José Antonio Abreu

Infobox Person
name= José Antonio Abreu


caption=
birth_date= Birth date and age|1939|5|7|mf=y
birth_place= Valera, Venezuela

José Antonio Abreu (born in Valera, Venezuela, May 7, 1939) is a Venezuelan pianist, economist, educator, activist, and politician.

Biography

Abreu began to study music with Doralisa Jiménez de Medina in Barquisimeto. Later, he attended the Caracas Musical Declamation Academy (today "José Ángel Lamas") in 1957, where he studied piano with Moisés Moleiro, organ and harpsichord with Evencio Castellanos, and composition with Vicente Emilio Sojo.

Abreu obtained a Ph.D. in petroleum economics at the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in 1961. He also studied at the University of Michigan. He has served as a delegate to the Venezuelan Congress. Abreu has also been a professor of the economy and law faculties of the "Universidad Andrés Bello" and the Universidad Simón Bolívar.

In 1967, he received the Symphonic Music National Prize. He was the founder and director of El Sistema , formally known as the Foundation for the National Network of Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela, starting in 1975. He received the National Music Prize for this work in 1979. He became the Minister of Culture in 1983.

Abreu has participated in exchange and co-operation programmes with Spain, Latin American countries and the United States. His orchestras have received UNESCO's International Prize of Music (1993-1995), and in 1993 Abreu was awarded this prize himself. [ [http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:Wa7hQkhe1p0J:unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001446/144698E.pdf+Abreu+Special+Ambassador+for+the+development+of+a+Global+Network+of+Youth+and+Children+orchestras&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us] .] He was appointed as Special Ambassador for the development of a Global Network of Youth and Children orchestras and choirs in 1995, also as special representative for the development of network of orchestras within the framework of UNESCO's "World Movement of Youth and Children Orchestras and Choirs". This project was created in the context of an inter-disciplinary project "Towards a Culture of Peace". He co-ordinates the programme through the UNESCO office in Caracas.

In 1998, UNESCO designated Maestro Abreu as Goodwill Ambassador. [http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=8289&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html]

Abreu was honoured with a Right Livelihood Award in 2001.

Abreu was also honoured with a WCO Creative Arts Award in 2004.

Lorin Maazel was quoted in the Venezuelan newspaper," El Nacional", on 25 September 2007: "You deserve the Nobel Peace Prize!" Translation from the Spanish by José Bergher, member of El Sistema-New York City. [ [http://elsistemanyc.net/who-we-are/ Who we are « El Sistema-New York City ] ]

On Tuesday, 6 November 2007, " El Nacional" published this:"José Antonio Abreu, conductor and founder of FESNOJIV, will be honored with the award of the Gran Cordón of the Order of the Rising Sun. The award will be given in its maximum category by Emperor Akihito of Japan, at a not yet determined date." Also translated by Jose Bergher. [ [http://elsistemanyc.net/who-we-are/ Who we are « El Sistema-New York City ] ]

On 14 February 2008, Maestro Abreu was awarded the Glenn Gould Prize of the Glenn Gould Foundation based in Toronto, Canada. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2008/02/14/abreu-gould-prize.html?ref=rss Venezuelan conductor, educator José Abreu wins Glenn Gould Prize ] ] [ [http://www.glenngould.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=294&Itemid=1 Glenn Gould Foundation - News Flash! Eighth Glenn Gould Prize Laureate Chosen! ] ] The award of C$50,000 will be presented at a gala concert in Toronto in Abreu's honour. When informed, Maestro Abreu's representative stated, "The Maestro will use the money to purchase many musical instruments for the children."

On 26 February 2008, the Venezuelan branch of B'nai B'rith gave Maestro Abreu a Human Rights award. In his acceptance speech, Maestro Abreu said:

"In the struggle for Human Rights, let us vigorously incorporate children's sublime right to music, in whose bosom shines Beingness in its splendor and its ineffable mystery.

Let us reveal to our children the beauty of music and music shall reveal to our children the beauty of life." To read Jose Bergher's translation of the entire speech, please go to http://tipom.wordpress.com/.

On 15 May 2008, Maestro Abreu became the first Latin American to become an honorary member of the Royal Philharmonic Society. [http://www.royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/?page=index.html&id=77]

On 7 June 2008, Maestro Abreu received another honor in the form of a Proclamation from New York City Councilmember G. Oliver Koppell. For more, please go to: http://elsistema-nyc.org/. To view the presentation: (http://youtube.com/watch?v=GcZj2wKRZSQ).

References

External links

* [http://www.rightlivelihood.org/recip/abreu.htm Roll of Honour of The Right Livelihood award]
* [http://www.analitica.com/vas/1999.08.4/articulos/18.htm The Work of José Antonio Abreu] es
* [http://portal.unesco.org/es/ev.php-URL_ID=8289&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html Personalities to the service of the Unesco] es
* [http://www.culturales.mre.gov.ve/revista_venezuela/entrevistas/entrevista_abreu.html Interview with José Antonio Abreu]
* [http://encontrarte.aporrea.org/creadores/musica/82/a14496.html "La cultura para los pobres no puede ser una pobre cultura".] "Interview with José Antonio Abreu"