TED talk #7

José Antonio Abreu, the founder of Venezuela’s El Sistema, the country’s high touted national music education program, gave a talk and TED prize acceptance speech in one. Abreu spoke of how El Sistema is at its heart a program of social rescue for lower income children and their families. The TED talk was not a conventional TED lecture, first it was a video, that was the lecture spoken in Spanish, with video of the musicians in background to enhance his talk. Being a musician this video spoke to me in that I am very lucky to have had the opportunities to learn to play that I do. Many people around the world are not as fortunate as I, Jose says in his talk that hardest part of poverty is not the lack of bread or of housing its the lack of being someone, the identity of being no one and music gives this kids an identity. In his prize acceptance speech his "TED wish" is that programs like El Sistema would grow in other countries. Educators should focus on giving kids a greater chance at music, or just arts in general, or whatever gives them the feelings of accomplishment. I think that many times programs to promote artistic or outstanding ability are lost in many schools. Giving kids, around the world the opportunity to learn the power of music could enhance their quality of life.