Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 26 March 2018

Creator of Venezuelan youth orchestras Abreu dead at 79

By JOSHUA GOODMAN studied music from an early
Associated Press age. But he initially put his
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) artistic aspirations on hold
— Jose Antonio Abreu, the to become an economist,
Venezuelan government teaching at two universities
economist turned musical in Caracas, and later enter-
educator who created a ing politics.
network of youth orchestras Well into his 30s in 1975, he
that has been replicated in formed a small orchestra of
dozens of countries around a dozen young musicians
the world, died Saturday. that would become the
He was 79. seed for El Sistema. Four
His death was announced decades later, the govern-
by the newspaper El Uni- ment-financed program
versal, where his brother claims to currently put 1
Jesus Abreu is president. million Venezuelan children
No cause was given, but in contact with classical
Abreu had been known to music through a network of
be battling several illnesses hundreds of youth choirs,
ever since he retired from El orchestras and music cen-
Sistema, as the musical ed- ters spread across the
ucation program is known, country.
a few years ago. Internationally, its teaching
Abreu was the teacher to In this Feb. 16, 2012 file photo, Jose Antonio Abreu, founder of Venezuela's network of youth or- model has spread to more
generations of Venezuelan chestras known as 'El Sistema' or The System, attends an event at the Teresa Carreno Theater in than 60 countries, while
classical music performers. Caracas, Venezuela. Abreu died Saturday, March 24, 2018. He was 79. No cause has been given its marquee Simon Bolivar
His most famous protege, but the government economist turned musical educator had been known to be battling several Youth Orchestra is a fixture
Gustavo Dudamel, musical illnesses ever since he retired from El Sistema a few years ago. in top-flight concert halls
director of the Los Angeles (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) from New York to London.
Philharmonic, tweeted a But more recently the ster-
picture of the two Saturday "The Venezuelan people of the two at a meeting in children of the youth or- ling reputations of the in-
dedicated to Abreu "with that you so loved today the presidential palace in chestras." stitution — and Abreu —
devoted love and eternal are crying for you Mae- 2014. "We are comforted Born in the western city of have taken a hit as a result
gratitude." stro," Maduro said in a by knowing that your leg- Valera in 1939, El Maestro, of the program's close ties
President Nicolas Maduro message posted on social acy will remain alive in the as Abreu was almost univer- to Maduro, whose social-
also mourned the loss. media along with a photo hands and voices of the sally known in Venezuela, ist administration has been
accused of undermining
Peru takes ex-president's passport amid probe Venezuela's democracy.
In 2014, amid a wave of
deadly anti-government
LIMA, Peru (AP) — A Pe- cht, the Brazilian construc- $800 million in bribes to of- ior that we seekers of justice unrest, Abreu and Du-
ruvian judge on Saturday tion giant at the heart of ficials across Latin America have to take into account." damel appeared along-
barred recently resigned Latin America's mammoth including $29 million in Peru. Kuczynski's lawyer promised side Maduro on national
President Pedro Pablo bribery scandal. Some of At the same time the hear- his client's full cooperation TV celebrating a recent
Kuczynski from leaving the the payments took place ing was taking place, and said he would abide European tour and re-
South American nation for when Kuczynski was a gov- prosecutors carried out a by the prosecutor's request viewing blueprints for the
18 months while he is inves- ernment minister, raising search of Kuczynski's home not to leave the country. government-funded “Du-
tigated for possible money questions about whether in Lima and another prop- Kuczynski was not present damel Hall” designed by
laundering. they were made in return erty outside the capital. at Saturday's hearing. L.A.-based architect Frank
The ruling came a day af- for political favors. The for- "Peru since the 19th cen- Kuczynski is the fourth for- Gehry.
ter congress accepted mer Wall Street investor has tury has watched the sad mer Peruvian president to Around the same time the
Kuczynski's resignation denied any wrongdoing. show as presidents and ex- be investigated for taking book “El Sistema: Orches-
and swore in Vice Presi- He said that the consulting presidents flee the country payments from Odebrecht. trating Venezuela’s Youth”
dent Martin Vizcarra as his firm, Westfield Capital, was and justice," said Hamilton One is currently in jail while by British musicologist Geof-
successor. Kuczynski, 79, then being managed by his Castro, the anti-corrup- another, Alejandro Toledo, frey Baker was published,
is being probed for some business partner and that tion prosecutor who had for whom Kuczynski served describing Abreu as a po-
$782,000 in payments his he paid taxes on all earn- requested Kuczynski be as finance minister, has re- litically cunning, autocratic
consulting firm received a ings from that era. Odebre- barred from leaving Peru. fused to return to Peru from and vengeful visionary as
decade ago from Odebre- cht has admitted to paying "This is the historical behav- the U.S. to face charges.q much feared as loved. q