Cellist and In Harmony champion Julian Lloyd Webber on what lessons can be learned from the impact of Venezuela’s El Sistema:
Perhaps it has something to do with its name – after all ‘El Sistema’ does sound a bit like some extremist political movement from the 1930’s. Or maybe it’s because El Sistema was born in Venezuela – a country with precious little political clout. Whatever the reason, the impact of the most extraordinary social phenomenon of our times should, after 35 years, have reached far beyond the rarefied realms of the arts pages.
El Sistema is the brainchild of Jose Antonio Abreu, a former economist and classical music enthusiast who believed that every poverty-stricken child should have free access to music and that their lives would be transformed as a result. Founded in 1975, it has been a spectacular success. Using the ‘safe haven’ of the symphony orchestra approximately 300,000 Venezuelan children participate in the scheme at any one time and many claim it has saved them from a life of delinquency and crime.
Given recent statistics produced by the Conservative Party that the yearly cost of violent crime in England and Wales – taking into account everything from insurance, loss of earnings, policing and court cases – has reached £25.6 billion (or more than £1000 for every household) you can see why the English In Harmony project, which is based on El Sistema, is so desperately needed here.
In Harmony began with little fanfare in three of the poorest areas of England earlier this year and it is already producing dramatic results. Teachers are reporting hugely increased levels of concentration, discipline, motivation and attendance. “It’s been a miracle” said the headteacher of Faith Primary School in West Everton.
The key to In Harmony’s success – and to El Sistema’s before it – is that it is not just another music project: it is a social project with music at its heart. In Harmony doesn’t set out to produce great musicians – although, having heard the results after only a few months, it almost certainly will. In Harmony aims to create community spirit by giving children the opportunity of developing skills, teamwork and interpersonal relationships within the context of something (in this case an orchestra) that can only become great when they work at it together.
But can music really play a part in reducing knife crime, drug addiction and all the rest of society’s ills? Yes it can – it already has in Venezuela and after less then a year it is already producing extraordinary changes in three of England’s most troubled communities.
Music can be the inspiration which binds society together because – even more than sport – it requires equality. Music knows no boundaries of language, race or background. All the players are equal.
Because of its huge potential for social regeneration I have become convinced that In Harmony is the future for music education in this country. At present it receives only a tiny proportion of the music education budget. In order to truly succeed, In Harmony will need to be a nationwide programme, not just three ‘toe in the water’ pilot projects. It remains to be seen whether we have the common sense to grasp the nettle.
