hear a little song/the kids are alright

i think we need to liven up this dreary wednesday with a little west side story/bernstein mambo, courtesy of gustavo dudamel and venezuela's simon bolivar youth orchestra.

i first caught this on ovation in january--and it's on again now, which is what inspired me to share this today--and i could not contain myself. i was dancing around and applauding as if they could hear me.

a few notes: the musicians in the simon bolivar youth orchestra were trained in "el sistema"--a music program established in 1975 by the economist jose antonio abreu. it is a state funded program, which as of 2007 included 102 youth and 55 childrens orchestras. roughly 250,000 children participate, 90% of them from poor socio-economic backgrounds.

mr. dudamel himself learned to play the violin through el sistema--and eventually studied composition and conducting. he began conducting the youth orchestra at 15, was appointed its musical director within a few years.

in 2009, at the age of 26, he began his tenure as the musical director of the los angeles philharmonic.


(the nj all-state children's band, circa 1980, could offer up a solid version of macarthur park and the liberty bell. but we didn't sound like this.)




this is the finale, that made me go bananas! love everyone whooping it up at the end.