Interviews

Korede, a boy that dreamt of playing the saxophone

It was love at first sight when, three years ago, he first saw a saxophone being played. But in March 2013, when Korede joined the In Harmony Lambeth programme, the closest instrument he could get his hands on was a clarinet. He quickly excelled at it, practising six days a week for two hours each day. Last week, the 11-year-old received a saxophone generously donated by Sabine Rasp. He can now follow his dream.

When did you start to play the clarinet?

6 weeks ago.

Michael: “Mentoring other children is really fun”

Michael, 9, is one of the first In Harmony students that are mentoring the younger children in the programme. He wants to be a professional violinist.

Daniela: "When I play music I feel free"

Daniela, 9, is a student in Lambeth. "So first you feel there is no way you can do this. But then when you see you can do it, it just feels amazing, like you can do anything", she says about learning to play the violin.

Marshall Marcus: "El Sistema is essentialy a social project, in which music is used as a vehicle"

Marshall Marcus is the Director of the Baroque Programme at El Sistema in Venezuela. "We've all seen the remarkable social results, the increase in focus for children, the development of their relationships with families, their better results at school, the lower truancy rates, the lower crime figures", he says of In Harmony Sistema England.

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