In writing a recent blog, inspired by Gustavo Dudamel’s orchestral version of a popular Puerto Rican band’s hit song, I began to muse on the subject of music education:  in Venezuela and the U.S..

There are a million kids enrolled in Venezuela’s music system, called El Sistema.  Some of them, like Gustavo Dudamel, rise to the top.  Then there was the at-risk kid, Edicson Ruiz, who got off Caracas’ dangerous streets and joined El Sistema.  He learned the bass from scratch and won an audition for the Berlin Philharmonic. No small feat.   Watching Dudamel conduct the huge Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra is truly inspiring.  Classical music isn’t boring when played with that kind of energy and passion.  And by kids no less, which makes it even better.  And many of these kids were rescued from a life of crime and gang warfare.  Sounds like a good idea for U.S. cities. Read More →