On 5 December the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre will be hosting one of the greatest orchestras of Latin America – the Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar. The orchestra will be conducted by the Venezuelan maestro Christian Vásquez, whom critics describe as a temperamental musician with flawless technique.
The orchestra, named in honour of a national hero of Venezuela, is not just in demand throughout the world as an ensemble but also a symbol of a unique music project – the national system of youth, children’s and pre-school orchestras of Venezuela known as “El Sistema”, which was created in 1975. Its founder was the conductor and educator José Antonio Abreu – inspired by the idea of the educational power of music, he attracted young Venezuelans from the very poorest parts of the country to be involved in the programme, affording many of them a “passport to life”. Thanks to the success of these beginnings, the number of such ensembles has increased, and today the education system already numbers one hundred and twenty-five youth choruses and orchestras.
The Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar first won a wider reputation for itself in 2007 at the Royal Albert Hall (as part of the BBC Proms concerts) and at Carnegie Hall, where the musicians appeared under Gustavo Dudamel – himself a former graduate of “El Sistema”. Since then, the orchestra has gained international acclaim and delighted audiences at major venues in New York, Tokyo, Vienna, London and Berlin.
During its current tour to Russia, the orchestra will be presenting just two concerts – one in St Petersburg and one in Moscow. The programme for the performances will take the form of a dialogue between two musical cultures and includes Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony and works by Latin American composers: Hipnosis Mariposa by Venezuelan graduate of “El Sistema” Paul Dessenne and Tres versiones sinfónicas by Cuba’s Julián Orbón.
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