El Sistema seems to be everywhere these days. The Venezuelan musical and music education phenomenon has recently been featured in at least three NY Times articles plus a video feature. I am guilty of fanning the flames (in my very small way) by having written about the group several times.
This post is not directly about El Sistema, but the rash of coverage is reminding me of something I thought early on and it gives me an excuse to raise the issue. I guess what I want to present is a confession and then some observations about it. The confession: My first reactions to El Sistema (it seems like many years ago now, but it was probably only a couple) were mixed. I *loved* seeing young people excited about making music; I *loved* even more what gorgeous, passionate music they were making; I *loved* the obvious difference that music was making in individual lives and in the life of the villages, towns, cities, and countries it was influencing. But I had a nagging concern. As an unreconstructed, white, knee-jerk liberal who has been through many, many diversity training experiences, there was one doubt about the program. Many of the participants were children of native peoples or came from families of mixed heritage. El Sistema, as an orchestra program, is very much a purveyor of European culture–not just the compositions, but the instruments, the rhythmic/tonal/formal elements, even the hierarchical structure of the ensemble. My concern: Cultural Imperialism, running roughshod over indigenous forms of artistic expression.
In general, anyone working in the area of the arts and community engagement must be deeply aware that their own culture is not the only culture and that oftentimes that culture is not an ideal fit with the people one is hoping to reach. It is a requirement of the work to be sensitive, if not hyper-sensitive, to this issue. And so, for a time, I had some interesting arguments (not heated, because, as I said, I *was* infatuated with El Sistema) with people (and myself) on this topic.
In the end, I was (almost) completely won over by a way that Dr. Abreu responded to this issue. He pointed out that it was the structure of an orchestra that was among the most important things to him. That is, it is a mechanism in which large numbers of people come together for a common purpose. And in a European orchestra, there is room to accommodate many performers in that common purpose. In other words, for what he sought to do, it was a particularly appropriate vehicle, regardless of the specifics of the art form. The European orchestra is, perhaps, not a unique type of ensemble, but it is one that has (to my knowledge) few counterparts in other cultures. Vocal ensembles of various types come to mind, and they have the advantage of not requiring relatively expensive instruments. But for an instrumental ensemble, this is a particularly appropriate choice.
Of course the literature is virtually all European in origin or in roots. That is not surprising. It is my understanding that South American composers, in particular, are beginning to write with El Sistema in mind, making use of indigenous instruments and musical elements. The more that happens, the better for the people of South America and the better for El Sistema. In the meantime, I understand that an orchestra is a highly appropriate mode of gathering children together and transforming their lives.
Engage!
Doug
I’ve had the same thought about El Sistema, but then I think to myself, isn’t it arrogant to think that a country/ethnicity/culture can’t ever “claim” the artistic forms of another culture as its own? Do you have the same concerns about the tidal wave of East Asian (particularly Chinese and Korean) classical musicians coming to this country and populating as much as half or more of our nation’s conservatories? Do you have the same concerns about our own country’s widespread adoption of and obsession with yoga? The fact is, cultural traditions, like social movements and religions, sometimes spread across geographical boundaries in unexpected ways. It would be one thing if Abreu himself were a colonial oppressor, but as far as I can tell, El Sistema is 100% Venezuelan-initiated all the way. I wish they would perform more music by living composers, or even add a composer element to the Sistema, but that’s another matter. In any case, it’s a good reminder to us as liberal white folks that orchestras aren’t just for white people anymore.
(Apologies if this is all just a repeat of the arguments you’ve already had!)
You’re right that cultures have every right to make their own choices. And my main point was not about El Sistema but about the need for cultural humility in engagement work. (And the fact that an ensemble structure–like an orchestra–is different from the works created for it.)
That said, let’s not forget that internalized oppression is an issue that merits wariness. It took U.S. artists generations to look to themselves rather than to Europe for validation.
The traditional music of Venezuela, and other Spanish speaking countries has already been “creolized” for centuries. The western influence (Iberian) is well known among musicologists. We know very little about pre-Columbian music. Of course, it is practiced by a few native who are fairly isolated from outside influences, but one does hear guitars even in the Amazon.
Very interesting observations Doug, and those of the respondents too.
I think the point you start to make is being missed and confused. And that is, whilst this amazing project of Abreu’s started as a classical musical exposition, for the development of the first Venezuelan youth orchestra, it turned into something much more about the development of community, the individuals within that, and then influencing society itself. Abreu and his friends realised the power such a thing as an orchestra fuelled with wonderful music and young passionate children. It became a powerhouse of hope and opportunity realised. It’s not so much about music, or what music, it’s just that it happened, in retrospect, to be about the western art music construct – the orchestra.
So the “cultural imperialism” is completely irrelevant because it’s not in the end, about the music or the culture.
Perhaps you might be able to do it with other music genres, but I suspect the formula that Abreu and he organisation have come up with is about as good a model for the development of social action through music as you can get. And focusing on the genre massively misses the point.
If we leave that aside for the moment – and focus on the music side – another thing in play here is our own political correctness. We think we should “respect” other cultures in a way that we don’t truly believe, but that makes us feel like it’s the right thing to do. Frankly it’s utterly condescending. Western Art music is a the world’s heritage, and it belongs to everyone on this planet if they choose to participate in it. Its beauty and transformational qualities are universal and not dependent on upbringing and cultural background. Who are we to say, “it’s not for them, not of their culture”, in one breath and in another say – “become Christian”, “buy a Coke”, and “play baseball”? We live in a Global community, not an isolate.
We should embrace El Sistema and its benefits because IT WORKS. And a great deal better than many other “systems”, both in a social action framework and in a musical one.
Thank You Chris for trying to enlighten Mr. Doug Borwick….I think he misses the whole point of
“El Sistema” and what “WE” are trying to cultivate……
Jacqui Danilow
Elsistema-nyc.org
What excites me about El Sistema is building community. I’m not a musician. If I could do the same thing with mathematics or knitting, I would jump on it. Music, however, is ideal. It’s as integral to being human as language. Even those who speak different languages, literally and figuratively, can communicate through music.
Our goal with our Scrollworks program in Birmingham, Alabama is to bring a diverse group of young musicians and their families together to break down barriers that linger here. When we took El Sistema as our model, we were very aware that their nucleos are not as racially diverse as what we wanted here. It has been a challenge to choose and translate the aspects of El Sistema that will work in Birmingham.
Scrollworks just celebrated it’s 4th anniversary. In that time we have tried just about every variation–and fallen flat on our faces more than once. Just because you walk into a disadvantaged neighborhood with an offer of free instruments and music lessons, doesn’t mean anyone will be interested. It doesn’t matter if you offer rock or jazz or classical instruments and ensembles. Sadly, what really matters is if you offer brownies. So in 2010, we tore the program down and rebuilt it with an orchestral focus. And it is thriving. We’re teaching 210 students this spring and turning students away because we’re out of space.
The ensemble is key. We have found it so important that this spring we even put our very beginners into ensembles. I think the classical orchestra allows the broadest participation, is instantly recognizable by our students and their families (even though many have never been to a symphony concert), and has a connotation of education and class that appeals to our families who are striving to rise out of poverty.
Our advanced students also participate in other ensembles, including jazz and a drum circle. Every Saturday we bring in professional musicians of all genres for a mini-concert for students as they eat their lunch. And we require students to attend live music performances of their choice outside of Scrollworks.
I worry that all the attention to El Sistema will have a backlash. Too many copycat programs here are trying a direct transplantation of El Sistema. Many are going to fail and the true value of the model may be lost.
Thank you Jeanne,
I have followed your work since the moment you cashed in your retirement money in
an effort to establish an “elsistema” program in your community…
I became aware of you through our mutual friend & colleague, Jaime Austria,
and have been in awe of your social commitment to the “power of music”!
Although I have never met you in person, I feel as though I know you and
have been rooting you on over the past 4-5(?) yrs.
Thank you for your comments to the
Doug Borwick posting on AJ….
Jacqui Danilow
Bassist at the Metropolitan Opera
elsistema-nyc.org
I am chairperson of a string instrument teaching project in Soweto, South Africa, called Buskaid [www.buskaid.org.za]. There are many similarities to El Sistema – apart from size, since we do not receive any government support.
The issue of Eurocentric music has been a very relevant one in South Africa, given my country’s history. We have found that musical children respond to all kinds of music – I remember one young boy who showed a real flair for Kreisler without any knowledge of style at all.
Also, city kids can be very far removed from indigenous music and the instruments that go with it. The Buskaid students compose and arrange kwela music, which derives from (black) urban life, and also play arrangements of pop songs. They play this, plus Baroque, Classical, etc repertoire, with the same excellence, musicality and passion. I think it’s a wonderful example of music being a deep and shared language amongst humans everywhere.
And the social consequences – as in El Sistema – are benefical and of great importance.
Wow Jill, that’s great. I spoke briefly to Rosemary Nalden about a year or so ago. Some lady… And what a great program.
Buskaid is a lesson to us all, and I find what you say bears true here and in other communities around the world. Giving children only one form of music is like telling them they can only eat one type of food. They can like any food given an opportunity to taste it.
I actually think that Buskaid is the closest program of its kind to El Sistema. Its goals are very similar. It is similar in another respect – lack of proper funding and resources. It’s ridiculous that something so wonderful as Buskaid is turning children away because it can’t afford to take them on.
We should all get together one day and storm the Bastille.
All the best to you Jill.
Thanks Doug – Rosemary Nalden is a remarkable person and I admire her hugely! For those who might be interested, she has just done a TEDx talk in London about Buskaid.
Doug also needs to understand that there is little non-western music that hasn’t been influenced by anglo-afro-american/american music. With mass communication, the whole world has heard american popular music, and non-western musicians have been greatly influenced by it. Authentically non-western music is having a hard time surviving.
And, of course, the influence goes both ways. There’s little “classical” music written since the early 20th century that doesn’t show influences from African (and/or African-American) or Latin cultural, and more recently, from Asian music. Let’s face it, culture of any kind has always been “multicultural” unless you’re talking about an isolated tribe in the jungle. Creative people always draw inspiration from everything they see and hear.
Very good comments and observations. What I understand that Mr. Abreu is doing is using “classical” music to instill, not ONLY community, but a sense of intense purpose and commitment that classical training requires. One’s “native” music may be so comfortable and familiar that the “intense purpose” in learning it is not required. Here in New Orleans there are dozens of brass band camps and workshops, but the music is so well-known and so pervasive that it is almost taken for granted. Classical music cannot be learned, let alone mastered, without strong discipline and long study. It demands more from a person than banging on cans and making any kind of sound. El Sistema’s teachers and administration DEMAND concentration at a very young age, just the thing needed to instill pride and a firm sense of accomplishment. There seems to be nothing in El Sistema that denies the value of whatever indigenous music is available. It is not a replacement of the culture, but an expansion of the culture. The enormous success of the orchestras give the younger members something to strive for and to rise toward. “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”
It’s interesting that Doug raises the issue of cultural imperialism; in fact, however, El Sistema’s insistence on classical music as the core of its repertory is based on precisely the opposite sort of class awareness. In the Venezuela of 1975, the realm of classical music was virtually inaccessible to all but the elite classes. By forming the first Venezuelan orchestra, Abreu and his followers were carrying out a rebellion against this elitism.
I’ve just published a book on El Sistema (“Changing Lives: Gustavo Dudamel, El Sistema, and the Transformative Power of Music” – released in January by W.W. Norton & Co.). In the course of interviewing Maestro Abreu and some of the founding members of the first orchestra, I was impressed by how powerfully they were motivated by their sense of injustice, their indignation that Venezuelans were being excluded from this high-art realm.
The image of classical music being imposed on a non-Western-European culture is very far from the reality of the Sistema’s history. El Sistema was born out of young Venezuelans’ impulse to make classical music accessible to their own culture, and to claim it as their birthright.
I love where this conversation is heading. El Sistema and the work around the world that resonates with it but doesn’t bear the same name is overturning many of our traditional “elitist” norms. Around the side of the El Sistema “nucleo” teaching buildings in the very dangerous barrios, you see Audi’s parked with drivers waiting—the wealthy kids come to the ghetto to go to the music program.
Tricia, you point out how El Sistema sought to provide equitable access for non-affluent kids to have the same delights and beauty the rich kids got. Dr Abreu wanted the poorer kids to see themselves as the equal with elites, and indeed before long they far outstripped what the local elites could do with that “elite” music. And the process changed their lives. By the hundreds of thousands.
I co-founded the teaching artist program at Juilliard. Talk about elitist! I used to give these young virtuosi an assignment that terrified them. They had to get on a New York City public bus and engage in conversations about classical music before they got off. They feared being yelled at, or beat up. What they invariably discovered was that if they engaged with people around music first, eliciting the huge relevant life everyone has in music, sharing around the pleasures and meanings of many kinds of music, people were soon fascinated to learn more about the sliver of the music world (classical) they had invested in so deeply. Same with El Sistema. It isn’t about which music we should explore or not—it is about what is exciting, and interesting, and relevant, and deliciously complex, and has a good challenge-and-reward ratio, and is deeply beautiful for those creating it. When artists are awakened, at whatever age, in whatever culture, they want to make all kinds of great stuff. El Sistema has found powerful ways to feed and deepen that hunger, and classical music in ensemble is the main pipeline that works for them. And for a lot of others.
To Eric and Tricia’s points: there is also the qualititative “metric” of the Western symphonic canon and other youth orchestras from around the world playing it to whom the Venezuelans could compare themselves and gauge their attainments. So not only uniquely possessing the best of Venezuelan popular and folk musicians playing local music (maybe comparable to Colombian in some genres), Venezuelan kids in El Sistema from whatever social class, now see themselves as musicians with stature in the world with the proof demonstrated in the playing of the international Western classical symphonic literature and winning of various international competitions, recording contracts, tours, etc. And now, for example, music conservatory students from Germany are coming to learn how to teach kids from all classes back home the Germanic repertoire – in the Venezuelan “lab.” Sr. Abreu is truly the Yoda of music education and heir to a Bolivarian and Jose Marti sense of the Americas without (musical, at least) borders.
In much the same way as the colonials of the British Empire took on the sporting and cultural activities of their lords and masters back in England, and then beat the pants off them at the same game, the Venezuelans are looking like they may well do the same, if not already doing it, to the Europeans, with Classical music.
Anyone who has witnessed the performance of Gustavo and his team from Venezuela will understand what I mean when I say that.
They are for the first time in a long time, making Classical repertoire sound EXCITING. And that’s no mean feat.
Thank you for writing, Doug. Please allow me to add my perspective with all humility. For the last 3 weeks, I have toured Venezuela with the sole purpose of studying El Sistema in its original form. I have visited over a dozen nucleos and in each center, Venezuelan music is being performed. On just last night, I attended a full concert of all Venezuelan music, presented by the nucleo of Coro.
While the focus on European classical music was indeed birthed from a rebellion against an oppressive system, so was the insistence on sharing the music of Venezuela. The Sistema is famous for arranging well-known classical works to suit the needs of a particular orchestra. In that same vein, folk music can be and is being arranged to require a level of discipline no less than that of the classical repertoire.
Unfortunately, we sometimes lack purpose behind the creation and performance of music in the United States. However, we should not assume the same of others. Maestro Abreu, in his brilliance, was very careful and purposeful in selecting repertoire when he created the Sistema..and it has made all the difference.
Marshall Marcus commented yesterday that an orchestra with an average age under 30, who has been playing together for 20 years is unprecedented. How do we weigh the sheer magnitude of their mutual experience, as it affects the unity with which they play, and the impact of that cohesiveness on the final product. In speaking with Raul Vergara who now plays timpani with the Seoul Symphony, he remarked, “you can assemble the very very best musicians, but not achieve the excellence found in an orchestra which really plays as one”. His years with SBYO gave him insight to that kind of greatness. It moves right past the ear to the soul.