| Stanford Thompson |
| Sunday, 18 October 2009 | |
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MHS caught up with Stanford Thompson, one of nine inaugural Abreu Fellows that will spend the year studying Venezuela's highly acclaimed El Sistema program and working to implement their success here in the United States. El Sistema's mission is focused on using music as a vehicle for social change and 90% of its children come from the poorest socio-economic backgrounds. A side effect of the program has produced some of the world's most prominent musicians on the international music scene today: Most notably, Gustavo Dudamel, 28, recently began his first season as music director of the Los Angels Philharmonic and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, which is arguably one of the world's most exciting and promising orchestras performing today. Read what the rising star had to say:
 Photo by David DeBalko Hi Rashida, You've raised some great questions and here are some of my answers from my perspective now. I'm sure these answers will change as I go through this El Sistema fellowship. How do I see the arts connected to social justice? - I like to think of social change - not social justice, which is about the equality of opportunity and outcome. The arts are more than just a system of performance, expression and education. The arts are the best vehicle for social change that is available to our communities. The arts help kids build a spirit of harmony and brotherhood, develop their self-esteem and promote ethics. Once you put an instrument or a paintbrush in a kids hands, they are a child on their way to a new life; a life that will continue to encourage them to make their lives, families and community better than the way they found it. What do I think the impact will be and how long do I think it will take to make that impact? - We will see more communities come together to celebrate the talent of their children, neighbors and friends. There is an old phrase that music is the world's universal language. Where else can you see different ethic, religious, racial, and economic groups come together for a common purpose and celebrate positive achievements of youth while nurturing a common sense of culture? Watching kids push each other over a ball is not what comes to mind. I believe an impact can be noticed within a decade of the launch of the El Sistema USA movement. It could take many more years to develop a country-wide movement of using arts as the number one vehicle for social change. Do I think El Sistema will help change that perspective? - Yes! Dudamel is where he is because the LA Phil wanted to stop following the status quo. When they went on their worldwide search for a new music director, they had their pick of perhaps a thousand qualified musicians. There were world-class people who had been tested and proved at doing the work of running an orchestra the traditional way. However, they wanted a leader that could bring the organization to a new audience in a new way. To me, Dudamel represents everything that the typical conductor is not - someone that does not fear change in a profession that has so many "rules" and "expectations". Dudamel is reminding us to forget that fear in our performance and especially in how we teach. How can we talk about music in concrete ways that affect people, since words like "nourishing the soul" typically make music and music-making seem so individualized and intangible? In my opinion, let's not talk about music in concrete ways. Let's make music in concrete ways. However, If we talk about music, let's find relevant connections that exist in each one of us. For example: That's what El Sistema does - allows everyone to relate to music. Kids, parents, friends, communities and the country. Social change is their mission through music and awesome side effects like Gustavo Dudamel and Edicson Ruiz of the Berlin Phil.
Many thanks to Stanford Thompson for his thoughtful response. All the best to him! |
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