I recently published a feature article in Classical Music magazine entitled El Sistema at 50: the rise and fall (and rise again?) of Venezuela’s controversial music programme. You may need to register to read it, but it’s quick and free. Below is a Spanish translation of the article. *** El Sistema a los 50: Auge…
There has been a lot in my social media recently about the inglorious ways that the classical music sector has historically dealt with open secrets and concrete allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. The same themes keep coming up: a focus on protecting institutional reputations; trying whenever possible to keep offending teachers in place and…
The Journal of the Royal Musical Association has just published a review essay by Jane Isabelle Forner entitled “Classical Music’s Conflicted Futures: Perspectives on the Industry and Academia from Recent Scholarship.” I recommend it to those involved with classical music performance and education, and also to those interested in social action through music (SATM), as…
Rethinking Social Action through Music: The Search for Coexistence and Citizenship in Medellín’s Music Schools was published in 2021 as an open access book (free to download).
This book examines the Network of Music Schools of Medellín, founded to promote peaceful coexistence in Colombia’s second city, once known as the most dangerous city on Earth. The program’s history of multiple reinventions and its continual search for improvement shed valuable light on the past, present, and future of Social Action Through Music.
Rethinking Social Action Through Music has been published in Spanish translation as Replanteando la acción social por la música (also open access, free to download).
Now also available in Portuguese translation here (free download).
A summary of El Sistema: Orchestrating Venezuela’s Youth in Spanish can now be found on the page El Sistema – key resources.
At present, I am Director of Research at Agrigento, emeritus professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, and a visiting research fellow at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. For further information, see my biography and publications.
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Geoff Baker 