Uniting two countries through music

A letter to the editor of the regional newspaper Bergens Tidende stated that it was '... a popular demand that they return soon' after last year's festival concert by Caracas Symphony Youth Orchestra from El Sistema, the unique music training programme that provides free music lessons to hundreds of thousands of children and young people in Venezuela.

And now they are back. Eighty of the musicians from Caracas and El Sistema have joined forces with the same number of professional young musicians and talents from the Norwegian Academy of Music and the Barratt Due Institute of Music to form Orchestra NoVe – a brand new symphony orchestra. The project is led by conductor Christian Vásquez, whose background is also from El Sistema, and who will be taking over as chief conductor of Stavanger Symphony Orchestra next autumn.

'Orchestra NoVe is a very important project – the union of two different countries through music and art. We will exchange ideas and learn from each other. Although we do not speak the same language, we share the universal language of music. I am very happy to return to Norway after the concert last year with the Caracas Symphony Youth Orchestra, and to have the chance to conduct Orchestra NoVe in their debut performance,' says Mr Vásquez.

'Orchestra NoVe will be playing its first concert at Bergen International Festival. What is it like to conduct an orchestra for the very first time?''The expectations are always great when it comes to finding the connection between an orchestra and a conductor and discovering what the chemistry is like. I always arrive at the first rehearsal full of energy and passion, so that I can do my best to communicate all my experience as a conductor and everything I have learnt from El Sistema.' 

'Orchestra NoVe consists of musicians from both Norway and Venezuela. You know both these cultures – how do you think the musicians will work together?''Based on my experience from Stavanger, musicians in Norway and Venezuela have much in common: the love of music and the willingness to work hard and make things happen. It is both easy and wonderful to work in Stavanger. The orchestra is like a family and makes me feel at home. Since the musicians come from different places and are used to working in different ways, there will always be a period of adjustment before they blend together and become an orchestra. The challenge is to make them perform as if they have played together for a long time in just a short rehearsal period.'

'You have been trained through El Sistema yourself. What has that meant to you?''El Sistema is a unique social project that works to make music accessible to everyone, regardless of social class and background. It shows us that we can live in peace and grow together through music, and that it is better to replace weapons with instruments. I joined El Sistema when I was eight years old, and from that moment on, I knew that I wanted to be a musician. I could not imagine any other future for me. If I hadn't joined El Sistema, I really don't know what I would have been doing now.''Is the approach to music different in Norway compared to Venezuela?''There may be small differences, but the truth is that we all share the same love and understanding of music.''The programme includes Mahler's fifth symphony. Why has this been selected for the debut concert?''Because Mahler's fifth is one of the greatest and most famous of symphonies, and because it is a unique piece of music. In this work, Mahler expresses his fear of death and his love for his wife Alma. Musically, he gives very detailed instructions on how he wants his music to be performed, so he had a clear idea of what he wanted. This also means that playing this symphony requires a high level of technical skill.''What does this music mean to you personally?''It is difficult for me to describe it in words. His music contains everything: It's about life, nature, the soul – everything.'

Video: Musikkrevolusjonen TV2