Date of Award

4-30-2020

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Department

Music

First Advisor

Adriana Perera

Abstract

Members of the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra’s Administration envision the adaption of El Sistema, a famed music program from Venezuela, into the community of Benton Harbor, Michigan. My research investigates the pre-adaption of the program through a comparative analysis of both ethnic cultures, definition and description of El Sistema, examination of the program’s application to other urban centers, and assessment of interviews with individuals instrumental to the provision of a free music program in Benton Harbor. As a result, the program demonstrates compatibility, but this study also uncovers the sensitivity of providing opportunities for an underprivileged city to avoid blind-sighted activism.

Subject Area

Music--Social aspects--Venezuela; El Sistema (Music); Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra (Benton Harbor, Mich.)

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.32597/honors/235/

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