El Sistema: Changing Lives Through Music

Bob Simon On Venezuela's Groundbreaking Musical Education Program

(CBS)  "Dr. Abreu often says that the system saves children. Saves them from what?" Simon asked.

"From a lot of things," Dudamel replied. "We have cases with kids with big problems. With big problems. And they change their life with music."

Consider the life of Jose Gregorio Hernandez. His blindness didn’t stop the orchestra from letting him be as much a part of it as any other kid.

"Do you think that the system is changing Venezuela?" Simon asked Dudamel.

"Absolutely," he said. "Three hundred thousand kids and young people play music. In the future, a million. I'm sure of this. When Venezuela will be full of orchestras. Now it's full. Will be more. I think we are helping a lot, and the orchestra now is a symbol of the country. It's like the flag."

The National Youth Orchestra shows the flag every time it travels abroad. It's so much in demand, it's on the road more than most professional orchestras. 60 Minutes caught up with them in London, where they performed before a packed audience at Royal Albert Hall.

Back home, their success is a source of national pride. But all that comes at a price. The system’s annual budget is $80 million. Most of it comes from the Venezuelan government. Dr Abreu has kept the program alive through eight Venezuelan governments. But he's always on the phone, looking for additional funding.

Not surprisingly, the system's need for all kinds of instruments is enormous. So since 1995 they've been making some of their own from scratch.

"We are literally begging all over the world, everyone who has a penny who can give us to buy a string violin, a trumpet, shoes. Whatever we can help this kid," Elster told Simon.

"A trumpet or shoes?" Simon asked.

"Yeah. Whatever. Both. If it's possible," Elster replied.

Asked if he thinks the system could work in the United States, Elster told Simon, "Yeah. But I mean, kids are kids. It doesn't matter where they come from. And if you can help a poor kid in here, you can help a poor kid everywhere. It doesn't matter the culture, it doesn't matter the race. I mean, it's music. Everybody love music."

The sistema's motto is "tocar y luchar," Spanish for "to play and to fight." In Venezuela, it's often the same thing.