More than 200,000 underprivileged youth from across Venezuela—some as young as two years old—belong to El Sistema, an orchestra that continues to “wow” audiences across the world.

Only 11 young musicians performed El Sistema’s first concert in 1975. Founder Jose Abreu says his goal for the orchestra is to help the poor and isolated youth of Venezuela to understand the “realization as a human being”—to experience the joy, beauty and excitement of music. The groups started playing in garages, empty warehouses, converted factories and prisons.

Today the orchestra performs concerts all over the world. El Sistema, which has a worldwide reputation, has inspired 23 other countries to start their own musical programs. In Venezuela, musicians are treated like professional sports celebrities are in the United States.

El Sistema is an educational program that teaches young teenagers how to play music and to appreciate great composers such as Beethoven and Mozart. It also teaches them responsibility, and gives the teens a sense of accomplishment.

The director of the orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel, said, “In Venezuela, the most important thing is the orchestra.”

Joshua Weilerstein, a violinist for the New England Conservatory, described the zeal of these teens. He stated, “I think American musicians are incredibly enthusiastic, but there isn’t a desperation about the way we play. [Venezuelans] play as if their lives depend on every note. There’s complete passion” (Christian Science Monitor).

The orchestra has changed the lives of many neglected youth in Venezuela. Six years ago, after being sent nine times to a correctional facility for heavy drug use and robbery, one teen became an orchestra member. He is now employed at a music institute and is studying Mozart’s clarinet concerto. He has also performed several times at Venezuela’s Teresa Carreno Music Hall.

El Sistema motivates teens all over the world to learn a musical instrument. With a sense of accomplishment and achievement, teens are inspired to pursue success. After playing her first concert at eight years old, one member said, “At the end, [the concert] was what motivated me and I wanted to do it better” (BBC News).

Although teens in the orchestra perform at music halls around the world, 90% of them come from the lowest socioeconomic class. Many live in violent neighborhoods and are not even allowed to bring their instruments home with them, fearing they will be stolen. Through the program, these teens are given an extraordinary opportunity to participate in performing beautiful music to many thousands.

The orchestra has performed at several venues, including the Walt Disney Hall, Davis Hall in San Francisco, Symphony Hall in Boston and Carnegie Hall in New York.

Venezuela’s current administration funds most of the orchestra’s $29 million annual budget, with plans to increase this number.

A cellist who now teaches at the conservatory summarized the overall purpose of the youth orchestra: “Venezuela does have freshness, excitement, and energy, which can sometimes be overlooked…the end result can only be greater enjoyment of music on both sides” (Christian Science Monitor).