OnKwqiDHjId-yIBY2QNgvYk56B164hi97tY4cA8KRKyqBNS5WqobmuTFAJyOIqOpL2CWFQOsKy27d85tgi1oHflqDrXDCgi8u3dewvlmArB64Sw_rmTCOh5_alk/s1600-h/DSC00085.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399766764792814898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildP2daUXJz4iWom1_OnKwqiDHjId-yIBY2QNgvYk56B164hi97tY4cA8KRKyqBNS5WqobmuTFAJyOIqOpL2CWFQOsKy27d85tgi1oHflqDrXDCgi8u3dewvlmArB64Sw_rmTCOh5_alk/s320/DSC00085.JPG" /></a><br />
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Roberto Zambrano is a leader. A member of the first generation of musicians in El Sistema, Maestro Zambrano is now Music Director of the Acarigua-Araure Youth Symphony Orchestra and Regional Coordinator of El Sistema in Venezuela. He was with us during all of week two as a mentor and resource for basically everything we were studying. He started off the week by giving each fellow the medal that kids in El Sistema receive after playing their first concert. Folks, this medal is a big deal in Venezuela, so I'm honored to have received one. On the back of the medal is engraved "Tocar y Luchar" which means "to play and to struggle". You can imagine how a kid feels receiving it for the first time...<br />
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Mr. Zambrano and I, "Tocar y Luchar"<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkB3Z3Kp7vLRmlB7h44bxaQwZrp2Pb4t5_eRbNxEwZbPhYT5KQb8ZTohEnoIrETI8b7Jtv5kNHnSrjHQUnkYmyB3wOeYlF1n1psXMYX0O4o8ulC5CSKEWplKjhwpl9se6fGIIqG6D4UM/s1600-h/DSC00090.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399767615890721810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkB3Z3Kp7vLRmlB7h44bxaQwZrp2Pb4t5_eRbNxEwZbPhYT5KQb8ZTohEnoIrETI8b7Jtv5kNHnSrjHQUnkYmyB3wOeYlF1n1psXMYX0O4o8ulC5CSKEWplKjhwpl9se6fGIIqG6D4UM/s320/DSC00090.JPG" /></a><br />
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Ben Cameron and Greg Kandel were also with us. Ben, who is Program Director for the Arts for the <a href="http://www.ddcf.org/page.asp?pageId=1">Doris Duke Charitable Foundation</a> gave us a sobering talk on the state of the arts in the USA, but then also gave us some of the tools needed to help art regain a more prominent role in society. <a href="http://www.mcaonline.com/MCApage27.html">Greg Kandel</a> is a partner in the consulting firm <a href="http://www.mcaonline.com/">Management Consultants for the Arts</a> and instructed us on strategic planning and dynamics on founding an organization. The assignment he gave us is not an easy one, but I feel it will benefit it me in the long run because it will be applicable in the real world.<br />
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On the musical side of things we've explored four music education methods for young children: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurhythmics">Dalcroze Eurythmics</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodaly_method">Kodaly Method</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orff_Schulwerk">Orff</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Method">Suzuki</a>. These classes were all important because next year when working in our programs we may have to decide what our curriculum will look like. For young children this is very delicate and important. I went through Suzuki growing up so I knew about it already. The other three were somewhat newer to me. The Kodaly Method videos of 1st graders sight-singing better than I can was definitely food for thought...<br />
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We're also learning a little about all the other instruments. Here's me (photo only ;)) playing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui7BBYnaT0Q">Don Juan</a> on viola on my first day of lessons:<br />
><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYt1gCOd0Qy8lVfjRlalQkSdWeEPzOAkrOdoul84XKWbCjp0Y0Sdy5qYDIsPJRtjnzR1VMc_yS5qFfq3aQIcLjogJnl0VGZakUPghtAGbrB-WzeWTRio5zC-0ELFS4LghGb7r9SOE4l0/s1600-h/dantesviola.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399764298784683810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYt1gCOd0Qy8lVfjRlalQkSdWeEPzOAkrOdoul84XKWbCjp0Y0Sdy5qYDIsPJRtjnzR1VMc_yS5qFfq3aQIcLjogJnl0VGZakUPghtAGbrB-WzeWTRio5zC-0ELFS4LghGb7r9SOE4l0/s320/dantesviola.jpg" /></a><br />
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Since we're going to Venezuela for two months next semester I've been learning as much as possible about the culture while in Boston. This includes Spanish lessons at ridiculous hours of the morning, learning salsa and eating arepas, a staple of Venezuelan cuisine.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/Su_VBR0Q7LI/AAAAAAAAAFY/jSJoyFNEdOw/s1600-h/DSC00127.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399768696179715250" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/Su_VBR0Q7LI/AAAAAAAAAFY/jSJoyFNEdOw/s400/DSC00127.JPG" /></a><br />
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Week two was capped off with the Boston Globe featuring the Abreu Fellows Program on their front page. <a href="http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2009/10/23/famed_venezuelan_music_education_program_adopted/">Here's the article</a>. The article is very nice and I was happy that we were front page news; my roommate Stan "The Man" was in the front page picture! I did find some of the readers' comments a little interesting, although the vast majority were positive. I find it puzzling that one would politicize a program that encourages kids to play music by calling it socialism or affirmative action. But that's just me. I think it's simply an investment in youth through music. In Texas the <a href="http://www.tmea.org/">law says</a> (click on Resource Center then Legislative Updates then "What the Law Says") fine arts must be offered in all public schools from kindergarten to grade 12. They believe it should be that way in order for a child to receive a "well-balanced and meaningful education."<br />
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Well duh. What's the big deal?<br />
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Calling all leaders, let's get on with this movement.<br />
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<div>Clearly I've spent too much time watching MTV. But that's what it felt like the morning I walked into the New England Conservatory for the first day of the Abreu Fellows Program. My roommates (Abreu Fellows as well) and I (below)<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/StvMKU3FJ2I/AAAAAAAAADY/nJ9vJatbBfA/s1600-h/DSC00013.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394129456476792674" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/StvMKU3FJ2I/AAAAAAAAADY/nJ9vJatbBfA/s320/DSC00013.JPG" /></a><br />
were greeted in the lobby by <a href="http://www.opus3artists.com/artists/jamie-bernstein">Jamie Bernstein</a>, daughter of the famous conductor <a href="http://www.leonardbernstein.com/">Leonard Bernstein</a>. Turns out Jamie is producing a documentary about El Sistema USA and so a camera crew followed us around for the entire week. Here's the producers, camera crew and Alvaro, one of the fellows:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5qeEkW3rmA8iuIgawqCXkUuFrQhSm5m8IsbN1yNlmB76SjSe13ZlkalaP0zTJdldeCvgaJR6XChVIr-pj-4Jv8IJAKoe2-oJ-lKev7MfrxtUS_iSC3O1M4CqiabZveW_ZKlfdeoi9Ws/s1600-h/camera+crew"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394135501451474162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5qeEkW3rmA8iuIgawqCXkUuFrQhSm5m8IsbN1yNlmB76SjSe13ZlkalaP0zTJdldeCvgaJR6XChVIr-pj-4Jv8IJAKoe2-oJ-lKev7MfrxtUS_iSC3O1M4CqiabZveW_ZKlfdeoi9Ws/s320/camera+crew" /></a><br />
I thought, good thing I didn't wear my favorite ensemble: baggy jeans and a college sweatshirt.</div><br />
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<div>This opening week was pretty exciting. Finally meeting everyone involved with the project in person was great. The fact that everyone, from the fellows all the way up to the President of the New England Conservatory is so committed to the cause makes it feel like I've known all these people for much longer than one week. </div><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/StvQHcyBCnI/AAAAAAAAAD4/2yq4zjrx4UQ/s1600-h/DSC00034.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394133805109938802" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/StvQHcyBCnI/AAAAAAAAAD4/2yq4zjrx4UQ/s320/DSC00034.JPG" /></a> For example author <a href="http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Tricia-Tunstall/41746342">Tricia Tunstall</a> (above) who will be with us for much of the year to collect research for her upcoming book. She is writing one of the first English books on El Sistema and its growing popularity across the world. No pressure. Oh, and Tricia also happens to teach a mere 40 piano students...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/StvNzH11TqI/AAAAAAAAADw/0O-FnMAOQgs/s1600-h/DSC00032.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394131256868163234" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/StvNzH11TqI/AAAAAAAAADw/0O-FnMAOQgs/s320/DSC00032.JPG" /></a> On Wednesday our guest lecturer was <a href="http://www.harmonyprogram.org/staff-AnneFitzgibbon.htm">Anne Fitzgibbon</a> (above), the executive director of the <a href="http://harmonyprogram.cuny.edu/index.html">Harmony Program</a> in Brooklyn, New York. Anne spent a whole year in Venezuela teaching and working with El Sistema. With her hands-on experience she was able to provide us with the history, philosophy and organization of El Sistema. She then spoke about her own program which trains college and graduate level music students as music teachers for economically disadvantaged children. We will be visiting the Harmony Program in Brooklyn in November so I'll be sure to write about it here.<br />
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<div></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/StvM6k8cPuI/AAAAAAAAADg/Jl0Vlpm2ESY/s1600-h/DSC00023.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394130285427965666" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/StvM6k8cPuI/AAAAAAAAADg/Jl0Vlpm2ESY/s320/DSC00023.JPG" /></a> On Wednesday I also met my mentors. Each fellow has a musician mentor and a more business-like mentor to guide and advise us throughout the year. Mine are <a href="http://www.necmusic.edu/faculty/martha-strongin-katz?lid=2&sid=3">Martha Katz</a>, viola teacher at the New England Conservatory and Don Jones, Vice President for Institutional Advancement at the New England Conservatory. Don, like me, is an avid sports fan and believes he will convert me from an Ottawa Senators fan to a Boston Bruins fan and from a Pittsburgh Steelers fan to a New England Patriots fan. While that won't be happening, Don, I'll probably be pledging my allegiance to the Boston Celtics pretty soon.<br />
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<div>For myself the highlight of the week was the roundtable discussion with El Sistema graduates. These young musicians grew up in Venezuela participating in El Sistema and are now pursuing post-secondary education in music here in Boston. We bombarded them with questions for almost three hours and they patiently and graciously answered all our queries. A couple of things about the "El Sistema ways" from the roundtable stand out for me.</div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOiVQC5Tb99OWlCP5M4vd9riU1QnSvCJ5bDSKKKN0RZaTf6-aH8STHq-WQDr3_A_OCV1NQvK70ns1GJhyfuQi3_AdgrAPD6Xb24c1epCa7aWwg6AVX1KaPCFdGukZZSjQ1j0l49MaBIk/s1600-h/DSC00057.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394134254452920610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOiVQC5Tb99OWlCP5M4vd9riU1QnSvCJ5bDSKKKN0RZaTf6-aH8STHq-WQDr3_A_OCV1NQvK70ns1GJhyfuQi3_AdgrAPD6Xb24c1epCa7aWwg6AVX1KaPCFdGukZZSjQ1j0l49MaBIk/s320/DSC00057.JPG" /></a><br />
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<div>The first is how often the theme of friendship and bonding came up. The graduates mentioned that they had spent so much time together at El Sistema programs that it made the orchestras play better. Yes, they wanted to go to orchestra because it was fun and their friends were there. But it was also this closeness, this obligation to one another that motivated them to practice, which in turn made the orchestra better. No one wanted to let down their friends. One graduate, when we asked what were some of the elements that had to be part of a successful El Sistema inspired program replied that it was all about friendships. He said put your kids on a bus, drive them around for two hours, bring them back to rehearsal and watch them play better. The notion that the entire orchestra is a family and each member has a responsability to the group is a great way of teaching youngsters how to be functioning members of any society. A great example of orchestra skills translating into real life skills. </div><br />
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<div>Another thing that stood out is a little more technical, but it has to do with how the solo parts are handed out in El Sistema Orchestras. If you watch some videos of the El Sistema orchestras you'll notice how big each instrument section is. I wondered how they divide the parts to decide who plays solos? Well it turns out that everyone gets a chance to play the solo parts in rehearsals, and then whoever plays it best or is most comfortable on it gets to play it in concert. Why is this important? For one, there's no need to explain to a ten year old why he/she isn't playing the solo in the concert because the child has gotten the chance to play it at rehearsal and also can see that someone is doing it better. And second and most important, since every player has had the chance to prepare the solos to play them in rehearsal, everyone feels like an asset. This is key to El Sistema: every child must feel like an asset. As Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu says (but he attributes the quote to Mother Teresa) in his TEDPrize speech:<br />
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<div>"The most miserable and tragic thing about poverty is not the lack of bread or roof, but the feeling of being no one".<br />
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<div>So, of course the El Sistema orchestras are competitve, but everyone is expected to perform to the best of their abilities, leaving no one to feel like they aren't an essential part of the puzzle. Here I am with with three of the El Sistema graduates Alfredo, Jorge and Mariester.</div><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/StvQ5XTY7rI/AAAAAAAAAEI/W4RHPjNpQto/s1600-h/DSC00073.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394134662632763058" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JabQ7tvnMuE/StvQ5XTY7rI/AAAAAAAAAEI/W4RHPjNpQto/s400/DSC00073.JPG" /></a><br />
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<div>One of our faculty members <a href="http://www.benjaminzander.com/">Maestro Benjamin Zander</a> is the conductor of the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bostonphil.org">Boston Philharmonic</a> and teaches at the New England Conservatory. He is also a well-known author and speaker. His book <a href="http://www.benjaminzander.com/book/">The Art of Possibility</a> has sold close to a million copies and is translated into 17 languages. During class last Friday Maestro Zander revealed to us that he's been invited to the White House next Friday where he has been granted a few moments to speak with President Obama privately. I don't know what he will talk to the President about but when and if he tells us, I'll tell you!</div><br />
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<div>This next week's curriculum focuses on early childhood music, strategic planning and monitoring and evaluation. These are all big words to me, as my training is primarily in playing the bassoon. But we have great lecturers coming to speak to us and I look foward to sharing with you how it goes.</div><br />
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<div>And lastly, Jose Antonio Abreu, Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra will be in Toronto the week of October 26, 2009. Abreu will be receiving one of Canada's most prestigious music prizes, the Glenn Gould prize. I'll blog more about it soon but for now please check out the <a href="http://www.glenngould.ca/SiteResources/ViewContent.asp?DocID=193&v1ID=&RevID=795&lang=1">website</a> for this weeklong event.</div><br />
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In May 2009 I was still considering pursuing a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Musical_Arts">Doctor of Musical Arts</a> in bassoon performance at a couple of schools in the USA. I just wasn't sure if I could get enough funds to do it. So I waited.<br />
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I was hanging out in my hometown (Ottawa) doing...well...nothing, when I got an email from <a href="http://kennedy-center.org/calendar/?fuseaction=showIndividual&entity_id=3591&source_type=A">Sue Heineman</a>, the principal bassoonist of the <a href="http://kennedy-center.org/nso/index.cfm">National Symphony Orchestra</a> in Washington D.C. It was about the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.elsistemausa.org">Abreu Fellows Program </a>at the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.necmusic.edu">New England Conservatory</a>. I had been looking for this kind of program for a while. In fact, in all my doctorate application essays I had mentioned the Venezuelan youth education program <a href="http://www.fesnojiv.gob.ve/en.html">El Sistema</a>, saying it would be great to have something similar in the USA and Canada (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRI-A3vakVg">I am Canadian</a>). So here I was, looking at a brand new program that did exactly that. I couldn't believe my luck. From the El Sistema USA website:<br />
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"… the first initiative of el Sistema USA — a one-year postgraduate certificate program for accomplished young musicians who desire to become ambassadors of El Sistema and who are committed to developing it outside of Venezuela. Housed at New England Conservatory, Abreu Fellows will spend a year studying between Boston and Caracas, and leave with the tools to return to their communities to teach the El Sistema model."<br />
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That was good enough for me. And so, here I am in Boston.<br />
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<strong>What is El Sistema</strong>? Started in 1975 by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Antonio_Abreu">Jose Antonio Abreu</a>, it is the common name given to the <a href="http://fesnojiv.gob.ve/en.html">National System of Youth and Children's Orchestras of Venezuela</a>. Government funded and using the symphony orchestra as their vehicle, they provide music education to kids of all backgrounds all over the country.<br />
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Watch this great video explaining how El Sistema got to Boston:<br />
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And now the why. Why I am I doing this program? I lock myself in a room for hours on end to be a bassoonist right? Well yes, that's true...but<br />
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Two reasons in particular made this program worth it for me: under-served youths and symphony orchestras. I've seen many concerts in North America with great orchestras, conductors and soloists but unfortunately there are often empty seats. It's become obvious to me, as I'm sure it has to many others, that more could be done to draw a more diverse and younger audience. How to do that?<br />
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Well how about we invest in our youth. Let's make music education accesible to all youths no matter where they're from. <strong>Let's make music education a right, not a privilege</strong>. This way youths can reap the benefits of music and hopefully when they're older they will become concert-goers, musicians, stage-hands, arts administrators, patrons and aficionados.<br />
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Through this program I was offered the chance to hopefully make a positive difference for under-served youths and symphony orchestras. It was difficult to turn down.<br />
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Now it's not all doom and gloom for the orchestra world! Besides the fact that symphony orchestras deliver a fantastic product, the El Sistema phenomenon has caught on all over the world and youth orchestra programs often targeting under-served communities are already up and running in <a href="http://www.laphil.com/yola/">Los Angeles</a>, <a href="http://www.miamisymphony.org/Allapattah.php">Miami</a>, <a href="http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=9,3">Baltimore</a>, <a href="http://harmonyprogram.cuny.edu/index.html">New York City</a>, <a href="http://www.leadingnotefoundation.org/en/">Ottawa</a> and more. I simply hope to help continue the trend.<br />
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To see the possibilities watch the <a href="http://www.fesnojiv.gob.ve/en/the-simon-bolivar-youth-orchestra-of-venezuela.html">top youth orchestra in Venezuela </a>perform Leonard Bernstein's Mambo, led by <a href="http://www.gustavodudamel.com/">Gustavo Dudamel</a>, an El Sistema graduate and the new conductor of the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.laphil.com">Los Angeles Philharmonic</a>:<br />
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Not too shabby eh/huh?<br />
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I'll be blogging about my experiences all year, so please come back and feel free to participate by leaving comments and/or questions. I feel that this type of project benefits us all, so don't be shy!<br />
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<strong>Imagine a world with millions of kids playing music...</strong><br />
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Thanks for reading.<br />
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