The Social Action of Music

"Music has to be recognized as an agent of social development, in the highest sense because it transmits the highest values – solidarity, harmony, mutual compassion.  And it has the ability to unite an entire community, and to express sublime feelings."  So said Venezuelan educator, musician and activist Jose Antonio Abreu, founder of what is now called El Sistema.

Jose Antonio Abreu

In 1975, Abreu began offering free music lessons to eleven impoverished children in an underground garage in Venezuela.  He got government funding for this project and it grew and spread around the world.  The program provides free classical ensemble music lessons and practice every day after school to promote personal growth and positive social change.  It is about more than just individual musical ability.  Playing music together is just as important.  

Abreu was born in 1939 in Venezuela.  He studied economics, worked in the government and taught at universities.  He concurrently studied music.  Abreu brought these two streams together when he created “an innovative youth education method in which music was the primary avenue for social and intellectual improvement.” Hi motto was “Social Action for Music.” (Wikipedia) He has since received numerous awards for this ground breaking work.

Today there are over 100 Sistema chapters in 60 countries around the world. They target children who would not normally be able to take music lessons or play in an orchestra.

A few years ago, a Sistema chapter was started near me in Midland, Ontario which is when I first heard about this program.  This group’s website states that “Our mission is to build and sustain an intensive social program that provides free, ensemble-based music lessons to inspire children to realize their full potential as students, musicians and citizens. “ 

Sistema exists in almost every province in Canada now and there are over 20 programs in existence.  Here are some examples:

Saint James Music Academy in Vancouver (2007) serves 480 students from Downtown Eastside inner-city schools and it is an official community partner of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. 

OrfKidstra in Ottawa (2007) serves 400 students from Centretown inner-city schools and is partnered with local community organizations including the National Arts Centre. 

YONA-Sistema in Edmonton (2013) is partnered with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and other partners. 

El Sistema Aeolian, London (2011) serves 75 students and includes a youth string orchestra, a choir and an adult orchestra.  They give 15 – 20 performances a year.

Sistema Toronto says that it is a “social development program that builds a sense of community, self–respect and mutual support in children.”  You can see a very beautiful 6 minute video of cellist Yo-Yo Ma giving instruction to some of these children on the website.  It is lovely to watch this famous musician be totally present with the three young cellists and get them to “feel” the music they are playing which is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.  He gets them to imagine what looking at the night sky feels like and then play that. 

The website for the London groups states, “Music transcends language and takes us directly to our limbic brain; the emotional core.  It allows us to express the flow of intellect and emotion.”  This is exactly what you can see Yo-Yo Ma doing with the kids on the video.

“Sistema is a social program first and foremost. We use music ensembles as a model to teach students their role in the success of a team. By working toward a common goal, our students learn about cooperation, mutual support, empathy, self-respect, perseverance, and resilience,“ says the Sistema-Toronto website.

“Our world needs creative thinkers; young people with high social and emotional intelligence.  We need to foster leadership, volunteerism, mentorship, pursuit of excellence and a commitment to community,” states the El Sistema Aeolian website.

I first heard of El Sistema from a friend who was starting up the local chapter in Midland.  The board is constantly fundraising and looking for donations of instruments.  I saw some of these when my partner donated his time repairing and refurbishing donated violins for the kids.  He and I plan to do a fundraising house concert for the group as well. Many local people are involved in supporting this program.

We have all heard the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child.”  To me this is the village stepping up and offering music to kids who wouldn’t be able to participate otherwise.  And of course they will also contribute to the village while they are children and as adults.  It is a good example of how one person’s idea can spread and inspire other people to work in a framework that is about cooperation, not competition, about the joy of creating together.  If you want to feel the magic of that, watch the video with Yo-Yo and the kids.