Venezuela's El Sistema 

  • El Sistema is a social action music programme that was founded in Venezuela in 1975 by Maestro José Antonio Abreu.
  • The programme in Venezuela offers musical ensemble participation from an early age according to a set of clear principles, which focus on intensive and joyful music making as a vehicle for social development. El Sistema particularly looks to offer opportunities for the disadvantaged and is based in local nucleo centres, and is thus a manifesation of, and rooted in, each local community.


Some of the basics about Venezuela's El Sistema

  • The backbone of El Sistema training is participation in classical orchestral ensembles. However, choral singing, folk music, jazz and special needs programmes are all also featured and this diversity of ensembles and musical genres is of great importance.
  • Teaching sessions in Venezuela take place in the community nucleo three to four hours a day, six days a week. Students also get to take part in retreats and intensive workshops.
  • Participation is free for all students.
  • El Sistema Venezuela currently has dozens of orchestras and over 700,000 students, with plans to expand to 1,000,000.


Want to know more?

  • More details about Venezuela's El Sistema can be found on the Fundamusical website, where there is information about its philosophy, mission, vision and pedagogical approach as well as about El Sistema ensembles & orchestras in Venezuela.
  • To see how the El Sistema method has spread around the world, see our Sistemas around the World page .
  • To find out more about what international resources are available on Sistema, look at the Resources menu on our home page.
  • And finally, for more information about El Sistema's approach, philosophy and advice on starting a Sistema-inspired programme, try the coloured information blocks at the bottom of our home page