The rest make music silently through sign language, wearing white gloves as their hands perform an elaborate choreography in unison. The deaf members of the White Hands Choir are part of an unusual program in Venezuela that brings together students with a wide range of disabilities and immerses them in music.
They rehearse with blind and mentally disabled musicians who play the trumpet, piano and bongo drums and with singers who have Down syndrome or autism or use wheelchairs.
Venezuela's music program for the disabled began in 1995 in the north-central city of Barquisimeto and has spread throughout the country while also becoming a model internationally. During one recent recital, the audience included Nicolae Sarpe, a cellist and music teacher in Italy who made a special visit to see the choir for himself. “Things like this hit you right here,” Sarpe said, gesturing to his heart.
He said what makes Venezuela's program unique is that it involves hundreds of disabled music students across the country. The program was begun as part of Venezuela's famed National System of Youth and Children's Orchestras, known as El Sistema, which has become famous for involving children from the slums in classical music and for producing talented musicians. Disabled students rehearse in the same music conservatory where years ago prodigy conductor Gustavo Dudamel — now music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic — honed his talents.
In the conservatory's hallways and classrooms, disabled children and teenagers practice on violins, guitars and other instruments, and rehearse a wide range of music from Brahms to Ruben Blades. Some play salsa music in a band.
Teachers say being involved in music boosts the students' self-esteem and helps them to set goals. When they perform, audiences are impressed.
“They're applauded for the quality work they've done, for the professional work they've developed, and not for their disabilities,” said program founder and teacher Johnny Gomez.
For years, Gomez has worked closely with Jose Antonio Abreu, a former Venezuelan congressman and musician who in 1975 created El Sistema to provide quality music instruction to all children. Abreu's network of orchestras grew rapidly and now comprises about 150 youth orchestras and 70 children's orchestras nationwide, providing free classes and instruments to pupils who couldn't otherwise afford them.
“Today the special education program is a banner of El Sistema,” Gomez said. “They know about it in various countries. We're always contacted by people who come from abroad to see what's happening with music here.” The White Hands Choir has won awards in Italy and Britain, and has performed for famous visitors to Venezuela including Simon Rattle of the Berlin Philharmonic.
More than 1,800 disabled students — including about 500 who are deaf — are participating in the music program at 21 centers across Venezuela.
