Ten young musicians, students of the Abreu Fellows Program arrived in Caracas on February 18 to study the Venezuelan El Sistema. This initiative of El Sistema USA is a one-year postgraduate certificate program for accomplished young musicians and music educators who desire to become ambassadors of El Sistema – the music education program created by maestro Abreu 35 years ago – and who are committed to developing socio-cultural programs based upon El Sistema’s philosophy.

The Abreu Fellows Program at New England Conservatory consists of two semesters. The first semester comprises exposure to the work of El Sistema in Venezuela and in El Sistema USA models. The second semester includes a two-month period of observation and study in Venezuela, where the 10 fellows will stay until April, interacting with professors and students of the El Sistema núcleos throughout Venezuela.

Abreu Fellow Rebecca Levi commented she will be in the núcleos of Mérida, Táchira y Trujillo: “…I’m very excited about teaching and helping these children learn. I want to observe and be like a sponge, and I want to talk with the Fesnojiv's staff and the families involved, and learn from their experiences …”

Becoming an Abreu Fellow was an obvious path for Dante Rameau, as he became involved in music from an early age. Learning about Gustavo Dudamel and El Sistema motivated him to become part of this movement that changes youths’ lives: “I decided I wanted to become an Abreu Fellow when I saw the application, the kind of person they were looking for. I decided they were looking for me. This is the kind of work that I’m perfect for."

After finishing the program, Rameau will start an El Sistema Program in Atlanta and looks forward to giving the best music education possible to children: “…maestro Abreu said to us that culture for the poor must not be poor culture; so they have to have the best of everything, the best teachers, good instruments, and good places to practice and perform.”

During their stay in Venezuela, the Abreu Fellows will attend academic concerts and a series of lectures given by El Sistema's founders and executive staff, besides observing how the núcleos in Venezuela function within their communities.

Upon completion of the program, graduates are expected to join the staff of an El Sistema–inspired program for a period of at least one year. They will become members of an ever-expanding network of Abreu Fellows, mentoring other leaders and teachers while developing their own local programs.

Mark Churchill, Director of El Sistema USA, and Dean and Artistic Director of New England Conservatory’s Department of Preparatory and Continuing Education, explained that these young musicians have been studying El Sistema’s philosophy and how to build organizations and do music education, and added: "…they are dedicating their lives to building programs in the United States and beyond, they are inspired by the ideals of El Sistema. This is a dream that I’ve had for many years that this beautiful program could really take root and flourish in the United States and other countries."

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Abreu Fellows Program. El Sistema USA

According to Churchill, two things are essential to start an El Sistema program: real knowledge about what is happening in Venezuela: the deep philosophy and process, the pedagogy, and methodology; as well as the leadership of people with this knowledge. Upon this is based the Abreu Fellows Program, and each one of its students has a profound belief in the power of music as a means of social transformation.

The next cohort of Abreu Fellows will start in September. The application deadline is April 1.

For further information please visit: Become an Abreu Fellow and use your art to change the world!