Photo Credit: © El Sistema NJ Alliance
Read below to learn about the origins of El Sistema and the evolution of the movement in the US.
Originating in Venezuela in 1975, El Sistema, under the visionary leadership of José Antonio Abreu, pioneered a state-funded music education program. The program was funded not through the ministry of arts and culture, rather the ministry of social services, emphasizing its community centered approach and focus on teaching the whole child. The program provided ensemble based classical music training (which later expanded to many genres, including traditional Venezuelan folk music, jazz, and rock) to all children, regardless of background or ability to pay. El Sistema swiftly gained international acclaim through the success of The Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.
In the early 2000s, El Sistema’s influence extended beyond Venezuela, inspiring music education initiatives worldwide, including in the United States.
The national network of El Sistema-inspired programs in the US began as a program of the New England Conservatory, forged in partnership with TED following the 2009 TED Prize awarded to Maestro José Antonio Abreu. The Sistema Fellows Program, a crucial element, trained 50 musician activists and community organizers to establish and grow Sistema-inspired programs across the United States. Pictured on the right is Mark Churchill with Abreu. Mark Churchill was instrumental in bringing El Sistema to the United States and is the founder of El Sistema USA.
The National Alliance of El Sistema Inspired Programs was incorporated as a nonprofit in 2014 for individuals and organizations inspired by the Venezuelan music education model. (The name was changed to El Sistema USA® in 2018.)
The establishment of the first “Criteria for Membership” in 2016, was developed by the ESUSA Membership and Engagement committee, based on the The Fundamentals of El Sistema, outlined by Eric Booth, various engagement sessions with members, reviewing previous census results, and extensive board discussion. The criteria is meant to be aspirational rather than expecting that all member orgs to achieve every aspect of the criteria, rather are working towards those objectives. Members are united by their commitment to our core values of excellence and equity and membership criteria which include a commitment to social impact, intensity, accessibility, ensemble focus, nucleo environment, community, and multi-year continuum.
Today, ESUSA connects and supports 140 member programs across the US and Canada through professional development, data & advocacy, and student leadership & learning. ESUSA represents a wide variety of music programs and leaders through our organizational, individual, and affiliate membership options. This evolution underscores ESUSA’s commitment to leveraging music education for positive societal impact in the U.S. The adaptation of El Sistema principles reflects the organization’s responsiveness to diverse local needs, echoing the transformative potential of music education across communities in the United States.
