Further Reading
7th December 2009
A life-affirming and moving documentary by Paul Smaczny charting the evolution of the Venezuelan music education programme which produced the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra.
A film by Paul Smaczny and Maria Stodtmeier.
'El Sistema', Venezuela's revolutionary system of music education, brings joy and hope to the lives of hundreds of thousands of impoverished children. This lyrical and very moving documentary takes us from the rubbish dumps and barrios of Caracas to the world's finest concert halls. Children from streets dominated by the gun battles of gang warfare are taken into music schools, given access to music, and taught through the model of the symphony orchestra how to build a better society and a better world. Gustavo Dudamel is the most prominent pupil of 'El Sistema', now named as the LA Philharmonic's music director as of the 2009-2010 season.
'El Sistema' shows how Venezuelan visionary, musician and economist, Jose Antonio Abreu, has changed the lives of hundred of thousands of children over the past three decades. Abreu earned several renowned prizes for his achievements,including the Crystal Award of the World Economic Forum, the TED Prize and recently the Polar Music Prize, given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.
NTSC 16:9, PCM 2.1, PCM 5.1
Region code:All
