News
Sistema NB Teaching Artist, Nicole MacDonald, in Venezuela
After a missed connection in Toronto and a detour through Mexico City and Bogotá, Colombia, Nicole MacDonald, cello teacher in our Sistema NB Richibucto Centre, finally made it to Venezuela. A seven-hour drive later she met up with a team of four other international teachers and seven Venezuelan maestros. Together they would make up the teaching team of the VIII Semenario Internacional de Portuguesa who would work with 150 students to learn four significant works in ten days.
Rehearsals lasted three to four hours each and happened twice a day. They were divided between full orchestra rehearsals, string and wind sectionals, instrumental sectionals and private lessons. Evenings were spent either attending concerts or discussing the philosophy of El Sistema and different approaches to teaching.
So, what stuck out most for Nicole?
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The intensity: These kids happily worked for 6-8 hours a day, 10 days in a row. Believe it or not, they often practiced through their breaks.
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The love and passion for the music: If their work ethic didn’t convince you of their passion you would believe it when you saw the way they were rocking out to Dvorak.
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The inclusion: Everyone is welcome. Demonstrated by the blind tuba player, the sign-language choir and the cellist with five-months experience sitting beside a cellist with four years experience; which brings us to:
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The culture of helping, openness and sharing: How else has the girl who’s only been playing for five months going to succeed other than with a lot of support from her peers?
Back in Canada, Nicole is excited to be sharing her experiences with her colleagues. She has many ideas brewing and is keenly aware of the potential for growth home in New Brunswick. Let’s see what comes next!
Nicole with her cello students from the Semenario in Acarigua, Venezuela
International teaching team in Acarigua, Venezuela. From left to right: Ayaka Yamamoto, Sistema Japan; Nicole MacDonald, Sistema NB; Michael Repper, conductor; Eriel Huang, violinist; Liz Ramirez, Corona Youth Music Project, NYC.
Celebrating after the final concert of the Semenario in Acarigua, Venezuela
