Jim Hite

Some three or four weeks ago, 60 Minutes broadcast a fascinating program concerning a philanthropist in Venezuela with a love for music and young people.

According to reporter Bob Simon, in 1975, Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu began El Sistema (The System), searching for children as young as three, four and five years of age, to learn music. These were not favored or wealthy youngsters, but rather children of the slums and barrios of Caracas. They came from houses and shelters made of corrugated tin jammed together in crowded and dangerous neighborhoods.

What I found most interesting about his approach is that he uses classical music. He says these children come from such dysfunctional family situations that the music must be completely different from what is heard at the home. He adds that popular music is tied to the culture of alcoholism, poverty and all that goes with it. So he must offer something completely different.

In the years since 1975, the 68- year-old's program has survived eight governments and has reached some 800,000 youngsters. In 1995, students began making their own instruments. And, of course, instruments had to be of a size that a small child could play.

The program is available in many parts of the country and operates on a budget of $80 million, mostly from the government. There are 300,000 youngsters that make up 176 children's orchestras, 216 young people's orchestras, and 400 ensembles, orchestras, and choirs that perform not only in Venezuela but throughout the world. The 60 Minutes program showed one such orchestra, the Simon Bolivar National Youth Orchestra under 21-year-old conductor Gustavo Dudamel, preparing for a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall.

Some 15,000 trained musicians work with the youngsters, who combine regular school with music to spend 11 hours a day, Monday through Saturday, in The System.

Again, according to the report, graduates of this program do not all go on to a career in music. Some do. Some become professional musicians around the world. Some go into the making of instruments, repair of organs, and other occupations supporting the performing arts. But most move on to careers in business, engineering, politics, medicine, and education, leading successful lives that would have been impossible had it not been for El Systema which had removed them from their poverty and provided a way out.

As Dr. Abreu said, "We fight poverty by the spiritual richness that music provides."

Last week, Joyce and I were asked to work at a golf outing in Thomson that raised funds for the Jessye Norman School of the Arts in Augusta. This is an after-school program offering art, music, drama, and dance to young people in Augusta, Ms. Norman's home town. You might know that the amphitheater on Augusta's Riverwalk is named for her.

As she thanked the golfers for supporting this fund-raising effort, she noted that she is not attempting to make the students great professional artists, but rather attempting to open their minds and hearts to this wide and wonderful world of what is called "The Arts."

When Joyce and I had the opportunity to talk with her at lunch, we mentioned our county school system ending music education. Her response, "Unbelievable!" She added that one would think parents would be up in arms about such a loss and do all that is pos- sible to make sure music is not dropped from the curriculum.

The week prior, we had attended the Georgia Retired Educators Association state convention in Athens. On the program was the Russell Middle School eighth grade chorus. Numbering around 35-40 members, they were absolutely fantastic! They were disciplined, they sang their parts clearly, their pronunciation was perfect, and most of all, they really seemed to enjoy themselves. In order to continue the funding for this organization, the director and the school authorities worked together to allow the group to "go on the road" to supplement their work with private funding.

Fascinating that one man in one South American country can make such a difference to so many - and with the use of government funding.

Unlikely bedfellows, classical music and grinding, hopeless poverty, but in the long run, for Dr. Abreu's protégés classical music has helped to remove the grind and the hopelessness from the poverty, and replaced it with the desire for the beauty of life.