Another year, another Washington Post article about a sex scandal at a world-famous classical music education institution. This time, Juilliard; last year it was El Sistema. In both cases, the problem had been an “open secret” for decades before an investigation or public allegation triggered action.

But there is one big difference between the stories: the response of the music sector.

In the case of Juilliard, 450 composers, musicians, educators, and arts leaders, led by the composer Sarah Kirkland Snider, immediately signed an open letter demanding action. As the WP article concluded:

Snider and the as-yet-unnamed coalition of composers are planning their first in-person strategic meeting in January to discuss further actions in directly addressing “intersectional” abuse and harassment across the composition community and classical music in general — where systemic inequities and imbalances have roots that run centuries deep.

“The positive thing to say about all of this,” Snider says, “is that it’s one of the very first times — maybe the first time in the history of our composition community — that men and women and people of all genders have come together to stand up and protect one another. It’s such a momentous occasion in our field, and I think it speaks volumes about the possibility for growth and change.”

When the El Sistema scandal broke last year, however, the response was minimal. This despite the fact that the Venezuelan affair was, in many ways, worse: it involved the sexual abuse of minors within what was promoted as a program to rescue and protect young people from social problems. A small handful of the hundreds of El Sistema-inspired programs around the world made a public statement condemning the abuse – suggesting that such a response was appropriate – but the vast majority remained silent. None of the classical music celebrities who had endorsed El Sistema opened their mouths. Gustavo Dudamel, the program’s figurehead, kept quiet. There was no joint statement or collective action from the classical music or music education sectors.

There was a bit of a kerfuffle for a month or so, as the story circulated around the world, journalists confirmed it independently, and El Sistema made a statement, including a vague promise to investigate itself (something that, unsurprisingly, generated little confidence among Venezuelan musicians); and then the issue went away, because no one in the sector had committed to keeping it on the table. 18 months later, programs and musicians around the world continue to align themselves proudly with El Sistema, as though nothing had ever happened. The scandal is never mentioned. The consequences for the organization and for individuals have been negligible.

Why such a contrast between the two responses to the same problem?

I suspect that the silence around El Sistema had much to do with the extent with which this organization, unlike Juilliard, had infiltrated the classical music and music education sectors. It had been widely lionized by musicians, educators, and journalists. Many had promoted El Sistema and even adopted it as part of their identity. Speaking out would have implied an admission that they had made a mistake. That they had backed the wrong horse. That they had failed to do due diligence. That they had promoted an abusive organization. They would have had to renounce part of themselves. This kind of mea culpa was apparently too much for most.

The composers decided to protect one another by taking a public stand. But the international El Sistema sector, with only rare exceptions, opted for protecting the brand – in other words, saying nothing. It could have used its influence to push for change in Venezuela to improve safeguarding for current and future students, but it did not.

Whatever the reason, the contrast is stark. While the composers have spoken out and are organizing further action, the field of social action through music stayed silent and, for the most part, pretended that nothing had happened. Many people who proclaimed publicly their commitment to music and social justice failed to act when serious injustice raised its head. This, too, “speaks volumes about the possibility for growth and change” – but not in a good way.

One can only hope that a few in the El Sistema sphere are observing the Juilliard scandal and noting the difference between a robust response and sweeping the issue under the rug. It’s never too late to take a stand on a problem that is “embedded deep into the culture of classical music education,” as Snider says, and will continue until musicians and program leaders speak up en masse rather than look the other way. And as Snider et al.’s letter illustrates, taking a stand does not just mean making general statements decrying sexual harassment and abuse – it also means naming specific institutions, demanding concrete action from them, and holding them publicly accountable. El Sistema will not change substantially as long as it is given a free pass by the rest of the world.