The proven fact that playing a musical instrument increases a child’s aptitude in academics and other artistic pursuits should encourage the Government to invest in music education on a national level, believes Kenneth Listhrop, founder and musical director of the St Augustine Chamber Orchestra (SACO).
Speaking at a special recital of the orchestra alongside FESNOJIV of Venezuela at the Simon Bolivar Auditorium, Victoria Avenue on August 7, Listhrop said he has seen members of the youth orchestra who struggled at school, excel in all academic disciplines after joining, moving on successfully pursue studies in medicine, law, business and of course music.
The recital was a prelude to workshops being conducted by 13 tutors of FESNOJIV over the next three weeks with members of SACO. FESNOJIV was estab
lished in 1975 by Jose Antonio Abreu, an accomplished pianist, economist, educator, activist, and politician who served as Venezuela’s Minister of Culture during the 1980’s.
Abreu formed FESNOJIV as a means through which the lives of underprivileged children in Venezuela could be improved through artistic and intellectual opportunities to which they would not normally be exposed. Over the years FESNOJIV has grown to 250,000 young musicians in 125 youth orchestras, 57 children’s orchestras and 30 adult symphony orchestras across Venezuela’s 24 states. There is also a large network of music schools throughout the country.
Acting Venezuelan Ambassador, Christy Gonzalez said in her address prior to the performance that although FESNOJIV has over the years produced many world renowned classical musicians, the foundation’s central focus is not cultivating musicians. The main objective is to foster social and human development through music education, teaching children from the day they enter the music school about responsibility, hard work, respect and sacrifice.
These qualities can be translated into all other aspects of their lives, from enhancing performance in school to improving future earning potential. The orchestra can be a dramatic intervention in young people’s lives, especially for those coming from juvenile detention centres, life on the street or broken homes.
FESNOJIV represents a creative outlet for departing from the daily grind of life in the barrios and the effects of drug and child abuse. Whatever their background, the orchestra offers young people a way out of marginality, and its general impact on their self-esteem cannot be underestimated. At the end of the day FESNOJIV is about rescuing children from the scourges of poverty through music.
Before an audience that included members of the diplomatic corps, the families of the SACO members and several musicians the SACO/FESNOJIV ensemble opened the recital with ’March From Scipio’ by George Frideric Handel. Sounding as crisp and clean as a compact disc the musicians then thrilled the small audience with Tchaikovsky’s, ’Cantabile’ followed by ’Eine Kleine Nacht Musik,’ from Mozart, before they took a break making way for the Consort Players wind ensemble, which performed ’Chanson De Matin’ by Edward Elgar and Bach’s ’Jesu’ Joy Of Man’s Desiring.’
After the FESNOJIV tutors performed four pieces from Venezuela including a Castilian and a waltz, the SACO musicians rejoined them for the final session, which opened with a classical interpretation of ’Michelle’ originally recorded by the Beatles. And their rendition of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s evergreen ’Girl From Ipanema.’ They closed the recital with a classical arrangement of ’Dis Place Nice’ composed by calypsonian, Brother Valentino. Listhrop who conducted the ensemble through the recital did the unique classical arrangement of the Valentino masterpiece.
The general public will have the opportunity to hear SACO and FESNOJIV combined and as individual orchestras when they are featured in concert at the Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s Port of Spain, on August 23 and 24. The proceeds from this show will be used for the continued running of SACO, which depends on funds from the government, donations from the corporate sector and other well wishers as well as whatever paid performances they can secure.
