How Music Saved Venezuela's Kids - Documentary

Alan Yentob's documentary "How Music Saved Venezuela's Children" in the BBC's Imagine series focuses on the extraordinary Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra, the exceptionally talented conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the classical music programme for poor and shantytown children known as "El Sistema" that has made such an impact on all their lives.

Video: Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra performing Mambo at the Albert Hall in 2007

Video: Gustavo Dudamel interviewed at the Proms in 2007

CD review: "Fiesta" Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela

To download tracks from the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra's latest album "Fiesta" click here:

Los Amigos Invisibles win Latin Grammy

Los Amigos Invisibles win Latin Grammy

Venezuelan artists were lauded, applauded and showered with victory on Thursday night at the 10th Latin Grammy Awards at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

First, Jose Antonio Abreu, the man who started the youth orchestra system picked up a Grammy for his work with shanty town and underprivileged kids.

Then, Los Amigos Invisibles picked up the gong for "Best Alternative Music Album" for their latest Cd "Comercial" - beating the other artists in the category, Babasonicos, with the album “Mucho”, Kinky with “Barracuda”, Novalima with “Coba Coba” and Zoé with “Reptiletric”.

The first single from the album, "Mentiras", has been a massive hit for the band across Latin America and the USA.

Los Amigos were still walking the green carpet when their award was presented. “We thought they would give it to another band,” a band member joked backstage.

"Comercial" was produced by Cachorro Lopez and Dimitri from Paris and features guest vocals by Natalia lafourcade. It was recorded in New York studio The Magic Shop and mastered at Stearling studios.

This is the Venezuelan band's first Latin Grammy and will bring their work to a much wider audience.

To preview "Commercial" and get songs in MP3 format click here:

To buy Los Amigos latest CD "Commercial" click here:

Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra founder wins prize

By Russell Maddicks

Venezuelan pianist, organist, composer and musical conductor Jose Antonio Abreu has won Canada's prestigious Glenn Gould Prize.

The prize, which honours the memory of Canadian pianist Glenn Gould, is awarded every three years to someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the arts and entertainment.

The winner receives a cheque for $50,000 and gets to select a young musician to receive a $10,000 "protege prize". The announcement was made on 14 February.

Abreu pioneered the musical teaching system in Venezuela known as "El Sistema", which offers free music lessons and instruments to poor children.

The scheme began in 1975, with the belief that music could act as a force for social cohesion in a country with such a wide gap between rich and poor.

Abreu gradually extended it to create Venezuela's Youth And Children's Orchestra Network and there are now more than 200 youth orchestras in Venezuela, including the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra, which he founded.

Gustavo Dudamel, one of the most talented young conductors in the world today and himself a product of the sistema, discussed Maestro Abreu's continuing importance in an interview with the BBC after the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra's show stopping performance at the Proms in 2007.

Dudamel is currently working with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, one of America's top orchestras.

Video: Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra performing at the Albert Hall in 2007

CD review: "Fiesta" Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela

To download tracks from the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra's latest album "Fiesta" click here: