If you are interested in applying to NEC's Abreu Fellows Program, you will find more information here.
Translating the El Sistema model in the U.S.
Back in the 1970s, Dr. José Antonio Abreu ’02 hon. D.M. brought together 11 youngsters to play music in a garage in Caracas, Venezuela. Over the years, Abreu built El Sistema—a national system of orchestral training—to a scale that now serves hundreds of thousands of young people.
New England Conservatory has had a nearly decade-long relationship with El Sistema and Dr. Abreu. In June 2008, NEC President Tony Woodcock and Mark Churchill, then Dean of Preparatory and Continuing Education, brought a group of Boston educators, government, arts, and community leaders to Venezuela to study which elements of El Sistema's music education program could be successfully replicated in the United States. Read the study group's blog.
While in Venezuela, President Woodcock and Dr. Abreu renewed the friendship agreement between NEC and El Sistema, and Dr. Abreu challenged the Conservatory to lead the effort to create an El Sistema movement in the United States. Upon returning to the U.S., NEC began discussions with several national partners to create El Sistema USA.
In February 2009, Dr. Abreu was honored with the TED Prize. This carried a $100,000 cash award along with the opportunity to make “One Wish to Change to World.” Abreu asked the influential business leaders and thinkers present at the award presentation to support the creation of an El Sistema USA program based at NEC. As specified in his wish, Abreu envisioned the creation of a corps of “Abreu Fellows” who will become the young leaders of the growing El Sistema movement.
In October 2009, NEC launched the Abreu Fellows Program—a one-year, postgraduate certificate program for accomplished musicians and music educators who are "passionate for their art and social justice" and who seek to guide the development of El Sistema programs in the U.S. and beyond. Meet the first class of Fellows.
Supporters of Dr. Abreu's dream are invited to invest in the Abreu Fellows Program. Find more information about funding opportunities at all levels.
El Sistema USA Movie sample from ElSistemaUSAmovie on Vimeo.
El Sistema USA in the media
El Sistema USA website
2010-03-08
THELONIOUS MONK