webbie64
Headphoneus Supremus
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- Oct 23, 2006
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I am interested in anybody's experiences with the El Sistema music education system: Venezuela's national system of youth and children's orchestras and choirs.
Established in 1975, El Sistema was originally conceived as a social program for young people in Venezuela's crime and drug ridden slums. It's an intensive after-school program that takes children from 2 years old to 20, with much of the tuition provided by young people who are graduates of the program.
It is claimed that because of El Sistema, Venezuela is now a country awash with music — it now has more than 200 youth orchestras.
I've read through Net postings and can gather that in the El Sistema program
• Children are given an instrument as soon as they can hold it;
• Tuition, outings, and music are furnished free of charge in return for the child’s agreement to play in one of El Sistema’s ensembles;
• Orchestral playing is a part of the program from the beginning;
• Lessons are in groups;
• Children who have mastered a scale or two are delegated to teach younger children; peer support is fundamental;
• Practice is supervised;
• Six days a week, four hours a day, the children play music together.
• Music is taught as play rather than a chore;
• The objective is discipline, respect, and achievement through work;
• The goal is excellence: the point is not to be the best, but to be the best you can;
• Everything is communal, everything is about the team; the culture is one of mutual support.
• There are straightforward practical benefits for young children playing in an orchestra – reading music helps with numeracy and literacy, for example, and being applauded boosts self-confidence; very shy kids who could barely speak a year ago are now chatting away.
This all sounds incredibly progressive to me and I would really like to hear from people who have experienced the system, either as a visitor to an area where it has been implemented (be that Venezuela or some of the variants elsewhere), or through some form of involvement with it. Even those who know of someone with experience of it might be able to get me in touch so I can learn more.
Note 1: Many music education projects have been modeled after the Venezuelan program in more than 25 countries. Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Korea, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Scotland, Trinidad and Tobago, United States (Avon, Baltimore, Birmingham, Charleston, Chicago, Durham, Fort Wayne, Hampton, Hilton Head Island, Jackson, Los Angeles, New York, North Oakland, Pasadena, San Antonio, San Diego) and Uruguay are among them.
Note 2: Yes, I am aware there is an Australian El Sistema website and Director - I'd just like to garner as wide a range of experiences as I can
Hoping some HeadFi-ers might be able to help exploring this.
Thanks In Advance.
Established in 1975, El Sistema was originally conceived as a social program for young people in Venezuela's crime and drug ridden slums. It's an intensive after-school program that takes children from 2 years old to 20, with much of the tuition provided by young people who are graduates of the program.
It is claimed that because of El Sistema, Venezuela is now a country awash with music — it now has more than 200 youth orchestras.
I've read through Net postings and can gather that in the El Sistema program
• Children are given an instrument as soon as they can hold it;
• Tuition, outings, and music are furnished free of charge in return for the child’s agreement to play in one of El Sistema’s ensembles;
• Orchestral playing is a part of the program from the beginning;
• Lessons are in groups;
• Children who have mastered a scale or two are delegated to teach younger children; peer support is fundamental;
• Practice is supervised;
• Six days a week, four hours a day, the children play music together.
• Music is taught as play rather than a chore;
• The objective is discipline, respect, and achievement through work;
• The goal is excellence: the point is not to be the best, but to be the best you can;
• Everything is communal, everything is about the team; the culture is one of mutual support.
• There are straightforward practical benefits for young children playing in an orchestra – reading music helps with numeracy and literacy, for example, and being applauded boosts self-confidence; very shy kids who could barely speak a year ago are now chatting away.
This all sounds incredibly progressive to me and I would really like to hear from people who have experienced the system, either as a visitor to an area where it has been implemented (be that Venezuela or some of the variants elsewhere), or through some form of involvement with it. Even those who know of someone with experience of it might be able to get me in touch so I can learn more.
Note 1: Many music education projects have been modeled after the Venezuelan program in more than 25 countries. Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Korea, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Scotland, Trinidad and Tobago, United States (Avon, Baltimore, Birmingham, Charleston, Chicago, Durham, Fort Wayne, Hampton, Hilton Head Island, Jackson, Los Angeles, New York, North Oakland, Pasadena, San Antonio, San Diego) and Uruguay are among them.
Note 2: Yes, I am aware there is an Australian El Sistema website and Director - I'd just like to garner as wide a range of experiences as I can
Hoping some HeadFi-ers might be able to help exploring this.
Thanks In Advance.
