What's an El Sistema núcleo? Let's start at the very begining/¿Qué es un núcleo en El Sistema? Empecemos por el principio.

I already realized that, like many things in El Sistema, there are many different faces and perspectives to look at it. So this title itself may be seen in many ways. There are many ways to see "the very beginning." But I'll start with the meaning of the word. Not only the obvious Spanish and Latin origin of the word (Here it is: Núcleo [NOO-cleh-oh], spanish for Nucleus: "From Latin, literally 'kernel, inner part,' diminutive of nux, nuc- 'nut'", Webster Dictionary), but its different meanings in other disciplines and try to reflect on that. The word itself, according to the Webster Dictionary, means: "Nucleus: The central and most important part of an object, movement or group, forming the basis for its activity or growth" Webster goes on to define its meaning in "Physics the positively charged central core of an atom, containing most of its mass." I could go into cute metaphors, but I'd rather concentrate on the definition in "Biology a dense organelle present in most eukaryotic cells, typically a single rounded structure bounded by a double membrane, containing the genetic material." Two ideas in these definitions I find fascinating. First, the idea that the núcleo is the center of a movement. Second, the idea that it contains DNA, genetic material. Looking a bit more into biology, it is interesting to see that not only it contains that genetic material, but it also replicates it (with occasional mutations). This replication happens within the núcleo... I mean, the nucleus. Not in the brain or in other larger "central" organ. Thinking back of an El Sistema núcleo and its "genetic material" –the ethos and principles that we have been exploring and discussing about at the Abreu Fellowship program–, I view the role of the núcleos as essential in keeping this movement rooted in communities (the "cells") and its own mutations responding to their needs, to a big extent. But also, my guess is that if the DNA (genetic material) in a cell varies TOO much, to the point that it has nothing similar to the rest of the cells around it, it becomes something else. Or, translated into El Sistema movement, if a núcleo changes its ethos and principles TOO much to adapt to very particular circumstances of the community, it risks becoming something completely different, separating itself from the El Sistema global movement (nothing wrong or condemning about that, but if you don't share ethos and principles, why call yourself "El Sistema-inspired"?) Now what is the El Sistema core DNA? What are the ethos and/or principles like?

Ya me dí cuenta que, como muchas cosas en El Sistema, hay muchas formas de ver sus diferentes frentes y perspectivas. Así que este título en sí mismo puede ser visto de distintas formas. Hay muchas formas de "empezar por el principio". Pero voy a empezar por el significado de la palabra. No sólo el origen en latín (Según el diccionario Webster en inglés: "(...) literalmente semilla, parte interna, diminutivo de nux, nuc-(...)") sino tambien sus diferentes significados en otras disciplinas y luego voy a tratar de reflexionar un poco sobre esto. La palabra misma, deacuerdo con el diccionario Webster en inglés, significa: "Nucleus: La parte central y más importante de un objeto, movimiento o grupo, formando la base para su actividad o crecimiento". Más especificamente, para el diccionario de la Real Academia Española, significa: "Fís. Parte central del átomo, que contiene la mayor porción de su masa, constituida por protones y neutrones, y que posee una carga eléctrica positiva que se corresponde con su número atómico." Podría entrar en metáforas bonitas, pero prefiero concentrarme en esta definición del diccionario Webster en inglés: "Biología un organelo denso presente en la mayoría de células eucarióticas, típicamente una estructura simple y redonda, contenida por una doble membrana, conteniendo el material genético". Dos ideas en estas definiciones me parecen fascinantes. La primera, la idea que un núcleo es el centro de un movimiento. Segundo, la idea que contiene el DNA, el material genético. Siguiendo con la línea de la biología, es interesante notar, que el núcleo no sólo contiene el material genético, sino que tambien lo replica (con ocasionales mutaciones). Esta replicación ocurre dentro del núcleo. No ocurre en el cerebro, o en otro órgano mayor o "central". Regresando a pensar en los núcleos de El Sistema y su "material genético" –el Ethos y principios que ya hemos estado explorando y discutiendo en el programa Abreu Fellows–, veo que el papel que juegan los núcleos es esencial en mantener el movimiento enraizado en las comunidades (o las "células") y sus propias mutaciones respondiendo a sus necesidades, hasta cierto punto. Pero también, me imagino que si el ADN (material genético) en una célula varía MUCHO, al punto que ya no tiene nada similar a las otras células, entonces se convierte en otra cosa. O, traducido al movimiento de El Sistema, si un núcleo cambia MUCHO su ethos y sus principios para adaptarse a circunstancias muy particulares, corre el riesgo de convertirse en otra cosa, separándose así del movimiento global de El Sistema (nada malo o condenable si eso pasara, pero si no se comparten el ethos y los principios, para qué llamarse parte de El Sistema?) Ahora, ¿cuál es el ADN de El Sistema? ¿Cómo son su ethos y principios?

What is an El Sistema Núcleo? / ¿Qué es un núcleo en El Sistema?

Several answers to the question have come up during the length of the Abreu Fellowship Program, and I have had some ideas of what a núcleo is, and what it is not, from my experiences in Guatemala. I want to start a series of blog entries with several ideas about the núcleo concept as we go along the program, but also during and after our visit to Venezuela next February. But I don't want to describe how a núcleo looks like. We all have come to a consensus that there isn't (or there shouldn't be) a unique model for a núcleo. All núcleos look different. But there has to be something beyond –other than their leaders saying "This is an El Sistema núcleo"– that all have in common. I want to get philosophical and explore the non-tangible elements that may make up a núcleo. I expect my ideas to be changing in the next months, so expect contradictions in my postings. All your input and ideas will definitely have an effect in it. First, a preview: José Antonio Abreu has called the orchestras the soul of the community. I am very interested in exploring the idea of the núcleo as an intangible element of a broad community, beyond the orchestra or the choir (or the facilities where they rehearse). More on that later.

Ya han surgido varias respuestas a la pregunta, a lo largo del programa del Abreu Fellowship, y yo ya he tenido varias ideas, por mi propia experiencia en Guatemala, de lo qué es, y lo que no es, un núcleo. Quiero iniciar una serie de entradas en este blog sobre el concepto del núcleo a lo largo del programa, y especialmente durante y después de nuestra visita a Venezuela en febrero. Pero no quiero describir como se vé un núcleo. Ya hemos llegado al consenso de que no hay ( o no debería haber) un modelo único para los núcleos. Todos se ven diferentes. Pero hay algo más detrás de ellos que es común, más allá de que sus líderes digan "este es un núcleo". Espero que mis ideas vayan cambiando en los próximos meses así que esperen contradicciones en mis entradas del blog. Todos sus comentarios y opiniones tendrán en efecto en estos cambios. Para iniciar, una primera idea: José Antonio Abreu ha llamado a las orquestas del Sistema "el alma de la comunidad". Estoy interesado en explorar la idea del núcleo como un elemento intangible de una comunidad más amplia, más allá de la orquesta o el coro (o las instalaciones donde ensayan)

Be the artist. (and yes, be the Athlete too, why not?)

This Sunday November 1st the 40th NYC Marathon took place under great weather. I ran that Marathon two years ago, after volunteering in my running club’s water station in mile 24 the previous year. I was very inspired by seeing those thousands of runners (over 38,607 finishers in 2007). This Sunday I volunteered once again, this time I got there early enough to help in the preparation: a team of about 60 volunteers from my running club setting up tables with thousands of paper cups with water and Gatorade. And to think that 40 years ago Fred Lebow co-founded this marathon which only 55 runners finished the first time. His enthusiasm and drive were essential in making the running movement in New York grow and turn those 55 runners in 1970 to the estimated 43,475 that finished the marathon on Sunday. I was fired up (to quote my friend and Abreu Fellow Stan, quoting Obama, quoting someone else) thinking this is what Dr. José Antonio Abreu has been doing for almost the same time in Venezuela and Latin America, and now at a global scale!

A couple of weeks ago, Ben Cameron, Program Director for the Arts at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation visited us and made a presentation about the state of the economy of the arts in the U.S. He talked about how JFK made a policy that Cameron summarized as “see the artist, become the athlete”. This statement helps to understand why there are about 45,000 runners finishing the marathon, another few thousand volunteers, and literally millions of spectators following the race. The challenge for El Sistema USA and the Abreu fellows is to start a new “become the artist” movement, and to amend this JFK-era policy (looking back at it...a crazy idea, coming from a President who loved the arts, as Cameron reminded us). Be the artists. Be part of the movement, it’s good for you, for your body and soul, and it’s good for your community.

In my Arts Administration degree essay about the internationalization of El Sistema, I made a couple of arguments about the current trends in U.S. orchestras missions and the concept of participation in the arts, according to a couple of research institutions. I found (and I might have been a tiny bit cynical, I confess) that orchestras' missions could be summarized as saying "Orchestras exist so that orchestras can exist" (Trying to paraphrase: "XYZ Orchestra's mission is to maintain, promote, preserve, foster the interest, enjoyment, of music making…” and then there’s something about outreach and education) (Yes, I’m being very cynical…sorry, I’m just trying to make my point clear). The other argument is that many of these organizations consider participation as sitting in a concert passively. In few cases “participation” has been seen as actually putting instruments in the hands of people, especially children.

Cameron argues that orchestras mission is to be the conduit for communities to access symphonic music (and that that may not be by presenting concerts!).  After watching the enthusiasm and pageantry, but also the dedication and sacrifice of thousands of people at the marathon, paired with the history of El Sistema in Venezuela and Latin America, I have no doubt that I am standing in the right place at the right moment. It's time for all orchestras, professional, community-based or youth to help everyone become the artists.  Change is in my hands!! Come join us!!!

Posted on the Boston Globe
New movement for Conservatory:
Famed Venezuelan music education program adopted

By Geoff Edgers
Globe Staff / October 23, 2009


From left, Katie Wyatt, Lorrie Heagy, and Stanford Thompson enjoyed a break at the New England Conservatory.
(John Tlumacki/Globe Staff)

It didn’t take Stanford Thompson long to realize that his fellowship at New England Conservatory was anything but normal. A five-member film crew follows every move of the Georgia native and his nine classmates, as does an author on contract from W.W. Norton & Company. Thompson has been staying up past midnight just to answer e-mails from well-wishers.

Go to article/Lea el artículo (en inglés)

El Sistema USA: Núcleo partnerships with the school system or major orchestras?

In the first two weeks of the Abreu Fellows program, a few of things are starting to become clear.  One of them is that not all núcleos will be –and should not be cookie-cutter modeled.  Each núcleo's organizational structure, funding, constituency, governance and leadership style(s) has to respond to its particular circumstances and, possibly, to a changing environment. In my particular case, and because of my own past experience, I have always been a bit hesitant to think about partnerships with the schools system and major orchestras.  But that was in Guatemala.  At the Abreu Fellows program, the conversation often appears to assume that those partnerships are essential. I want to start a virtual discussion on this matter.  I made this short video to get this conversation going.   Please post your comments, opinions and/or personal anecdotes.   I want to stress that in this matter there is no right or wrong answer, but all perspectives are valuable. Thanks for participating in this video to the Abreu Fellows Lorrie Heagy, Katie Wyatt, Stan Thomson; and to Dan Trahey, Program Director, OrchKids/Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Tanya Maggi, Director of Community Performances and Partnerships at the New England Conservatory.

En las dos primeras semanas del programa Abreu Fellows, algunas cosas están ya quedando claras. Una de ellas es que no todos los núcleos serán, ni deben de ser, cortados con el mismo molde. La estructura organizacional de cada núcleo, sus fuentes de financiamiento, beneficiarios, gobierno, y estilo(s) de liderazgo deben responder a sus circunstancias particulares y, posiblemente, a un medio cambiante. En mi caso particular, quizás debido a mis propias experiencias, siempre he sido un poco renuente a pensar en entablar alianzas con el sistema escolar, y con orquestas sinfónicas profesionales.  Pero eso era en Guatemala.  En el programa Abreu Fellows, la conversación suele dar a entender que estas alianzas son esenciales. Quiero iniciar una discusión virtual sobre este tema.  Hice este vídeo corto (perdón, pero no me ha dado tiempo de subtitularlo) para iniciar esta conversación.  Por favor dejen sus comentarios, opiniones y anécdotas.  Quiero hacer énfasis en que no hay respuestas correctas o incorrectas.  Todas las perspectivas son de gran valor. Agradezco por su participación en este vídeo a los Abreu Fellows Lorrie Heagy, Katie Wyatt, Stan Thomson; y a Dan Trahey, Program Director, OrchKids/Baltimore Symphony Orchestra y Tanya Maggi, Director of Community Performances and Partnerships at the New England Conservatory.