Synopsis

‘El Sistema’ is a network of children's and youth orchestras, music centers, and workshops in Venezuela, currently involving more than 250,000 children and young people learning to play instruments. Founded over 30 years ago by conductor, composer, and economist José Antonio Abreu, the program was born from a utopian vision for a better future. Abreu combined social work with classical music to offer children from impoverished neighborhoods an alternative to life on the streets. In the dangerous and poverty-stricken slums of Caracas, Abreu lifts children out of poverty through music, transforming both lives and society. The story reads like a fairytale—a visionary idea that became reality. Many graduates of the system are now among the most sought-after young talents in Europe, including 28-year-old conductor Gustavo Dudamel and double bassist Edicson Ruiz, who became the youngest musician ever to join the Berlin Philharmonic at age 17. The film *El Sistema* captures how Abreu’s remarkable vision broke the cycle of poverty and how the power of music has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people.

Director

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  • Maria Stodtmeier
  • Born in 1979, Maria Stodtmeier studied in Potsdam and Budapest. She has produced various music and literature projects, and since 2006 has worked as a film producer. She has also overseen music recordings of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, the Venezuelan Brass Ensemble, the Orchestra Mozart, and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.