Changing Lives: Gustavo Dudamel, El Sistema, and the Transformative Power of Music

by Tricia Tunstall

“Reminds us of how arts education can change lives.” ―Gary Stager, Huffington Post In this “vivid story” ( Economist ), Tricia Tunstall “chronicles the origins and growth of Venezuela’s acclaimed El Sistema national music education program” (Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times ) and illustrates its overarching goal: to rescue children from the depredations of poverty through music. What began in Venezuela has extended to Los Angeles, New York City, and Baltimore, illustrating that El Sistema is not just a program, it’s a movement. Combining firsthand interviews with compelling stories, Changing Lives reveals that arts education can indeed effect positive social change in the United States and around the world. 16 pages of illustrations

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Education

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 23, 2012

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd give this book 3 stars for the writing but a jumping-out-of-my-seat, standing ovation 5 stars for subject matter and inspiration level.

I found this book really by accident. I work for the Department of Education and decided to google "best education books of 2012" one day. I was expecting a lot of books about charter schools and testing, but instead, the book that seemed to top the lists was this one-- a story about Venzuela's music education program. I'm about to marry a music educator, so I was totally intrigued.

In 1975, a man named Jose Antonio Abreu founded El Sistema in Venzuela, a music education program designed to help under-privileged children learn to play a musical instrument and participate in youth orchestras. Thirty-five years later, the program has developed countless music centers throughout the country, many youth orchestras, and has helped hundreds of thousands of children learn to love playing an instrument and being part of a community. Beyond the music education piece of El Sistema is the larger social philosophy-- a real belief that you can create social change by empowering children with the gift of music and the feeling that they are part of something.

There is really no way to overstate the importance and power of this program. For one thing, it is purely amazing to learn about the far-reaching vision of Maestro Abreu and the totally ambitious projects he has undertaken and achieved. El Sistema is so much more than about teaching a student how to play an instrument-- the students learn to teach their peers, they learn the discipline of many hours of practice, etc. Second, the testimonies of how much *fun* and joy the students get out of the program is unbelievably inspiring. Third, the level of international success that the program has had is also mind-blowing. That success is both in the acclaim that the youth orchestras have attained and also in the international support and scramble now to replicate the programs in other countries.

I was truly inspired by this book. That said, I got pretty tired of the author's unending praise of the program. She didn't need to include the back stories of so many of the El Sistema participants-- the stories ended up sounding the same after a while and I started skimming through them. I also felt like she went a little overbaord in describing each and every honor that the Simon Bolivar Orchestra, Maestro Abreu, and Gustavo Dudamel (one of the prodigies to have emerged from El Sistema instruction) has received. I felt like that took away from the momentum of the book. However, I really loved the section on El Sistema USA and her description of the programs that have appeared in the US and the particular issues with starting such programs here (namely, funding and interest). I also felt like she did a great job of describing the breadth and reach of Abreu's vision. And while author didn't always explore the potential problems within the program, she did at least identify some of them.

One of the recurring Abreu quotes throughout the book is, "Culture for the poor cannot be poor culture." The stories of the ways a poor child's life can be transformed by music are amazing. I'm totally a believer and inspired to be a part of this movement in some way. And for goodness sake, give Abreu the Nobel Peace Prize already!

[Vilo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subject matter of this book is more powerful than the organization or writing. Tricia Tunstall introduces us to the Los Angelos' Philharmonic's young director Gustavo Dudamel and then tells us about the innovative Venezuelan program called El Sistema that produced his musical genius. El Sistema is an after-school program offered in many Venezuelan neighborhoods where poor children are offered group music instruction from a very young age. One quote, page 34, addresses parents' amazement at the change in their children: "It's hard . . . but not complicated. ... When you give attention to kids, five hours a day, six days a week ..." This is a cooperative type of teaching, where children gain a love of music and learn those basic social skills that make good citizens--hard work, showing up on time, producing excellence. Senor Abreu insists that "culture for the poor must never be poor culture." Some of the students become musicians, others become engineers or doctors or any other type of useful work that interests them. Students with an interest are taught to make musical instruments, because finding enough instruments is a perpetual problem. I had to look up some YouTube examples of some of the orchestras at one point--Simon Bolivar Orchestra and YOLA (Youth Orchestra of Los Angelos) to hear the wonders that were described. Reading about music is not quite sufficient! The founder of this program is Jose Abreu, who was inspired by his music teacher, a woman named Doralisa Jimenez de Medina, who had seven pianos and had her students come in groups, teaching them to play together, or in duets and harmonies. She nourished as well as taught. In many cities of the United States programs based on El Sistema's model are being developed: New York, Baltimore, San Antonio, Los Angelos and other places. In Venezuela the program is supported by the government. In this country various groups have to come together to support the effort. Reading page after page of effusive description of the wonders of this education got my skeptical nature questioning, "Surely there are critics of this system? What are the downsides? What happens to children who don't stick with the program?" Finally, on page 209 the author begins to address some of these questions, which she also had. However, if there are many criticisms or problems she did not uncover them. (I personally would not like to be wakened by Senor Abreu at 2 a.m. with a new idea as his teachers often are!) Toward the end of the book it occurred to me that reaching out to underprivileged children with the power of music might also revitalize classical music in this country. I have read in other places (and observed) that often audiences at classical concerts are gray-haired well-to-do patrons. If more children find joy in classical music and insist on it being a part of their lives as they grow, this may well change.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think what is remarkable about this book is that it is written by a music educator. After reading this, I'm certain that this book couldn't have been done any other way. In parts of the book, especially the parts where musical performances are being described, Tricia Tunstall's skill as a writer is augmented by her extensive knowledge of music. This makes the writing all the more beautiful, and as a reader, I could feel how important El Sistema has been, and still continues to be, to the children in Venezuela.

[Hien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thực tình thì quyển sách này không có nhiều điều để bàn luận lắm. Thậm chí nó còn hơi kém hấp dẫn, nhất là với những người không thích nhạc cổ điển - giao hưởng. Mình cũng đọc lâu rồi nhưng giờ mới review tí gọi là tổng kết năm.
Sách rất dày, là cuốn tiểu sử phát triển của hệ thống mô hình giáo dục âm nhạc El Sistema tại Venezuela hơn 40 năm trước và sau lan rộng ra Mỹ và các quốc gia khác. Mình mua vì nó có liên quan đến công việc trước đây là tình nguyện - vài tháng nay thì là part-time job đầu đời của mình tại Dàn Hợp xướng & Giao hưởng Kỳ diệu MCO (El Sistema phiên bản Việt Nam). Hehe cảm thấy tự hào nhiều chút. Mặc dù MCO của chúng mình hiện tại mới có hơn 80 em nhỏ thôi, các lớp học còn rất nhiều khó khăn, không thể so sánh với El Sistema bản gốc nơi có hàng trăm ngàn học sinh và giáo viên, biểu diễn cho hàng ngàn concert lớn nhưng điều quan trọng là mình đã được chứng kiến việc âm nhạc có thể thay đổi các em như thế nào. Quyển sách này cũng đã chứng minh điều đó.
Chỉ đọc thôi thì rất khó để cảm nhận El Sistema là một hiện tượng. Cần phải xem dàn nhạc giao hưởng của họ biểu diễn. Và nghe Maestro Abreu nói trên TED.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was extremely inspired by this book. It is about the 'El Sistema' program. It was particularly beautiful to read about how music has the capacity to change lives. El Sistema was started by an economist (Abreu) in Venezuela who also studied music. The program has been in existence for 35 years so there is documentation that it works. Yes, as a musician, I already knew that but to read documentation that gives proof that it has changed the lives of an entire generation of children in Venezuela was incredibly inspiring to me. So much so that when I received an email to volunteer at a summer camp for underprivileged children I responded 'yes' rather than 'no'. I recommend this book to everyone who wants to believe that the world can be a different place. I wish every politician, world leader, parents and teacher would read it. A very inspiring book.

[Garden Gal · Rating 5 out of 5]

We think our votes might not count; wars, conflicts, atrocities beset countries far away and schools nearby. We think that as a single person, nothing we do will help very much.

Then, we read what Jose Abreu started with a few of his friends, and we see the extensive reach this amazing effort has had throughout South America and many countries on other continents.

Tunstall reminds us that one person can be the start of bringing goodness and even peace to the world.

My sister told my mom to read this; mom and sister told me; I've told my kids, my grandson (who plans to teach choral music)and my friends and I keep telling people to read this. I hope they keep telling others and that you who have been touched tell them too.

There are many books I've marked as Amazing; this is one of the best of the best!

[Sonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book 3 stars mainly due to the Tunstall's monotonous and repetitive writing style. The content, however, deserves 5 stars without a doubt. Given that I had previously seen two segments on 60 Minutes about El Sistema and had attended Dudamel's performance in Carnegie Hall a few years ago with the Simon Bolivar Orchestra, I was already quite well versed on the subject, hence my opinion of the author's relative monotony. Jose Antonio Abreu is a genius and deserves much more recognition than has be bestowed upon him. To achieve the social transformation that is evident via El Sistema is no small feat, especially given the circumstances and extreme poverty of the students & families.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of me wants to make every musician, especially every music educator read this, but there are good reasons for the three star rating. El Sistema is flat-out amazing and inspiring, but this book is so adulatory that it gets super repetitive -- and it does make it seem as though any one else isn't helping kids as much as they could. I know this isn't necessarily true. Long before El Sistema was known in the United States, I was made keenly aware of the value of music to kids in poverty during my student teaching and subsequent long-term sub position in downtown Rochester. But after reading this book, I do hope that people will be inspired to start even more programs based on El Sistema principles or at least be encouraged by their own involvement in music. Worth reading.

[Dick Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with more than normal interest, because I just finished hearing all of Mahler’s 9 symphonies (and the fragment of the 10th) conducted by Maestro Dudamel over the last 3 weeks. M. Dudamel conducted all but one (the 8th) of the symphonies from memory (no score in front of him), and the quality level of the music was superb. M. Dudamel was a product of the El Sistema movement in Venezuela, started in 1975 by Jose Abreu. The movement seeks to interest and engage young children from poor backgrounds in classical music, and hence improve their lives, and improve society as well. The book was quite informative and inspirational, and I give it an 8 on my personal scale of 10.

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very inspiring and absolutely fascinating. I have a renewed love for music and more importantly the human spirit. Plus, now I have a new love and respect for the people of Venezuela and I now I actively promote the idea that we are all American because we're sharing this continent and need to think globally because our decisions (politics, environment, etc.) effect others.

As a music educator, I found and excellent source of ideas through YOLA and inspiration to bring sistema style teaching to my school district. I might need a miracle for it to work, but I will still spend my career to make it happen because it is vital. As my students say, "Si se puede!", yes WE can!

[Jessica Cawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with many people on here. The story of el Sistema is inspiring, but the writing is a bit bland and repetitive. Plus some of the chapters just described famous concerts, ted talks or YouTube videos. I feel like I could have found out about el Sistema just by watching that, so the book didn't add any new perspective. I also would have liked a bit more depth about how they over came their challenges. Everything just seems too perfect.

The emphasis on social change is a positive step for music education.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those interested in youth development, social reform, education, music.....essentially, providing hope, not hopelessness, & the betterment of disadvantaged lives (& therefore society) through the absolute joy of making music together, this is a command performance. I couldn't put it down...inspirational, uplifting, a book that demands to be read.

Caveat: There are 16 pages of wonderful black & white photos that are included only in the hard copy, not e-readers.

[Hilda Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in tears, please read this book about the power of music to change lives. Love Gustavo Dudamel.

[Reggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspiring.
Didn't very much like the intro, but then the story of El Sistema began and I was captivated.

[Sassykeys · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is worth reading and informative cI had hoped for more information about Gustavo Dudamel, but I guess I have to wait for his biography.

[Ipek · Rating 4 out of 5]

çok ilham verici bir öykü.. bu çocuklardan öğreneceğimiz çok şey var.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring story

[Saralyn Klepaczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

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