A musical interlude: The Children of Venezuela

[Peace Patriot]

In despair? Disgusted with Bushite torture, murder, looting and mayhem? Even more disgusted by their immunity for their crimes? Fed up with corporate news monopoly crapola? Feeling enraged by ABC 'debate' lunacy? Worried about Great Depression II? Lost your job? In debt? Diebold & brethren making you feel weak-kneed with trepidation? Heard a lot of corporate bullshit about Hugo Chavez and Venezuela? Aggravated? Feeling lied to and manipulated? Angry? Find yourself throwing spitballs at the TV? Need a break? Need to feel hope? Desperate to know of something good happening in the world?

I have the remedy. It's a "60 Minutes" segment on the children's classical music program in Venezuela, where they currently have 300,000 extremely poor children from the barrios enrolled full time in classical music training, from which has emerged one of the best and most exciting classical music orchestras in the world, conducted and played by Venezuelan children. Classical music reviewers have said that this program is the "future of classical music." It has re-invigorated the entire genre. But, more than this, it has re-established music--particularly classical music--as the universal language for healing social wounds-- the deep wounds of neglect, of poverty, of despair. Most of these children will not go on to become professional musicians. What the music has done for them is to completely change their lives. And the students themselves, and their teachers, understand this as a revolution, with beautiful healing tentacles reaching out to all of us.

Vid at: http://www.borev.net/2008/04/the_kids_are_arright.html

Also at: http://venworld.wordpress.com/

Enjoy!

[izquierdista]

1. It doesn't have to be just music, either

Arts education, be it music or drawing or sculpting or theatre, allows young people to opportunity to make or perform something that they and their parents can be proud of and that people can compliment them on. It allows them to be more than a cog in the machine or a grunt in the Army.

[SecularMotion]

2. To Play And To Fight

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UHAGNO

Product Description

The winner of the audience award at the Miami International Film Festival, To Play and To Fight presents the captivating story of the Venezuelan Youth Orchestra System - an incredible network of hundreds of orchestras formed within most of Venezuela's towns and villages. Once a modest program designed to expose rural children to the wonders of music, the system has become one of the most important and beautiful music phenomena in modern history. To Play and To Fight presents interviews and performances by many of the world's most renowned musicians including the great tenor Placido Domingo, Claudio Abbado, Sir Simon Rattle, Guiseppe Sinopoli, and Eduardo Mata, as they reflect on the impact of such a far-reaching social project. The documentary also presents the inspirational stories of world class musicians who have been trained by the Venezuelan system, including The Berlin Philharmonic's youngest player Edicson Ruiz and world class conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

[Peace Patriot]

5. Thanks for the tip! Didn't know about it. nt

[Peace Patriot]

6. The Amazon.com customer reviews of "To Play and to Fight" are raves!

Detailed, too--very personal reviews. They are very convincing that this dvd is a MUST-SEE.

[Kajsa]

3. I saw this on '60 Minutes'.

it is a truly beautiful, inspiring story.

These young people are changed forever and music
is the catalyst that brings hope to their lives.

Thanks so much for posting this.

:D

[Judi Lynn]

4. Eyes absolutely welling up several time in just a few minutes watching this. Wonderful people.

Found a Wikepedia on the conductor, Gustavo Dudamel. He's currently working in Los Angeles but he's still keeping his position in Caracas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Dudamel


Found a few related short videos at You Tube, to tide one over until it's possible to get "To Play and To Fight," as mentioned
by SecularMotion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmPIz9W-WQU

Thank you, Peace Patriot. It's a great moment for a Saturday morning. The best!

[slipslidingaway]

8. Thanks and see...

Venezuela Youth Orchestra - Bernstein - Mambo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWs9G-c_pcs

[Judi Lynn]

10. Overwhelming! They surely looked as if they were having fun with that one! What energy. Thanks. n/t

[slipslidingaway]

11. Yes, what a great program on so many levels! n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

7. That was the most wonderful segment

on 60 Minutes last week. As a musician myself, it warmed my heart.

[slipslidingaway]

9. Wonderful! Thank you n/t

[slipslidingaway]

12. Kick. Seeking a fifth recommendation...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Sistema

"...The program is known for rescuing young people in extremely impoverished circumstances from the environment of drug abuse and crime which they would likely otherwise be drawn into...

On 28 October 2007, Arthur Lubow wrote in the NY Times: "Weighing such benefits as a falloff in school dropout rates and a decline in crime, the bank calculated that every dollar invested in the sistema was reaping about $1.68 in social dividends...

Alexander Bernstein said: “This is something we need in the United States.” Source, El Universal, Caracas, Venezuela, 12 January 2008; also translated by Jose Bergher..."

[slipslidingaway]

13. ...

[L. Coyote]

14. Kill the one-eyed baby sitter and play rock and roll instead!!

Protect your children and your sense of cultural identity. Kill your television!! :rofl: