Bittersweet symphony

‘We saw how classical music became an effective agent for social change... Not all of the kids became professional musicians, but they all became productive members of society.’

MANILA, Philippines - Music, Madonna famously sang, makes the people come together. Harnessing this transformative power is Sistema for the Filipino Youth (SFY), an after-school music education program that was inspired by El Sistema, a program in Venezuela that provides social uplift through classical music. SFY offers underprivileged children the opportunity to achieve their full musical potential through classical music, with the ultimate hope of creating a positive impact on their communities.

As its initial undertaking, SFY established the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth, a 40-piece ensemble comprised of young musicians, between nine and 19 years old, from underprivileged families in Manila, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Quezon City, Malabon, Cainta, Angono, Antipolo, Morong, Taytay, Bulacan, Cardona, Cavite, Batangas and provinces such as Aurora and Cebu.

“We saw how classical music became an effective agent for social change in Venezuela, how El Sistema was able to save the youth from illiteracy, violence and other negative effects of war and poverty. Not all of the kids became professional musicians, but they all became productive members of society,” said Tinky Cruz, OFY managing director. “Here in the Philippines, our goal is to help alleviate poverty through music education, while creating career paths in classical music and strengthening our arts and culture scene.”

Cebu Pacific’s support allowed OFY scholars to perform for their loved ones in other parts of the country. Tinky shared the story of siblings who flew to Cebu to share their music with their estranged dad whom they had not seen for a long time. “It’s incredible how music was able to bring their family together,” she said. “Their proud dad even gathered his neighbors — regular folk in sandos and slippers — to watch his children play Vivaldi. This is a realization of our dream, to bring classical music to the grassroots level and disprove the misconception that this type of music is only for the rich.”

A scholar with a touching story is Angela, 16, who traveled to Cebu to play music for her relatives there. “It was her first time to fly in an airplane, to go somewhere outside of Manila, and to perform for her loved ones in the province,” Tinky said. “You can see Angela’s transformation when she got back to Manila. She realized that the world is big and a lot of opportunities await her. She became more focused and more determined, and gained a deeper passion for her craft.”