[Trombone-l] Dudamel leads the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela ["el sistema"]

[George Butler]

Here's Gustavo Dudamel leading his Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela in two encore pieces, performed at a concert at the 2007 Luzerne Festival...
 
First, is the Oscar Lorenzo Fernandez "Batuque"  (3'45"):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKrDSaH164Y
 
Next is the movement entitled "Malambo," from Alberto Ginastera's Estancia Suite  (3'47"):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqw-02GaS5w
 
This Dudamel kid is the real deal.  He takes over next year as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
 
Venezuela must be the best place in the world these days for music education.  They have "el sistema," a program where the government gives any kid who wants one a musical instrument, if he or she agrees to participate in one of the many after-school orchestra programs around the country.  "El sistema" was begun thirty years ago by Jose Antonio Abreu, an economist/organist/politician, who still lobbies on behalf of the program.  The idea was to give kids something to do, to get them off the streets, keep them out of trouble, give them some discipline.  More here on "el sistema":
 http://www.gustavodudamel.com/artistmicrosite/DUDGU/en/sistema_story.htms
 
If symphony concerts were this well done, and this much FUN, we wouldn't be worrying about our orchestras going out of business...
 
--George in Tallinn