Along with the fame, wealth, and respect that came with winning the TED Prize (Technology, Entertainment, Design), Jose Antonio Abreu was granted a wish.

I wish you would help create and document a special training program for at least 50 gifted young musicians, passionate for their art and for social justice, and dedicated to developing El Sistema in the US and in other countries. -Abreu

And that’s how El Sistema USA began. In partnership with New England Conservatory, the program will give “Abreu Fellows” tuition and a stipend for one year of study, in order to spread the model across the world. They will spend a semester exposing themselves to the El Sistema program in Venezuela and other like models in the USA. Another semester will be spent as an intern.

Following completion of the program, fellows will start up El Sistema programs in areas of their choosing. With the short program-span of only a year, it will not be long until we have Abreu fellows teaming up across the globe. Here’s to the future of music education. Thanks Abreu. For more information about this year’s fellows, the program, and how to apply for a fellowship, click the link below.

El Sistema USA

Posted on October 14th, 2009 at 7:41 pm | Filed under General |