El Sistema

Wednesday was not such a great day, but today and yesterday have been better. I'm tired, but not the exhausted tired I was and I'm feeling much better. Today was the MYC fall AGM, and it's always a lot of fun. I definitely enjoy talking with my fellow teachers, and it's always insightful. One of my fellow teachers gave a very good talk today about composing, for which I was grateful. As an MYC student myself I didn't particularly enjoy the composition aspect of the program. I don't remember why, but I think it had something to do with the way my mom approached it at home. Whatever the reasons, I hope that as an MYC teacher I can make composing a fun and enjoyable part of class and music time and home. THAT is one of my promises to myself and my goals.

One of our speakers today spoke about the El Sistema program. It was first started in Venezuela in the mid 1970's, as a way to provide musical instruction to any child, particularly targeting children in the lowest socioeconomic brackets. The program has now spread to a number of countries, including Canada and the United States-also targeting, once again, children who need more of a helping hand in life. In Venezuela, the most senior orchestra has become quite famous, under the direction of a young man who came through the program himself. I don't remember his first name, but his last name is Dudamiller. Do a youtube search for Dudamiller, in particular Mambo (from West Side Story) and you will see the amazing results of the program. We watched a short video today about the program that practically had me in tears...a little girl, probably about 10 or 11 was one of the children interviewed. She spoke about when she was promoted to the next orchestra level..."I was excited and wanted to be there early, but as I was walking there I was shot in my leg. I cried not because of my leg hurting but because I was not going to get there". The Sistema program is going to be started at a local school very close to me...a school where there are definitely some children who could use an extra hand. It was the first school in the school division to have a breakfast program, and many of the families deal with various problems. The speaker from the school division shared a story that occured recently...a little girl went missing for two days last week, her parents did not report it-the school got in contact with Child and Family Services. She was found-fortunately safe-in the largest city park...which is about 20 kilometres from our area. That story also made my heart nearly break. This year, the Sistema program is just starting with grade 1-3 students on string instruments, but when they begin wind, brass, and percussion in another year or two, I will definitely see what I can do.

Programs like these and the people who work and volunteer for them remind me that we are able to do much by doing, in many ways, so little. El Sistema programs work to install self-esteem, confidence, the ability to stick with something, and the creation of a community. God definitely worked through the creator of this program.