Description
Book SynopsisCan classical music change lives? In Soul Music, novelist Candace Allen embarks on a personal journey that takes her from the streets of London and Scotland to Venezuela, where the Sistema scheme has offered thousands of young people a route out of the ghetto mentality through virtuoso musical training, bringing global fame to the charismatic conductor Gustavo Dudamel; to Ramallah, and Daniel Barenboim's East-West Divan Orchestra in which young Israelis and Palestinians play side-by-side.
Trade Review'How it feels to be free... So powerful... She reveals much about what lies at the heart of any journey into so-called classical music.' Guy Dammann, New Statesman 'Formidable.' Evening Standard 'Intriguing and sometimes disturbing series of reflections on the interplay of race and music, particularly western music... Enthralled by her grasp of the educational subtleties of El Sistema... There is much food for contemplation and much for confrontation.' Norman Lebrecht 'Thoughtful and passionate and needs to be read.' Alan Davey, Chief Executive Arts Council England. 'The most interesting book to date on the subject of social music projects... passion, zeal and candour...will appeal and infuriate.' Marshall Marcus, Director Southbank Centre's Sistema Research Programme
Table of ContentsWe moved from Boston's negro enclave... 'This is a show tune...' 'You don't have to live next to me...' 'To be young, gifted and black...' On the market front... 'We can deal with rockets and dreams...' 'How beauteous mankind is!...' Entr'acte 'What fruit it bears...' Darkness into Light Opera in the Streets A Brief Pause to Take Stock Manna from the South 'Change is the only certainty...' The Purpose of Music Codas Diminuendo con amore Acknowledgements Further Reading Index
