Inside the concert hall a top orchestra is playing briliantly. Their young conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, is one of the best in the world. But we are not in New York, London, or…
Inside the concert hall a top orchestra is playing briliantly. Their young conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, is one of the best in the world. But we are not in New York, London, or Vienna. We are in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. The orchestra is the Simón Bolívar Youth orchestra, and its conductor and young musicians come from the poorest families in the country. They are a product of El Sistema ('the system' in Spanish), a project started in 1975 to save poor children from crime and drug addiction through classical music. Today more than 270,000 young Venezuelans from the barrios (poor areas in Caracas) are learning to play instruments. They practise Beethoven and Brahms instead of learning to steal and shoot. Gisella, aged 11, says 'T am learning the viola because I want to escape from the barrio. In Venezuela now it's cooler to like Strauss than salsa? Edgar, 22, who plays in the orchestra, says 'sometimes when we finish late I stay in town - it's dangerous to go home at that time. But now most of my friends are here. We are a family as well as an orchestra.' Dudamel is now also the Musical Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, one of the USA's top orchestras. But he returns frequently to Caracas to conduct. 'I miss my orchestra, but I will never leave them. They're family, he says. Пересказ
In a vibrant concert hall in Caracas, Venezuela, the acclaimed Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra captivates its audience under the exceptional guidance of young conductor Gustavo Dudamel. Unlike the traditional centers of classical music such as New York, London, or Vienna, this orchestra is composed of talented musicians who come from the poorest backgrounds in the country. They are beneficiaries of El Sistema, a transformative initiative launched in 1975 aimed at steering impoverished children away from crime and drug abuse through engagement with classical music.
Today, over 270,000 young people from the barrios, or impoverished neighborhoods of Caracas, are learning to play various instruments, immersing themselves in works by classical composers like Beethoven and Brahms instead of following a path of crime. Young violinist Gisella, only 11, expresses her desire to learn the viola as a means to escape her challenging environment, noting that appreciating composers like Strauss has become more fashionable than traditional salsa music in contemporary Venezuela.
Edgar, a 22-year-old member of the orchestra, shares the realities of life in the city, mentioning the dangers of commuting late after rehearsals but emphasizing the strong sense of community among his peers, who have become like family through their shared experiences in the orchestra.
Gustavo Dudamel, now also the Musical Director of the renowned Los Angeles Philharmonic, maintains a deep connection with the Simón Bolívar orchestra. He frequently returns to Caracas to conduct, highlighting the importance of this musical family to him, stating that even as he pursues opportunities abroad, he will never abandon his roots with the orchestra.
