Two separate U.S. initiatives have been announced relating to El Sistema, the Venezuelan program that promotes social change through music education. This month, the first issue of “The Ensemble: A Newsletter for the U.S. El Sistema Movement,” has been published, under editor Tricia Tunstall and publisher Eric Booth. The free newsletter will regularly report on news about El Sistema-related programs in the U.S., and help bring together the movement’s followers. The newsletter currently is being disseminated via e-mail; to receive the newsletter, send an e-mail to TheEnsembleNL@gmail.com. From January 30 to February 1, 2012, Take A Stand—a new partnership of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Longy School of Music, and Bard College—will host a symposium in Los Angeles devoted to El Sistema. The symposium will include workshops and opportunities for networking and music-making during a repertoire reading session. Also featured at the symposium will be leaders such as LA Phil President and CEO Deborah Borda and Bard College President Leon Botstein; a presentation of findings a study of U.S. nucleos by members of New England Conservatory’s Abreu Fellows program; and a performance by the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, led by LA Phil Music Director Gustavo Dudamel. For more information about the symposium, call 213-972-0705 or send an e-mail to YOLA@laphil.org.
Posted November 15, 2011
