- Politics and Academics
Born in the western city of Valera in 1939, Abreu was trained as an economist. He holds a PHD in petroleum economics from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello and did some graduate work at the University of Michigan. He served as a Deputy at the Chamber of Deputies in the old Congress of Venezuela. After his political career, he also worked as a professor of economics and law at Universidad Simón Bolívar and his Alma Mater. He would return to politics briefly in 1983 to serve as Minister of Culture. - Music
Abreu began to study music with Doralisa Jiménez de Medina in Barquisimeto. Later, he attended the Caracas Musical Declamation Academy in 1957, where he studied piano with Moisés Moleiro, organ and harpsichord with Evencio Castellanos, and composition with Vicente Emilio Sojo. In 1967, he received the Symphonic Music National Prize for his musical ability. It was in 1975 that he founded El Sistema, formally known as the Foundation for the National Network of Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela.
This was an innovative youth education method in which music was the primary avenue for social and intellectual improvement. He received the National Music Prize for this work at El Sistema in 1979. Under Abreu's guidance, El Sistema has participated in exchange and cooperation programmes with Spain, Latin American countries and the United States. - Awards and Recognition
In 2001, Abreu was honoured with a Right Livelihood Award and was honored with the World Culture Open Creative Arts Award in 2004. Among his numerous awards are the 1st Class Order of the Rising Run Grand Cordon (Japan, 2008), the Glenn Gould Prize (Canada, 2008), the Puccini International Prize (Italy, 2008), Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts (Spain, 2008), the Q Prize with former student and protégé Gustavo Dudamel (USA, 2008) and honorary memberships at the Royal Philharmonic Society (2008, United Kingdom) and the Beethoven-Haus Society (Germany, 2008). He is the first Latin American to become a member of the Royal Philharmonic Society In 2009, he also received the TED Prize which consists of 100,000 dollars and one wish to change the world. Abreu's wish will be unveiled at TED2009 on February 5th, 2009. The description for his awards is a clear description of the work he does at El Sistema as it reads, "the maestro who's transformed the lives of tens of thousands of kids... through classical music"
- Why is Jose Antonio Abreu a hero for me?
First, because he was the founder of El Sistema, known as the foundation for the National Network of Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela and he holds lots of awards and recognition. Second, he is a great man, because he is pianist, economist, educator, politician, and a musician wiz. Third, he loves to the children and youth people of Venezuela. That’s why Jose Antonio Abreu is amazing for me.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Antonio_Abreu
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