Our Cause
Sistema Global is a global social change organization concerned with the physical, mental and emotional health and safety of children around the world. We expand access to music making as a basic human right, which develops the natural potential of all children to become extraordinary human beings.
Our Inspiration
Play and Strive - social engagement and youth empowerment through ensemble music education, immersive experience, ambitious and joyful music-making - EL SISTEMA VENEZUELA - Founded in Venezuela in 1975, El Sistema is a social program that pursues the goals of social engagement and youth empowerment through ensemble music education. The experience of immersive, ambitious and joyful music-making together can help young people develop not only musical mastery but also self-esteem, mutual respect and cooperative skills; this environment promotes community-building, public health and serves as a catalyst for peace processes. There has been an exponential rise in worldwide awareness of El Sistema’s transformative work in Venezuela and programs inspired by El Sistema’s ideals have been launched in almost sixty countries across the world, on every continent except Antarctica. These programs range from large government-sponsored endeavors, to small, sparsely funded projects often in isolated areas.
This vision has been amply realized for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan children and youth, who have been able to transcend their circumstances and become empowered and productive citizens. During the 1990s, awareness of El Sistema spread across Latin America, and a number of countries, most prominently Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico, began to develop their own Sistema-inspired programs. However, El Sistema remained under the radar in the rest of the world until the first decade of the 21st orchestra, the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, began to tour internationally under the baton of the brilliant young conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
Our Beginning
Honoring The Legacy, Extending The Impact - SISTEMA GLOBAL- In his 2009 TED Talk, the founder of El Sistema, international award winner Maestro Jose Antonio Abreu, cast a vision for a truly global movement that could link together the many El Sistema-inspired programs throughout the world. As the movement evolved, the community of teachers and program leaders yearned for a viable form of global interaction. They have needed a learning tools channel that would globally link interdependent programs, and would provide up-to-date information about the El Sistema model for long term public health and wellness, both physical and mental. Sistema Global is that network.
Our Global Impact
Through collaborative musical experiences, students learn to build a compassionate community that empowers them and will impact how they view and interact with the world. Students exhibit greatly increased: confidence, discipline, self-awareness, teamwork, problem-solving ability and leadership skills.
Who We Serve
Sistema Global serves the interests of communities, schools and families who value positive social change. The El Sistema music programs we create develop the whole child and foster goal oriented, creative, compassionate citizens. Schools and parents who value improved academic achievement and leadership development care about our work.
As Sistema Global enters its second developmental stage, our expanded mission will bring to life the commitment to establish El Sistema-inspired Nucleos (centers) all over the world. Fidelity to Maestro Abreu’s vision will be accomplished through the partnership we have established with the Venezuelan El Sistema team. We also will align our new focus with the United Nations Sustainability Goals in order to collectively work toward solving global problems such as inequality and poverty.
How we do it
We address the urgent need for effective youth development programs around the world. Our programs help to break the cycle of poverty and a lack of creative opportunities for underserved children. Sistema Global not only creates new programs globally, we also provide a worldwide database of the existing network of El Sistema-inspired programs. We have become the virtual online community for El Sistema.
PARTNERSHIPS
Music Education Policy Group
Sistema Global is very pleased to announce that it has recently been invited to become a member of the Music Education Policy Group. This organization is focused on how countries' educational systems, standards, priorities and cultural values affect policy making. The MEP Group researches best practices, innovative trends, funding and new developments in the music education industry.
iClassical Academy Partnership
Sistema Global has also partnered with iClassical Academy, one of the leading online music masterclass sites. This evolving partnership will provide Sistema students from around the world access to conservatory-level training and custom-tailored content, greatly expanding teacher and student resources.
Sound Health Network
After recently joining the Sound Health Network, Sistema Global is proud to be supporting efforts promoting research in music, neuroscience, health and wellness, advancing the potential of music to improve all our lives. The Sound Health Network (SHN) is a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts with the University of California, San Francisco in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Renée Fleming.
