According to an article by the Los Angeles Times, the book, released last week by W. W. Norton, “weaves together several interrelated stories. It chronicles the origins and growth of Venezuela’s acclaimed El Sistema national music education program (which has trained about 400,000 children, many among Venezuela’s poorest), profiles its charismatic founder-leader, José Antonio Abreu, and analyzes the program’s growing international influence.”

A three-day symposium on El Sistema took place in L.A. this week. The event, called Take a Stand, involved hundreds of delegates from over 10 countries as well as young people from the U.S., explored in detail the methodology and influence of El Sistema. This is just one of many activities demonstrating the interest that the program has generated abroad.

As the article states, Tunstall devotes a large section of her book to the story of 31-year-old Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel. He is El Sistema’s most famous graduate and a walking example of how exposure to classical music at an early age can expand or even radically alter a person’s life possibilities and help them motivate others in their communities.

“Changing Lives is the first book to present the entire tale together in one volume. The L.A. Times quotes a response by LA Phil President Deborah Borda, who says the story is “related so eloquently” by Tunstall.

The author “wanted to tell a compelling tale of how El Sistema, started on a shoestring budget in 1975, overcame huge obstacles to achieve its present stature as a world leader in arts education.”

Tunstall told the Los Angeles Times that she is “innately” aware of the validity of El Sistema’s educational and artistic principles, but said “the Sistema puts it forward in a community oriented way, which is I feel a really important and new message.”

“I would like to get that message out as widely as possible, not only to music educators but also to all educators and to people who are looking for new and effective ways to address the cycles of hopelessness and despair that are so endemic to poverty,” she told the newspaper.

Tunstall is is a writer, teacher and musician who has taught at Drew University and Bergen College. She is also the author of Note By Note: A Celebration of the Piano Lesson. Tunstall is pursuing a doctoral degree in Music Education at Boston University. She currently lives in the New York area, where she maintains an active piano studio.

Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / February 2, 2012

The concert was part of the international symposium Take a Stand, held from January 31 to February 1, to promote the collective thinking of the El Sistema movement, as well as to support and strengthen ideas for socio-cultural programs.

“With this concert we want to bring a message of peace, hope, collective work and overcoming,” said conductor Dos Santos, who went on to add:  “It’s been a wonderful experience to work with children and young people from YOLA, and with this joint orchestra made up of musicians from the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra here in L.A. It has an even greater meaning because it’s about integration without inequalities, it’s about working together for music. This is undoubtedly one of the most important moments of my career.”

The free concert, held at the Cathedral Of Our Lady of the Angels, was attended by members of the local community, parents of YOLA students, and delegations attending the Take a Stand symposium. The delegations hail from over 10 countries throughout Latin America, Asia, Europe and Oceania. Over 300 education and music professionals participated in Take a Stance, an initiative inspired by Venezuela’s El Sistema, an avant-garde socio-cultural program created 37 years ago by the Venezuelan maestro José Antonio Abreu.

The audience enjoyed pieces by Mahler, Tchaikovsky, Rossini and Brahms. Dos Santos shared the stage with YOLA conductor Bruce Kiesling, who said he admired the educational work by the Venezuelan orchestra.

Professors, workshop participants and the managers of El Sistema and the LA Phil agreed that the joint work among U.S. and Venezuelan children has shown encouraging results and opened up the possibility of social exchange and cultural unity not only between the countries but also among Latin American and Asian immigrants, who are also part of the orchestra’s family.

“As maestro Abreu has said, these concerts show something that goes beyond both nations. These concerts are for the people, community with community, without any kind of distinction, eliminating cultural, social and linguistic barriers,” said Debrorah Borda, president and CEO of the LA Phil told the audience.

Abreu was also there, and he received a standing ovation minutes after the show. At the end of the concert, hundreds of children approached him with excitement to greet him, hug him and take photos with the creator of El Sistema. They also thanked him, for the program he created helped them play an instrument and be part of an orchestra.

“I am very touched, moved and satisfied by the result of the concert between both orchestras. It sets a precedent and is an example of integration and brotherhood,” Abreu said.

Children and Young People Share with their Venezuelan Idols

The YOLA program, which benefits children and young people from two pilot centers (HOLA and Expo Center) inspired by El Sistema, is beginning to show results with the educational work developed by Venezuelan musicians during their third week in L.A.

Eight-year-old Allison Galindo said she was excited to learn, share and play with “world famous musicians, they are the best and I have learned a lot from them during these days in their classes. They are an example for us.”

Raymond Chávez, a 12-year-old clarinetist of Mexican origin, said his life had changed since he joined HOLA. Sitting with Venezuelan musicians to play in the same orchestra, he said, is an experience he will never forget: “because they are the best and we have been able to learn from them. I wish they could come more often.”

His younger brother Luis, age eight, is now determined to learn to play the violin. “When I grow up, I would like to be one of the musicians of the Simón Bolívar Orchestra and be able to travel all around the world just like they do,” he said.

El Sistema is a well-known Venezuelan program aimed at promoting music education and collective music-making through symphony orchestras and choirs as a form of social organization and community development, particularly among vulnerable youth.

Press Office – Simon Bolivar Musical Foundation / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / January 31, 2012

Among the songs played for a mainly fourth-and fifth-grade audience were “La Cumparsita” by Uruguayan composer Gerardo Matos, “My Heart Will Go On” from the soundtrack of the movie “Titanic,” and “Spain” by Chick Corea.

Ten-year-old violinists Alba Osorio and Valeria Garcia where among those who enjoyed the performance by the young Venezuelans. “I found it very good. I love everything related to classical music,” said Alba. Valeria said she was pleased about the concert, especially because it included “My Heart Will Go On,” which is one of her favorite songs.

Alba and Valeria hope to play and perform music professionally, just like the members of the visiting quintet.

Talha Hapooni, another ten-year-old girl who wishes to become a drummer, said that it was the first time she had ever seen musicians performing live, and her emotion was made clear by her expressions and energetic applause.

The teachers were also touched by the energy and warmth of the musicians. Both applauded and hummed along to the songs, and recorded the concert with their cell phones. Some of the children used their legs as drums, while others applauded so hard they showed their red hands one other afterward.

Oscar Hernandez, a school administrator over 11 years, said the concert was “fabulous and fantastic,” and that he felt lucky his school had been selected for the performance.

Lydia Mulkey, the school programs manager for LA Phil, called the Venezuelan System of Orchestras – known as El Sistema – “an inspiration.”

El Sistema is a well-known Venezuelan program that promoting music education and collective music-making through symphony orchestras and choirs as a form of social organization and community development, particularly among vulnerable youth.

“We are trying to replicate what is happening in Venezuela and encourage children by bringing music to schools,” Mulkey said.

The visit to this L.A. school is part of the Mahler project, a concert series conceived of by LA Phil’s conductor, Gustavo Dudamel. The Venezuelan conductor will perform a complete round of Gustav Mahler’s symphonies with the orchestras of L.A. and Caracas. The concerts began on January 13, and continue until February 18.

For more about the Simón Bolívar Music Foundation click here.

For more about El Sistema USA, click here.

For more about the Mahler Project, click here.

AVN/ Press Office – Embassy of Venezuela to the U.S. / January 31, 2012

By late Friday there were 2,500,967 people following the Venezuelan leader via his account @chavezcandanga, which was opened on April 27, 2010.

The president has used twitter to announce his agenda, ask his ministers to solve issues, address domestic and international affairs, and even reply to messages sent by his followers.

The popularity of @chavezcandanga was immediately apparent, reaching 7,500 followers by 8pm on its first day in operation.

Last August 31, Chávez made a phone call to his two-millionth twitter follower, a Venezuelan high school student living in the western state of Táchira who goes by @_jhofreth.

Chávez greeted the young Venezuelan and offered him a computer for his studies. He wrote the following message to the student: “Hey compadre, you are my two-millionth follower! And now I’m your fourth follower, how does that sound? How’s everybody in my beloved San Cristóbal?

Last Saturday, the Venezuelan leader greeted his two-and-a-half-millionth follower with these words: “@protonpzo Hey Joel. Greetings, comrade. You’re follower number 2,500,000. I’m proud to have a young person such as you in my beloved homeland. The future belongs to us.”

Joel Remdom, who lives in Ciudad Guayana in the state of Bolívar, replied back: “@chavezcandanga Of course, president, the future belongs to us, and I’m proud to have a president like you!”

Chávez currently follows 21 twitter accounts, including those of several of his ministers as well as Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa (@MashiRafael), Argentine President Cristina Fernández (@CFKArgentina), and Brazilian President Dilma Rosseff (@dilmabr). He also follows the Venezuelan newspaper Correo del Orinoco and, of course, the young Venezuelan @_jhofreth.

AVN / Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / January 30, 2012

According to the Hornets’ strategy coach, Monty Wilson, the extension will allow Vásquez, age 25, to concentrate on his game and consolidate his skills as a point guard.

Vásquez was traded to the Hornets by the Memphis Grizzlies on December 25, 2011. In the 17 regular season games he has played with the Hornets so far, Vásquez is averaging 5.6 points and 3.1 assists.

After learning of the renewal of his contract, Vásquez said he was happy and that he hoped to make that confidence apparent on the court.

The Venezuelan guard had his NBA debut with the Memphis Grizzlies on October 30, 2010, entering the game in just the last few minutes as the Grizzlies beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 109 to 89.

Vásquez, who was a rising star in college basketball with the University of Maryland, was chosen as a first round draft pick. He is one of only three Venezuelans ever to play in the NBA. The other two are Carl Herrera, who was chosen thirtieth in the 1990 draft pick and played for the Houston Rockets during their championship seasons in 1993-1994 and 1994-1995, and Oscar Torres, who played with the Houston Rockets in 2001-2002 and the Golden State Warriors in 2002-2003.

Press Office – Embassy of Venezuela to the U.S. / January 26, 2011

Photo: Getty Images

Two articles published in U.S. newspapers this week describe notable concerts in which Venezuela played an important role. The Los Angeles Times reviewed a concert series by conductor Gustavo Dudamel with the L.A. Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, and the Wall Street Journal reported on a performance in New York City with Spain’s Plácido Domingo and elementary school students involved in a youth music program inspired by Venezuela’s “El Sistema.”

El Sistema (the System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras) is a famous Venezuelan program financed by the government. Its promotes music education and collective music-making through symphony orchestras and choirs as a form of social organization and community development, particularly among the most economically vulnerable sectors of society.

Los Angeles Times published an article on Monday about the launch of the Mahler Project, an idea conceived of by Dudamel, who is also the musical director of the LA Philharmonic. He will present a full cycle of Mahler’s symphonies with the orchestras of Los Angeles and Caracas. The presentation runs from January 13 to February 18, 2012.

According to the L.A. Times, last Sunday’s concert “marked the arrival of the massive and massively impressive Venezuela ensemble, which Dudamel has headed since 1999 and which will be in residence for two weeks, sharing the Mahler Project with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.”

The article describes the positive development of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, which today includes 175 young musicians between the ages of 20 and 30 that have enormous skill and potential.

The L.A. Times writes: “The players continue to sit as close together as possible (two rows of violins crowded precariously onto the top riser). They still sway as they play, with the waves of rippling bodies becoming an irresistible visual referent to Mahler’s instrumental writing… The loud passages made their obvious effects, but the ultra-quiet ones were incomparable. So many musicians playing so softly greatly raises the static electricity in the room, creating the premonition that something’s really up.”

“And something is up in the Second, which is called the “Resurrection” and which lasted in Dudamel’s quite slow performance a full 90 minutes… Dudamel treated the “Resurrection” like a drama acted out on an epic scale. He could be very expansive  and then make extreme shifts in tempo. That sonic palette that the Bolivars provide is vast, and Dudamel reveled in that.”

“Yet for all Dudamel’s pushing and pulling, this was a consistent and even curiously literal performance. While Mahler always found sorrow in happiness and searched for hopeful illumination in tragedy, Dudamel doesn’t question Mahler the way some of the composer’s most convincing advocates (Leonard Bernstein in particular) have. He takes Mahler’s spectacle of the soul at face value.”

The newspaper’s culture blog also ran a review of the Mahler Project by Mark Swed earlier this month, which noted that Dudamel will conduct more than 70 hours of Mahler throughout the course of the project, which includes some of Mahler’s most complex symphonies.

Meanwhile, a Wall Street Journal article on Tuesday by Ralph Gardner, Jr., describes a children’s classical music concert directed by Placido Domingo to benefit the Harmony Project, an initiative in New York City inspired by “El Sistema.”

Gardner writes: “Kids volunteer for the program, which meets after school for two hours at a time five days a week and sometimes six. It would be great if the program produced the next Yo-Yo Ma. But apparently that’s not the point. Instead it’s learning how to cooperate and develop social skills through playing together.

He quotes Julie Desbordes, a trumpet player and conductor from Limoges, France, who teaches the program at P.S. 129 in Harlem, who explains: “The orchestra is the perfect example to teach children how to behave in a society because it’s like a little society by itself.”

Desbordes went on to say that “teachers keep coming to us and saying their attendance and behavior is better. They learn how to listen. It’s a precious skill to have during the school day.”

Venezuela’s inspiring model of El Sistema, which has received crucial support from the government of President Hugo Chávez, has been replicated not only in New York City, but also in Los Angeles under Dudamel’s tutelage and abroad in countries like Australia and Scotland.

To learn more about El Sistema, visit the website of the Fundación Musical Simón Bolívar.

For more about El Sistema USA, click here.

For more about the Mahler Project, click here.

For more about the Harmony Project, click here.

Press Office – Embassy of Venezuela to the U.S. / January 24, 2012

The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Washington, DC, announces its 2012 Black History Month Art Contest, an initiative aimed at promoting awareness about the advances and struggles of African Americans and Afro-Venezuelans.

The contest is open to all participants, regardless of age, nationality, or country of residence. Participants should present one original piece of artwork in any size using any materials desired (pen and ink, paint, collage, digital media, etc.). Entries should portray the shared struggles of the black communities within our countries and evoke their achievements and the inspiration that can be taken from these struggles. We encourage a focus on the lessons of history and the importance of fighting for social justice, inclusion and human rights for all. Submissions will be evaluated based on their originality and creativity as well as relevance to the topic.

The winner will receive an iPod nano, a photo book about Venezuela and have his or her artwork displayed at the Bolivarian Hall (the cultural space of the Embassy of Venezuela) for all to see during our Black History Month events and cultural engagements in February 2012. Two runners-up will also have their work displayed.

Please send submissions as JPEG or PDF files to: concurso@venezuela-us.org with the subject line: Black History Month Art Contest. They must be received before January 29, 2012 at 5 pm EST.

Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / January 4, 2011

The Venezuelan soccer team, nicknamed “Vinotinto” for its red wine-colored jerseys, travels this week to Arizona for a friendly match against the U.S. men’s team at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The game will take place Saturday, January 21^st at 7pm MT (9pm EST).

Members of the Venezuelan team met Monday at the Maiquetía airport outside of Caracas to travel to the U.S., where it is practicing ahead of the game.

The Vinotinto will be joined by Venezuelan forward Alejandro Moreno, who has played in U.S. Major League Soccer for a decade and will meet his teammates in the U.S.

The players began training last week in the city of Puerto La Cruz, where they established the groundwork for their encounter with the U.S.

“The coach told me to play hard, up front, and take advantage of my potential to approach the goal,” said forward Emilio Rentería.

After facing the U.S. in Phoenix, the Vinotinto goes on to Houston, Texas, for a match against Mexico’s national team.

Photo: Néstor Sánchez Cordero

Correo del Orinoco / Press – Embassy of Venezuela to the U.S. / January 19, 2012

Domingo, who conducts the Los Angeles Opera and the Washington National Opera, will lead a group of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders from Public School 129 in Harlem and Public School 152 in Flatbush, Brooklyn, at a fundraiser for their after-school music program, called “Harmony.”

According to the Associated Press, the schoolchildren “are studying the music five days a week under a program inspired by Venezuela’s acclaimed youth orchestra program.”

Program founder Anne Fitzgibbon said that she learned about how El Sistema transforms students’ lives while doing a fellowship in Caracas, and she became interested in the program.

The students enrolled in “Harmony” spend two hours each day learning their instrument to play in the orchestra.

El Sistema is a foundation began by the Venezuelan maestro José Antonio Abreu and financed by the Venezuelan government. Its promotes music education and collective music-making through symphony orchestras and choirs as a form of social organization and community development, particularly among the most economically vulnerable sectors of society.

El Sistema has received an important boost from the government of President Hugo Chávez.

Photo:  Harmony

Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / January 18, 2012 

The article, written by Mark Swed for the Times’s culture blog, says Dudamel is set to conduct more than 70 hours of Mahler throughout the course of the project, which includes some of Mahler’s most complex symphonies.

The “Mahler Project” was conceived of by Dudamel, who is also the musical director of the LA Philharmonic. He will present a full cycle of Mahler’s symphonies with the orchestras of Los Angeles and Caracas. The presentation runs from January 13 to February 18, 2012.

The article describes the orchestra’s performance under Dudamel on the opening night of the series. It states: “The physical and mental challenges are plenty grueling, but the psychic ones may prove greater still. Mahler’s are the symphonies of life’s major moments, and no conductor has ever packed so many of them into so compact a period. An intemperate project perhaps, but Dudamel has eased his way into it by prudently pacing himself.”

Swed goes on to write that “Dudamel began the Fourth Symphony with an amiably light touch, almost as a carefree amble. Throughout the opening, he kept the textures delicate, played with details, animated the lower winds. He didn’t rush. There was time to smell the roses, but not for too long.”

About the Project

In his Mahler Project, Dudamel will direct both the LA Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, the latter of which was the setting for Dudamel’s own rise to fame. After completing the cycle in the U.S., he will immediately travel to Venezuela to bring the show to Caracas.

The LA Philharmonic will play symphonies 1, 4, 6, and 9, while the Simón Bolívar Orchestra will play symphonies 2, 3, 5 and 7. Both orchestras, together with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the LA Children’s Chorus and various other community choruses, will gather in L.A. for Mahler’s 8^th Symphony, which is also known as the “Symphony of a Thousand.”

The Venezuelan musicians of the Simón Bolívar Orchestra are visiting L.A. for the project and will hold rehearsals and master classes with the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, which is based on the Venezuelan music education program known as “El Sistema.” Meanwhile, the musicians of the LA Philharmonic will join the students of “El Sistema” on their tour in Venezuela. Deborah Borda, President of the LA Philharmonic, said the event will be “an experience that will really change the lives of those who have never seen El Sistema.”

El Sistema is a foundation began by the Venezuelan maestro José Antonio Abreu and financed by the Venezuelan government. Its promotes music education and collective music-making through symphony orchestras and choirs as a form of social organization and community development, particularly among the most economically vulnerable sectors of society.

El Sistema has received an important boost from the government of President Hugo Chávez.

To learn more about the Mahler Project, visit the LA Philharmonic’s website.

Press – Embassy of Venezuela to the U.S. / January 18, 2012