Sistema Learning Tour June 2009
In June 2009, three members of the NBYO Board of Directors traveled to Caracas to study and learn from the El Sistema experience with the aim of adapting the program to fit and work in New Brunswick and Canada. Participants included Ken MacLeod, President of KMA Consultants (NBYO President), David Hawkins, President of Colour NB, and David Adams, Concertmaster of Symphony New Brunswick.
Objectives of the El Sistema learning tour
- Experience the program first-hand.
- Identify and evaluate the elements that make the program successful in Venezuela.
- Assess to what extent these elements are conditioned by the Venezuelan circumstances and context.
- Determine the elements that are transferrable to New Brunswick context.
- Evaluate if these elements are transferable and level of effort is required to do so.
- Develop a plan and budget for implementing a prototype in New Brunswick.
Caracas
- Situated at 2,600 feet above sea level and in a mountain valley
- Population about 6 million people, densely populated
- Beautiful weather, high 20’s – mid 30’s 12 months of the year
- Barrios a prominent feature of the city – housing that has grown organically on the periphery of the city, layer-upon-layer of housing built, by the owners, on the mountainsides
- Like other large Latin American cities, densely populated, economically and socially challenged, often a lot of violent crime
El Sistema – What We Saw
- Five centres including: Nucleo Guarenas; Nucleo Los Chorros; Children Academic Center, Montalban; Luthier’s Academic Centre; Nucleo La Rinconada
- Serving 1,500 – 3,000 children per site; 10,000 + children total
- Heard performances from more than 20 orchestras, children ages 2-20
- Talked with Centre Directors, Conductors and children
- “Music changed my life” – commonly heard from those we talked with
- Energy, joy, passion and commitment evident
- High caliber of musicianship
- These children are ‘no longer poor’
