NPR – Eric Westervelt
“Music is now a pillar of his strategy to help forge that better life — out of the shadows. The Sound Minds program is free for any student who wants in. It’s modeled on El Sistema, Venezuela’s pioneering music program that reaches out to impoverished kids. Classical music organizations across the U.S. are struggling to attract younger audiences, stay afloat and stay relevant. So is it a tough sell, reaching elementary students — a demographic that loves pop music and TV shows like The Voice and American Idol? Ten-year-old Jocelyn Castaneda, who studies the cello, says it isn’t for her. “It just gets me happy,” she says. “And I’d rather be doing something that I love to do, instead of just watching TV which I can watch anytime.” Principal Gonzales agrees. “We bring something to the kids’ lives that they may not even dreamed about, but is a common reality in other communities where you do music or you do gymnastics or you do sports after school and your parents pay for it,” he explains. “Here, we’re able to provide it for free and our parents have been enthusiastic. They’re proud of their children.” Children such as 11-year-old Carlos Garcia. He wears glasses and a slightly mischievous smile. He’s a small guy. His kid-sized cello seems almost as big as he is. He has stuck with the instrument for more than four years.”(more)