"Das Wunder von Caracas: Wie José Antonio Abreu und El Sistema die Welt begeistern"
Michael Kaufmann und Stefan Piendl
(Irisiana ISBN: 978-3-641-06121-0)

The foundation of the educational youth orchestra movement El Sistema in 1975 marked the beginning of an exceptional story of success that has been a cultural and socio-political example for many countries ever since. Musician, economist and politician José Antonio Abreu and his network of children’s and youth orchestras are internationally successful and Abreu is showered with prizes – just recently, on October 2nd, 2011 he was awarded with the Echo Klassik special prize for his social commitment. In Venezuela, El Sistema currently provides more than 300,000 children and juveniles with a musical education and thus has created not only an artistically but also a socially relevant initiative in a country mostly known for suffering from serious social problems.

In the first comprehensively researched book “The Miracle of Caracas”, published in October 2011, the authors Prof. Michael Kaufmann and Stefan Piendl explore the passion with which Abreu organizes his project, how it could evolve and still further develop. They spoke with old companions and internationally acclaimed artists such as Gustavo Dudamel and - last but not least - José Antonio Abreu himself.