[Dixielandjazz] Venzuella's the place..

[Henry B. Stinson]

GWW174@aol.com wrote:

> Just saw a GREAT PIECE on CBS 60 minutes tonight describing the music
> education program in Venzuella.... over 120,000 kids seriously studying
> music.  All the idea of one man who started the program over 20 years
> ago....His goal was not to make musicians but to make better citizens.   He
> knew the POWER OF MUSIC.
> Wow, what a vision.
>

Actually, there was a visioinary in Germany, pre-Hitler, named Carl Orf,
who developed an educational method for pre-schoolers using musical
instruments (little xylophones & the like) that had a five-note scale.
(Hitler kicked him out of Germany in the 1930s.)
He believed that teaching them to not only play but to compose or
improvise music using this simplified scale developed their brains and
made them better able to do well in the regular schools -- and to think,
reason, and be creative, etc.  There are schools in the US and other
countries that use this technique.  The kids who attend these schools
are humorously called "Orfans".

--
Henry Stinson, BSECE, Website Developer and Software Engineer (Visual Basic)
Vocalist, Jazz Harmonica, Jazz Whistling and "Mouth Trumpet".
Orpheus Jazz Ensemble, Blue Heaven Jazz Band
Msg: 703-742-4670 Day: 703-893-8930 (Ring once, then call right back.)