tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-206560802024-03-13T07:53:00.407-04:00La Limonada (Discovering Lemonade)Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-67086259568563561542010-04-24T12:56:00.002-04:002010-04-24T13:05:23.651-04:00Caracas: Centro de Acción Social por la MúsicaThe Caracas Centro de Acción Social por la Música is the first of what will be seven nation-wide centers in Venezuela. The Centro ("la sede" as they call it) doesn't house a program per se, but you can say is the headquarters for most of the larger ensembles and the venue for several events, like seminarios, master-classes, courses and concerts. Although the first phase ofAlvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-16348446052073398212010-04-23T08:42:00.004-04:002010-04-24T13:07:38.455-04:00Venezuelan Residency: Núcleos and Módulos visitedHere's a bulleted list of the núcleos and módulos I visited during our Abreu Fellows program residency in Venezuela. I was going to name this post "Programs visited", but it wouldn't be accurate, since there are different programs within each núcleo. Some include special needs programs, some include folk music programs, for instance. Other programs, like the Teresa CarreñoAlvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-73249842767563297272010-04-04T20:03:00.002-04:002010-04-04T23:35:07.759-04:00What is a núcleo? The Guárico State case.Background. Early on in the Venezuelan orchestra movement, new centers all over the country started replicating the ideas and philosophy of José Antonio Abreu. However, larger decisions and funding management still happened in Caracas. In order to alleviate the amount of bureaucracy concentrated in Caracas, FESNOJIV encouraged the creation of State núcleos, each with their Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-55424516019473666802010-03-13T08:06:00.000-05:002010-03-13T08:06:53.288-05:00On planning, repertoire and curriculum in El SistemaOne more generalization that I had been a bit uncomfortable with is the idea of curriculum. Before coming here, I felt that in applying the idea of an El Sistema curriculum and a pre-designed repertoire list in the US would be like admiring the beautiful freedom of a bird and then starting to look for a golden cage to capture that freedom at home.
In the past weeks in Venezuela, I found I Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-7059735038880992012010-03-10T08:04:00.000-05:002010-03-10T08:04:54.460-05:00On El Sistema generalizationsWhen asking the question "What is El Sistema?", or "What is its essence?" I noticed people usually have their mindsets framed in what they are familiar with, and that leads to certain generalizations. Preset ideas of methods, curriculum, schooling, arts policy, and many others come to mind. I am uneasy with the idea of generalizations. Early on I noticed that detaching from the usual U.SAlvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-38980464446588787432010-02-22T20:38:00.000-05:002010-02-22T20:38:18.521-05:00Political Spectacle: El Sistema Seminarios, policy and decision-making.On our first week in Venezuela, and among the excitement of finally being here as Abreu Fellows, I have also had time and inspiration to reflect on ideas I've had for a couple of weeks now. Political spectacle is a subject I have thought –and blogged– about before, in relation to El Sistema and arts policy in general.
Last week, our last in Boston, we had a lecture by Ricardo Hausmann, DirectorAlvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-2786562573702585062010-02-14T08:22:00.000-05:002010-02-14T08:22:15.257-05:00"Austria came to learn closely about the national orchestra system"Published by the Bolivarian News Agency (ABN)
Caracas, Feb 12th. ABN.- In order to strenghten the existing cultural links between Austria and Venezuela, and to get to learn in detail the teaching methods of the Venezuelan National System of Youth and Children's Orchestras and Choirs, and group of Vienese personalities headed by Austria's Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, professor ClaudiaAlvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-28232806362165283742009-12-06T16:30:00.003-05:002009-12-16T13:53:04.475-05:00What'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, Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-91671956388725816762009-12-01T18:47:00.001-05:002009-12-16T13:53:24.228-05:00What 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 Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-90932509509482449782009-11-02T21:36:00.004-05:002009-11-02T22:21:14.576-05:00Be 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 teamAlvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-33548384667648141632009-10-23T07:00:00.004-04:002009-10-24T07:56:36.580-04:00
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 Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-83084660377796521782009-10-22T22:49:00.006-04:002009-10-23T07:02:10.561-04:00El 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 Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-54990864847660381612009-10-19T07:11:00.002-04:002009-10-23T07:02:23.350-04:00Abreu Fellows: Semana Número Uno
(No, it's not publicity/No, no es publicidad)
The first week was intense for everyone. A lot of information, emotions and good vibes fell on us in one week-long bucketful. I can only try to summarize what we learned, at least from my perspective. I learned that in order to replicate El Sistema in the United States, we have to step back from the common music education assumptions and lookAlvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-85071710915331727922009-10-14T07:52:00.006-04:002009-10-23T07:02:49.888-04:00Abreu Fellows Program, Day/Día 2
Today we had the visit of Anne Fitzgibbon, who runs the Harmony Program at CUNY, in Brooklyn (and announced they are opening a second program in Harlem next week!). Anne spent a year in Venezuela on a Fulbright learning about El Sistema and figuring out how to apply it to her Harmony Program.
Some of Anne’s most important elements of ES are:
• Intensity of study
• Relationship bet. teacher Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-91731438141484142702009-10-13T18:58:00.002-04:002009-10-23T07:03:12.254-04:00Abreu Fellows Program, Day/Día 1
OK, first of all, I should make it clear that I don't think this will be a daily thing. But at least I have to number Day One. My first impression after arriving at the New England Conservatory (NEC) was of surprise to find a camera crew at the lobby, and being greeted by my first name by Jamie Bernstein (Lenny's daughter), who is producing a film about the replication of El Sistema in the Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-41750634168401063692009-10-13T07:50:00.019-04:002009-11-09T09:58:03.259-05:00El Sistema GlobalHere are some links to replications and other organizations working ElSistema-inspired programs from around the world that have some internet presence. (Please report broken links!)
Acá hay algunos enlaces a réplicas y otras organizaciones trabajando programas inspirados en El Sistema alrededor del mundo y que tienen presencia en el internet. (Por favor reportar enlances que no funcionen)
Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-19526973270864036042009-10-13T07:44:00.015-04:002009-10-23T07:03:28.509-04:00Boston Globe: "NEC's prestigious program fellows named"
Posted on the Boston Globe by Geoff Edgers October 13, 2009 07:54 PM
Dudamania may be all the way across the country but the US-based branch of El Sistema, the successful, Venezuelan music education program the conductor was involved with as a boy, is heading to New England Conservatory.
Ten grad-level musicians have been picked to head to NEC as the school launches the Abreu Fellows Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-17080518354574535082009-10-13T07:38:00.001-04:002009-10-23T07:04:30.899-04:00L.A. Times: "Going global, El Sistema starts fellows program in U.S."
Culture Monster
All the Arts, All the Time
October 13, 2009 | 3:18 pm
Abreu The music program known as El Sistema -- which for 32 years has brought free classical music education to disadvantaged youth in Venezuela -- is no longer that country's secret. It seems as if now the whole world wants to copy or at least learn from the program, whose most famous alumnus is conductor Gustavo Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-69624116976850592102009-10-13T06:00:00.004-04:002009-10-23T07:03:57.584-04:00Introducing the Abreu Fellows Program at the New England Conservatory
The Abreu Fellows Program - Transforming children's lives through music from TED Prize on Vimeo.Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-21122762545949025282009-10-07T13:03:00.007-04:002009-10-16T07:39:28.528-04:00¿Cómo es el público guatemalteco?
Vida 27-08-2009
Carla Natareno, Siglo 21 (cnatareno@sigloxxi.com)
Adesca realiza estudio que muestra el comportamiento del público que asiste a los eventos de artes escénicas.
Por primera vez se hace una investigación con el propósito de explicar el comportamiento del público que asiste a las distintas actividades artísticas desarrolladas en el país. El proyecto efectuado por Álvaro Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-69631334732251783222009-06-11T09:15:00.007-04:002009-10-12T19:27:41.419-04:00"Anteludio" del Festival de Junio (Un pasitillo pa'lante y tres p'atrás)La programación, como de costumbre, fue lanzada unos días antes de que inicie el Festival de Junio del Centro Cultural Miguel Ángel Asturias, de la Ciudad de Guatemala. Eso no es nuevo. Lo que sí me pareció novedoso (pero no por eso bueno) fue la cantidad de posters que aparecieron en toda la ciudad. Lo curioso es que el diseño del poster, a pesar que esta bonito, no dice nada... no nos invitaAlvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-66572049128087131372009-03-13T11:34:00.006-04:002009-10-12T19:28:32.896-04:00Bravissimo en la marro: "Ahora, despierta la mujer que me dormía..."A veces quisiera poder leer a Bourdieu con facilidad, como si fueran los chistes del domingo para poder escribir sobre el gusto y las diferencias de clase en Guatemala. Sería fascinante.
La semana pasada asistí al concierto de las hermanas Terwey (Violín y Piano), como parte del Festival Bravissimo de la Organización para las Artes Francisco Marroquín.
A pesar de la Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-14052481149232132982009-01-08T16:50:00.003-05:002009-10-12T19:29:23.344-04:00Towards a new Youth Orchestra Movement in the US (Part One?)I’ve been fascinated by how the Venezuelan orchestra system gets turned into something that looks like a franchise (“El Sistema”), and how people become desperate to get its secret recipe, because the franchise includes a promise that results come fast and in large numbers. I experienced it in Guatemala about 10 years ago, and this let’s-get-this-franchise-going frenzy repeated itself there Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-63090935966674941172008-10-21T09:28:00.003-04:002009-10-12T19:29:42.922-04:00Igor Sarmientos en San Francisco, dirigiendo música guatemaltecaEsta mañana recibí esta nota de Igor Sarmientos:
"Amigos Tod@s:
"Tengo la alegria de contarles que la noche del 24 de noviembre estare dirigiendo la Sinfonietta de San Francisco, en San Francisco California, en un gran evento donde se estrenara la obra Budafonias de Jorge Sarmientos. Ademas hare Sinfonietta Op.10 del compositor guatemalteco Enrique Anleu Diaz, Dvorak Sinfonia n.9 y el ConciertoAlvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20656080.post-18185846681625622962008-10-18T09:51:00.002-04:002009-10-12T19:30:51.306-04:00"The Rabbi and the CEO"
A New book by my leadership Prof.!
¡¡Un nuevo libro por mi profe de Liderazgo!!
Alvaro F. Rodashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00048062872667234122noreply@blogger.com0