Teaching the “Wire Choir”

During a time when music in American public education is an oft endagered component, Jason Heath’s Double Bass Blog April entry highlighting the 60 Minutes segment on El Sistema and the Venezuelan National Youth Orchestra was very refreshing. I cannot imagine anyone not being very glad for the positive impact this music program is having on the impoverished young people of Venezuela. This orchestra program enables the Venezuelan young people see that there is an alternative to poverty through hard work and discipline. It shows them that there are constructive ways to express the many kinds of human emotions. In addition, the imagination, creative thinking music engenders can enable these young people to excel in a variety of fields outside of music. (See Sir Ken Robinson’s talk, entitled “Do schools kill creativity?” He refers specifically to music and arts relationship to the needs of the 21st century and future job opportunities.)

Why do we have such a hard time convincing school administrators, legislators, et. al. of the powerful impact music can have on a child’s life? What do you think?

(Related BBC Article: Venezuela youths transformed by music (2005)