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A14 LOCAL
Thursday 2 May 2019

Using Music to Shift the Narrative in our Community

“A best practice case of the Leerorkest in the Netherlands”

Maastricht – Last Monday April 29th , dr. Armando Rudy Lampe, Min-
ister Education, Science and Sustainable Development was visited by
Mr. Marco de Souza, who is the founder and current director of the
“Leerorkest” (learning orchestra) project in Amsterdam. This project
allows for approximately 3000 children in the Netherlands to receive
music education at 18 different elementary schools. Each school has
their own orchestra, which aim to provide safe learning environment
for children. Our neighbor island Curaçao has already been execut-
ing this project and it has been a success thus far.

The dialogue has initiated in Aruba to possibly consider this project
as a tool to provide more opportunities for our children. Music has a
tremendous way of uniting people together, whether it be in sad or
more joyous moments. The main question remains; how can Aruba
use elements of the Creative Industries in providing positive socio-
economic and cultural development? Especially for our children. education is often organized in a ment means that a child gets the
way that is expensive and inac- chance to learn to enjoy the arts
It has not been a secret that Aruba has been experiencing challeng- cessible. We want to make the and culture and to explore what
es regarding the social welfare of children within and outside of the barriers to music education much he or she can produce for them-
school system. Generally high abuse rates, teen pregnancy, school lower, so that children who are less selves. Talent development is also
drop outs, high youth unemployment, challenges with the Dutch edu- privileged have the same chanc- an innovation priority for the Aru-
cational system for local students have all been considered areas for es to make music and to have a ban government and is part of the
discussion and evaluation. In my research, back in 2018, it was clear musical instrument which they can 5 innovation spaces indicated in
that the participants indicated that children in the Aruban school practice at home”. The ideology the Isla Innovativo report in 2018.
system are generally not equally given the opportunity of being ex- behind this project is that children Science indicates that at primary
posed to cultural development, art, music, dance and other forms of can grow through music, that all school age children are the most
creative outlets. children have talent, that it pro- receptive to musical develop-
vides equality, and that it serves as ment. Thus, at a young age the
These social challenges are also experienced in the Dutch commu- a connective tool between chil- seed is sown for the future. In the
nity and as a more culture-oriented society, the Netherlands, espe- dren and the society. Leerorkest all the hidden talents
cially Amsterdam has been successful in using music education to are tapped into, whether they are
prevent these social challenges to escalate. The Leerorkest is initially According to the Leerorkest, music enthusiastic amateurs or music
an initiative of the Minister of Justice of the Netherlands with the aim has a lot to offer children. It is not lovers enjoying music, or even fu-
to reduce crime and the involvement of children and the youth in just a lot of fun, it has been proven ture professional musicians.
these activities. It is essentially a new method of music education that it is good for their cognitive, so-
where children get the opportunity during school hours to learn to cial and emotional development. According to the National Edu-
play an instrument. The pilot for the very first Leerorkest for primary Producing music makes children cation Plan 2030 (2019) the most
school children started in 2005 in Amsterdam Zuid Oost (De Bijlmer). smarter, happier and more social populated school level in the Aru-
Until recently, the city of Bijlmermeer has struggled to draw in many beings in a multi-cultural society. ban educational school system is
middle-class families. The neighborhood once had a relatively high Music requires concentration, dis- the elementary school level. A to-
crime rate, but this has decreased dramatically in recent years, but cipline, perseverance, teamwork, tal of 39.7% of the Aruban students
continuous to struggle with socio-economic difficulties, since migra- responsibility and are all essential are in the elementary school level
tion has kept up in the Netherlands. The area has always been home abilities for the development of for the academic year 2017/2018.
to many different nationalities simultaneously. Throughout the years, productive citizens for the future. Cumulatively, secondary edu-
claims of rising social segregation or ghettoization have been both Performing together as a class cation in Aruba (EPB, MAVO &
denied and pre-empted by local government. However, in a more makes for unforgettable experi- HAVO/VWO) follows, which equals
positive light, this project has proven that children who are part of the ences for these children who oth- around 32% of the student popu-
program are happier and this proves to be a positive achievement erwise would not get the oppor- lation. So, if Aruba ventures in this
for Amsterdam in attempting in reducing criminality in impoverished tunity. In the end, these children opportunity, much of the students
neighborhoods. Thus, the Leerorkest program has proven to have tre- feel that they have accomplished in Aruba could receive some sort
mendous educational, cultural, social and judicial preventive value something that they can be proud of music education and personal
for the Dutch community. of and serves as a tremendous development.
milestone in the life of a child.
Marco de Souza, whose original idea it was and who is now the di- Continued on Page 15
rector, explains: “We think that the arts are for everyone. But music For the Leerorkest, talent develop-