Granada, June 24 (EFE).- José Antonio Abreu, founder of the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela, said that 30 years after the foundation of “this school of social life”, ”Many States recognize the huge social impact of music education” on the personal development of children.

In an telephone interview with EFE, Abreu, whose music education program received the 2008 Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts, stated that there is a “growing recognition” of the educational value of music and this way of approaching culture.

“More and more States recognize the social and communitarian impact of a music education program developed under a modern and open scheme,“ the Venezuelan composer explained.

In his opinion, the necessary awareness “to understand that the poorer the children, the better their instruments, teachers and facilities must be,” is increasingly growing.

And, the System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras – defined by maestro Abreu as a “school of social life,” – a network of choirs and orchestras that tends 300,000 children who exert a strong “influence” on their family units, has contributed, according to Abreu, to the increasing development of this awareness.

Abreu explained that either directly or indirectly, a million of Venezuelans are linked with this system founded in 1975 with the purpose of providing music education to underprivileged children.

“The growth has been so extraordinary that, in Venezuela, the number of youngsters enrolled in the orchestral network is comparable with or even bigger than that of children enrolled in sports activities,” the 70-year-old composer pointed out.

These data and direct observation of "the Venezuelan reality" show, in his opinion, that the objectives established by this program over 30 years ago "has been fulfilled."

The Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, El Sistema’s flagship orchestra, under the baton of maestro Gustavo Dudamel set off for a nine-city European tour last June 7 that ended on June 25 with the opening concert of the Granada International Festival of Music and Dance, which this year features the Ibero-American culture.

Abreu commented, that there is an increasing demand from families, "especially low-and middle-class ones,” seeking the benefits of music education for their children, which entails intense study and practice of music in their choir or orchestra, and therefore staying away from drugs and the street life.

According to the composer, the challenge to better themselves is "the best incentive” for those who are part of an orchestral network that fosters "a sense of group belonging and a sense of purpose.”

Abreu – who considers that music activities that promote “harmony” bring “enormous benefits to individuals and communities,”— is now focusing on the expansion of El Sistema programs in the world, which is something that already started in Latin-America and has promoted the creation of the Latin-American Youth Symphony Orchestra.

“We are bringing El Sistema to Scotland, France, and Italy. “We have signed an agreement to develop a system of orchestras in Poland; and we are having talks to found a youth orchestra in Greece," Abreu, the founder of the worldwide renowned program that seeks to use art as a means of social development, explained.