El Sistema

I have been very much taken by the results of  El Sistema, the children's orchestral movement which started several years ago in Venezuela taking children from very poor neighbourhoods and giving them musical instruments so that they learn to play together instead of getting into bad company.  The evening the more senior members of the orchestra played at the Royal Albert Hall in London under its charismatic conductor Gustavo Dudamel was a resounding success.  This idea has spread to many other countries  -  notably to Stirling, Scotland.  Who can forget the sight of the hardy Scottish  Mums and Dads in their plastic ponchos in the pouring rain proudly watching their children join in playing with the orchestra from Venezuela?  The operatic tenor Juan Diego Florez, a friend of Dudamel, has started a similar scheme in Peru.

There have been letters in the press saying that children should be exposed more to classical music. I was reminded of this by receiving a video link of a "flash mob"  from my friend in Tokyo.  In a town square in Spain a musician started to play, quickly joined by another. Gradually, to the delight of the gathering crowd, other musicians joined them until there was a full symphony orchestra plus a large choir as they played Beethoven's "Song of Joy". A youthful conductor kept it all going.  What amused and pleased me was the reaction of the children.  This could have been their first introduction to such a thing. There were several small boys who obviously fancied themselves in the exciting role of a budding conductor!  To see the flashmob video, click here.