The benefits of music education are numerous and clear. Yet, programs are often out of reach for many school districts that struggle to muster up funding, especially in areas of poverty. What if there were a clear-cut solution to providing free music education for every student in underprivileged schools?
There is.
El Sistema, founded in Venezuela in 1975 by Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu, aims to provide social uplift through community music education. It was enacted in order to keep students occupied, and away from drugs, crime, and gangs, and develop them as scholars and citizens. According to a New York Times article written by Daniel J. Wakin, El Sistema reaches approximately 310,000 children in 280 locations, and contains roughly 500 musical ensembles. In doing so, El Sistema successfully presents communities with a clear solution to a widespread social problem.
I grew up outside of Allentown, Pennsylvania in an area that is very supportive of the arts. Our community is in close proximity to Philadelphia, and has strong professional musical groups, such as the Allentown Symphony Orchestra and the Allentown Band (with deep-rooted connections to John Philip Sousa). Additionally, high school theater programs are hugely supported through the Freddy Awards program, featured in a documentary entitled "Most Valuable Players" (see the trailer below).
And, Allentown has its very own El Sistema program. Funded primarily by the Allentown symphony orchestra, El Sistema Lehigh Valley is run by director Steven Liu in Roosevelt Elementary School. It meets every day at 3:15, after classes end, and supports 85 students. All students receive instruction on their individual instruments in small groups of 6-8 students. They also rehearse in both orchestra and choir ensembles and perform five concerts per year for their families and for the community. And, students from a local university provide tutoring services to these students several times each month.
According to an article by Adam Clark of the Morning Call, Allentown School District elementary schools only receive up to twelve general music classes each school year. After connecting with one of El Sistema's most famous directors, Gustavo Dudamel, Steven Liu was inspired to bring the program to Allentown. Liu stated, "We're no longer talking about music for music's sake. We're talking about [music] for the community and the development of whole individuals, development of citizens."
When the program began, the $150,000 start-up funds granted to Liu by the Allentown Symphony were still not sufficient to provide instruments for the students. The program pushed on anyways, and the students made their own cardboard instruments until the symphony secured an additional $10,000 and a deal from a local music store for 50% off instruments. From there, the impacts of the program were enormous for the students, families, and community.
The retention rate of Allentown's program is approximately 83% and the attendance rate is 87%. Students genuinely enjoy the program and the benefits they receive from participating. According to the Morning Call article, highly involved students in the program scored extremely well on state standardized tests. 72% scored proficient or advanced in reading, and 81% scored proficient or advanced in math.
The video below was created by director of El Sistema Lehigh Valley and provides testimonies from its students that show how impactful the program really is.
In Venezuela, the program is well-established. According to El Sistema's official website, "El sistema is...a set of inspiring ideals which inform an intensive youth music program that seeks to effect social change through the ambitious pursuit of musical excellence."
To accomplish this social change, El Sistema holds several important core vales. These include the principals of equality and humanity (every human has the right to live a life filled with beauty and dignity), and that every child should be able to learn an instrument or participate in a musical ensemble. Some other principals are the ability to overcome poverty by "an affluence of the spirit" (as Dr. Abreu said), the gift of love, approval, and joy from teachers to students, and the gift of a nurturing community.
The program's goals include making music accessible to all communities across the globe, and making a good education (in music and in core subjects) accessible to all students, regardless of background.
Each El Sistema location is called a "nucleo." The nucleo environments are created to be safe locations full of positivity, aspiration, friendship, and creativity within a supportive community. They are meant to foster hard work and intensity, creating students with strong work ethic and drive while simultaneously impacting and inspiring the community through their musical performances in order to begin to truly enact social change.
Wow, this is such a cool program. I definitely agree that getting students involved outside of the classroom helps them develop important skills including discipline, hard work, and dedication. I hope organizations like this continue to succeed.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an amazing idea! It is impressive how a community can take steps through something that some people think is unimportant (music education in schools) and make it a widespread activity that positively effects so many people!
ReplyDeleteI love the quote from Liu talking about how music, and just art in general, can be more about the community and experience than it is about the product. Music has a way of bringing people together and the fact that it can be used to encourage education is an excellent application. This program seems like a great way to get kids excited about things they have interest in and seems to be an appropriate way to combat the art program cutting going on in schools.
ReplyDeleteI always looked at price tags on instruments and thought what if they were cheaper? Would more people be involved in music? And your post answers that question: yes. I hope that similar programs will find their way to needy communities so that everyone can have a chance with music.
ReplyDeletePrograms like this one seem like an interesting and unique way to try and maintain music education in districts that are struggling to finance it. It seems like a valuable way to expose somewhat disadvantaged youth to the arts. It doesn't surprise me that involvement outside of the classroom (musical or otherwise) does well to improve grades and test scores.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this program before, but it's such an amazing idea! It's great that it can inspire kids to take up a musical instrument, which might be something they wouldn't have done without the program.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of any program like this before. It is nice to see people try programs outside of the box, and the have them work. Which students were allowed to join the Allentown program or was it opened to all? How do the associated scores compare to other students in similar economic conditions?
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