Fesnojiv in Barquisimeto

July 11, 2008

Barquisimeto is the hometown of conducting sensation Gustavo Dudamel, a product of El Sistema. But I didn't go there to find his ancestral home or see where he went to school, I visited Barquisimeto because I was told it was a beautiful place and to see the program in action.

In the afternoon I had Juan take me to the Conservatorio Emilio Sojo, one of the Fesnojiv centers in Barquisimeto.

He dropped me off and I went inside. I found one of the directors, introduced myself and waited for the afternoon rehearsals to begin.

While I waited I saw:

Pictures of instruments

A Cellist practicing

and then in rushed the students

I was show where the youngest students, first year players were assembling. I dove in and helped tune, learning the words for "Are you in tune? and Are you Ready?" There weren't any staff around until a young HS age girl came in. She was one of their teachers but just waited around while I tuned. The whole time I was there, after they got playing, more students would come in, I'd find them a chair and get them tuned. They warmed up with some "Twinkle" and some other Book 1 Suzuki stuff. I found out they were going to take a bus somewhere for a small concert. They were very excited and, as you can see, all dressed in black and white.

Here are two pictures I took of them on their way out to their concert. The man leaving with them is one of the instructors.

I went outside where the kids were boarding busses, just like me taking the Pierce Middle School Orchestra to ISSMA Festival! One of the teachers handed me off to another who was staying for the rehearsal with the older, Junior high age group. We went to another building, kind of a temporary classroom space where the kids were just beginning to show up.
Here are some pictures of the group and their instructor Senora Cisneros. She was very nice, introducing me to the group and letting me teach them "Mary Had A Little Lamb" by rote.
Notice the small bass player - he played standing on a box. The student on the podium with the conductor was one of the older students and had just warmed-up the group.