José Antonio Abreu
(*1939) Venezuela
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Economist, politician and pianist who founded the social programme El Sistema, a national network of youth and children’s orchestras and choirs in Venezuela. Thirty-seven years ago, Abreu started to use music to address the country’s problems with drugs, rising crime, gangs and especially the number of children who had become stuck in the hopeless cycle of poverty. He set up music education centres throughout Venezuela and fostered in the children not only an appreciation for classical music, but also values such as pride, devotion and a sense of belonging. It is estimated that over 300,000 children have been through the programme and several hundred ensembles have been formed. The Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences presented Abreu with a Latin Grammy Award in 2009.
