[TPIN] Venezuelan youth classical music

[Dave Arndt]

I taught for 2 years in Venezuela - in 1983 and 1984, at the Music Schools
in Barquisitmeto, and in Coro, up on the coast.  I did this on the weekends,
while playing Principal the Orchestra in Maracaibo as my regular job, and
subbing in the Caracus orchestras on occasion...

Back in those days, the government was funding orchestras all over the
country.  Everywhere from larger citites like Caracus and Maracaibo, to
smaller towns like Merida, and San Cristobal.  Caracus alone had something
like 5 full time symphony orchestras, plus the Youth Symphony.  And the
quality was actually pretty good.   The Philharmonia in Caracus was
privately funded, but that was an exception.  The Venezuelan government had
a program/strategy in place whereby they paid brass & wind players mostly
from the States, and string players mostly from Europe, to play in the
orchestras and teach in the schools.  The strategy was to gradually replace
the ranks of the orchestras with Venezolanos (and do away with the Gringos
and Europeans over time).  Even back then, the Youth Symphony in Caracus was
very impressive.  It was nervana, in a way - I played with the orchestra 4
days a week, tought on the weekends and made about the same money (in U.S.
dollars) as one would make playing in one of the lessor full time orchestras
in the States... plus two months paid vacation.  Not bad!

The kids in the youth programs covered the spectrum in terms of
income/social status.  But many were in fact very poor.  I had students come
for lessons without shoes, for example, while others would fly to Miami for
vacations with their families on a regular basis.  Regardless, these kids
were steeped in classical literature from a very early age.  The youth
orchestras - comprised of kids from 11 or 12 to 18 years of age (or so)
would rehearse Mozart, Haydn, Berlioz....  You would hear them walking
around in the courtyard, before lessons, playing licks from Beethovan
Symponies, the way kids here would quote rock & roll.  But make no mistake -
AFTER their lessons, you would also hear the trumpet players playing salsa
licks and trying to scream notes - they all loved that stuff of course, and
idolized the lead players in those bands. 

Lots of good memories from those days - I really enjoyed teaching the kids
(and learned a lot in the process also). And the orchestra I played in was
very capable - when motivated!!! (a bit more laid back that in the
States...).  My guess would also be that the kids now in the Simon Bolivar
orchestra might have been taught by some of the *kids* that came up through
the programs I was involved in.  Don't know how well the government strategy
paid off - like I mentioned, the bigger youth orchestras in Caracus were
very good in those days also - I think they just publicize it better now.  

- Dave


-----Original Message-----
From: tpin-bounces+darndt=oriongate.net at tpin.okcu.edu
[mailto:tpin-bounces+darndt=oriongate.net at tpin.okcu.edu] On Behalf Of Travis
Wilson
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2008 8:37 PM
To: tpin
Subject: [TPIN] Venezuelan youth classical music

I know we have passed along utube stuff and stories about the youth music
program and incredible youth orchestras of Venezuela, but 60 minutes just
did a deal on it. Man I wish every single school administrator in the US was
REQUIRED to watch it and watch it with a real open mind.

I betcha that almost everyone here believes that music has taught us things
that nothing else has. That is what is happening with these kids in
Venezuela. They come from the poorest neighborhoods in the world, and music
changes them. (oh yea, they have this cute interview with a cute young
trumpet player. (There, happy, Michael)

Travis
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>
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--
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro Hunter Thompson

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