This is Sir Simon Rattle, the famous English conductor and the music director of the Berlin Philharmonic - probably the best orchestra in the world. The video was shot at a rehearsal in Spain while he was engaged to conduct the high school aged national orchestra of Venezuela while on world tour- probably the finest youth (in age only) orchestra that the world has ever seen or heard.
Both parties arrived on this stage, rehearsing this music (Prokofiev's 5th Symphony) by taking responsibility - to put aside a lot of things that perhaps years back they would rather have done but recognizing the gifts and opportunities provided them they chose a path that led them to that place.
The kids are dirt poor for the most part. They go to regular school 7a-2p daily and then to music from 2-7p 7 days a week, every week of the year. They go home to 2 bedroom apartments with 10 family members, practice in hallways and have, as a result of this discipline, risen out of the depths of despair and hopelessness and taken responsibility for their lives.
Both parties arrived on this stage, rehearsing this music (Prokofiev's 5th Symphony) by taking responsibility - to put aside a lot of things that perhaps years back they would rather have done but recognizing the gifts and opportunities provided them they chose a path that led them to that place.
The kids are dirt poor for the most part. They go to regular school 7a-2p daily and then to music from 2-7p 7 days a week, every week of the year. They go home to 2 bedroom apartments with 10 family members, practice in hallways and have, as a result of this discipline, risen out of the depths of despair and hopelessness and taken responsibility for their lives.