Maestro Jose Antonio Abreu, creator of the National System of Youth and Children's Orchestras of Venezuela, received on Wednesday a Honoris Causa Latin Grammy in Las Vegas.
“I really appreciate it, I feel very committed to continue struggling for poor children through music,” said Abreu. He attended the ceremony together with musicians Eduardo Marturet, Alejandro Carreño –soloist of the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra—and violinist Veronica Blada.
“My biggest award is that there are still opportunities for poor children and young people, that we can continue struggling for music education in Venezuela, for the right of children and young people of my country to receive music education, and especially the right of low-income children and young people to receive high-level music education,” said Abreu.
Argentine rocker Charly García, Mexican singers Marco Antonio Muniz and Juan Romero, Peruvian singer Tania Libertad, Brazilian singer Beth Carvalho (she could not attend the event), Cuban percussionist Candido Camero and Mexican composer Roberto Cantoral were also awarded.
The creator of El Sistema said he feels “highly honored for this award” and that the several other prizes he has received encourage him to continue working in the program with children, young people and inmates that have found in music a new way to develop.
The National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela is a social state-funded organization created in 1975 by Abreu to promote the collective practice of music through symphony orchestras and choirs.
YVKE Mundial/Agencies/Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Press and Communications Office /November 5, 2009
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