José Antonio Abreu
The Venezuelan economist José Antonio Abreu attended the Caracas Musical Declamation Academy in 1957, where he studied piano, organ, harpsichord and composition. Abreu obtained a Ph.D. in petroleum economics in 1961. He has served as a delegate to the Venezuelan Congress and also was a professor of economy and law. In 1967, he received the Symphonic Music National Prize. He was the founder and director of the “National Network of Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela”, starting in 1975.
He received the National Music Prize for this work in 1979 and became Minister of Culture in 1983. His network, consisting of 102 youth and 55 children orchestras numbering approximately 100,000 youngsters, was named Social Action for Music, under the supervision of the Venezuelan Ministry of Family, Health and Sports. Now named Fundacion del Estado para el Sistema Nacional de las Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Venezuela, or more colloquially El Sistema, its goal is to use music for the protection of childhood through training, rehabilitation and prevention of criminal behaviour.
Abreu has participated in exchange and co-operation programmes with Spain, Latin American countries and the United States. His orchestras have received UNESCO’s International Prize of Music (1993-1995). He was appointed as Special Ambassador for the development of a Global Network of Youth and Children orchestras and choirs in 1995, also as special representative for the development of network of orchestras within the framework of UNESCO’s “World Movement of Youth and Children Orchestras and Choirs”. This project was created in the context of an inter-disciplinary project “Towards a Culture of Peace”. He co-ordinates the programme through the UNESCO office in Caracas.
