Carolina Jaimes Branger
Ron Davis Álvarez was born in El Guarataro, a populous neighborhood in the San Juan Parish of Caracas. After the disappearance of an uncle, his grandmother, distressed by what had happened, wanted to overprotect her grandchildren by finding activities for them all day and moving from one place to another. When Ron was between nine and ten years old, they moved to a house in a place between Guarenas and Guatire. The grandmother opened a small grocery store where Ron helped her sell “chigüí,” and that was when the world opened up to him, because right in front of the grocery store there was a nucleus of El Sistema. From the balcony he saw how the boys got on a bus with their musical instruments, their food, and their medals with the ribbon with the Venezuelan flag. When they returned, they looked happy. And Ron said to himself, “I want to get on that bus.” When they came to buy something, he would listen to them talk about Sibelius and Beethoven as if they were alive, or at least that was how Ron felt. At the age of ten, he began music lessons. “I felt like I had arrived at the place where I wanted to be for the rest of my life.” For a year, he studied music theory, sang in the choir, and studied percussion. But when it came to choosing an instrument, he chose the violin, even though he also liked the oboe.
At the age of fourteen he was given a scholarship in exchange for collaborating with the musical kindergarten. He became the director of the orchestra of the nucleus and two years later, he was director of the nucleus. He conducted other orchestras and taught in the interior of the country. He studied at the University Institute of Musical Studies and at the Latin American Violin Academy. At the Mozarteum he studied Chamber Music. But his dreams were directed towards teaching and traveling. He made his first trips as a member of the Francisco de Miranda Orchestra.
The trip that, according to his own words, “made it click” for him was the one he made to Germany to take a summer course as a violinist. Before that trip, he had been teaching in shelters, because 2010 was a year of many landslides. He published the photos of his work in those shelters, when a professor from IUDEM, Virginia Largo, contacted him and told him about a project in Uummannaq in Greenland, and that she thought he had the perfect profile, but that he had to audition. Ron auditioned and was chosen. He had two tasks: play with a pianist in Denmark and teach in an orphanage in Greenland. After three months in Denmark, he went to Greenland. He had taken six planes, a helicopter and a dog sled to get there since he had left Venezuela. He fell in love with the warmth of the children “like ours,” despite being in such a cold climate. He gave three months of classes practically in sign language and returned to Venezuela where he met with Maestro Abreu, who after listening to him attentively told him “you have to go back to Greenland to give those children a chance to belong to an orchestra.” In 2012, he was founding El Sistema in Greenland, with the most northern orchestra in the world, because they were above the Arctic Circle. He lived there for three years, during which he also gave classes in Denmark and other places in Europe. When he was going to return to Venezuela, he called a friend from Guatire and asked her if she could take charge of his orchestra in Uummannaq, and she said yes. She is still in charge of the project.
Upon arriving in Venezuela, Maestro Abreu summoned him to a new meeting, this time with the executive director of the Gothenburg Symphony and the founding director of El Sistema Sweden. They had the idea of setting up music camps and decided that Ron was the right person to carry out the idea. They didn’t know how to start, but Ron did. It was 2015. But upon arriving in Sweden, Ron was struck by the number of immigrants arriving from places as remote as Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea and Somalia. Seeing them get off the trains, Ron saw pain, fear, trauma and ignorance of what was happening on their faces. Almost all of them were minors and there was a certain lack of control among the authorities who didn’t know where to take them. At that moment, Ron felt that in addition to the work he came to Sweden to do, “he wanted to make a space for those kids.” And so the Dream Orchestra began in 2016 with thirteen musicians, coincidentally the same number of children with whom he began working in the orphanage in Greenland. It was very difficult at first because every door he knocked on told him that the priority was to give them food and shelter. But Ron did not give up. In one of the many meetings he attended, he spoke up and said, “I understand that the priority is to give them food and shelter. But where I come from, there is El Sistema, which has the incredible power to transform people and give light to their souls and bodies. Learning music is not only a tool for empowerment, but also a holistic development for them.” He continued knocking on doors and began to get sponsorships, work teams and volunteers. But while that was happening, and even though he lived two hours from the house where he had been assigned to teach classes, he always arrived with a violin, a viola and a cello. The director told him one day that she only saw three “who could do the program” to which Ron replied “if there is only one, I will keep coming.” That effort is now translated into three centers, a process that has brought satisfaction but also pain, such as when deportations occur, or there are young people who decide to return, entire families who are denied residency, or the stories of Ukrainian refugees who flee after bombs explode very close to their homes. Many of Ron’s students did what they call “the journey of death,” which is nothing more than getting on a raft to see if they can get somewhere alive.
Today, the Dream Orchestra has more than 400 members, more than 25 nationalities and more than 20 different languages spoken. The ages range from three to fifty-six. Music has not only helped them integrate and make friends, but – although the pain they have gone through is always there – to feel and understand problems in a different way and to open themselves to a new opportunity in life.” The official language for understanding each other is English, but not everyone speaks it. They use sign language, visual language and the teacher must, according to Ron, in order to connect through this universal language that is music, “become a student of his students.” The three core groups of the Dream Orchestra also have Swedish children, immigrants and vulnerable young people: “we could not become an orchestra only for refugees, because then where is the integration?”…
Ron Davis Álvarez was named one of CNN’s 2024 Heroes for his work at the Dream Orchestra, and for his inclusive and educational approach as an orchestra conductor. His main goal is to use music as a tool for social integration and personal development. His passion for music and commitment to education are evident in his daily work. Álvarez inspires his students not only to be better musicians, but also better people. In short, the Dream Orchestra, in addition to teaching music, also transforms lives by providing a supportive and growing environment for children, youth and adults around the world. And all thanks to the will of a Venezuelan who also, at one time, had his chance.
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2024-09-09 09:00:00
Table of Contents
- 1 Here are the PAA (People Also Ask) related questions for the title **The Power of Music: Ron Davis Álvarez’s Journey to Empower Refugees and Vulnerable Communities**:
- 2 Here is one People Also Ask (PAA) related question for the title “The Inspiring Story of Ron Davis Álvarez: A Music Maestro and CNN Hero”:
The Power of Music: Ron Davis Álvarez’s Journey to Empower Refugees and Vulnerable Communities
Meet Ron Davis Álvarez, a Venezuelan-born musician, educator, and conductor who has dedicated his life to using music as a tool for empowerment and social change. His remarkable journey, from humble beginnings in Caracas to founding the Dream Orchestra in Sweden, is an inspiration to anyone who believes in the transformative power of music.
Early Life and Introduction to Music
Born in El Guarataro, a populous neighborhood in Caracas, Ron’s early life was marked by tragedy when his uncle disappeared. His grandmother, determined to keep him and his siblings safe, moved them to a new house between Guarenas and Guatire, where she opened a small grocery store. It was here that Ron, aged 9-10, was introduced to El Sistema, a music education program that would change the course of his life. He began music lessons, studying music theory, singing in the choir, and playing percussion. Eventually, he chose the violin as his instrument of choice, and his passion for music only grew stronger.
Teaching and Traveling
At 14, Ron received a scholarship to study at the University Institute of Musical Studies and the Latin American Violin Academy. He later studied Chamber Music at the Mozarteum. His dreams, however, were directed towards teaching and traveling. He made his first trips as a member of the Francisco de Miranda Orchestra, which took him to Germany, where he took a summer course as a violinist. This experience “made it click” for him, and he went on to teach in shelters and eventually founded El Sistema in Greenland, where he lived for three years.
The Dream Orchestra
In 2015, Ron was summoned by Maestro Abreu to meet with the executive director of the Gothenburg Symphony and the founding director of El Sistema Sweden. They had an idea to set up music camps, and Ron was the perfect person to carry out the project. However, upon arriving in Sweden, Ron was struck by the number of immigrants arriving from war-torn countries. He saw the pain, fear, and trauma etched on their faces and knew he had to do something. Thus,
The Inspiring Story of Ron Davis Álvarez: A Music Maestro and CNN Hero
Ron Davis Álvarez, a Venezuelan conductor and music teacher, has made a name for himself as a champion of music education and a beacon of hope for young people around the world. Recently named a 2024 CNN Hero [[2]], Álvarez’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of music and the impact one person can have on the lives of others.
Early Beginnings
Born in El Guarataro, a populous neighborhood in Caracas, Venezuela, Álvarez’s journey began with his grandmother’s efforts to protect him from the harsh realities of their surroundings. After the disappearance of an uncle, she encouraged him to pursue music as a way to keep him safe and engaged. At the age of ten, Álvarez began music lessons, and his life was forever changed. He was drawn to the violin, although he also enjoyed the oboe, and quickly became enamored with the world of classical music.
The El Sistema Connection
Growing up, Álvarez was exposed to the renowned El Sistema program, a Venezuelan music education program that provides free music lessons to underprivileged children. He would watch from his balcony as the young musicians boarded buses, instruments in hand, and return with stories of Sibelius and Beethoven. Álvarez knew he wanted to be part of this world.
A Life of Teaching and Traveling
At fourteen, Álvarez received a scholarship to study music in exchange for collaborating with the musical kindergarten. He went on to become the director of the orchestra and nucleus, conducting other orchestras and teaching in the interior of Venezuela. His travels took him to Germany, Denmark, and Greenland, where he founded El Sistema in 2012, creating the most northern orchestra in the world.
The Dream Orchestra
In 2015, Álvarez met with Maestro Abreu and the executive director of the Gothenburg Symphony to discuss establishing music camps in Sweden. However, upon arriving in Sweden, Álvarez was struck by the influx of immigrant children from war-torn countries, who were in dire need of support and guidance. He felt compelled to create a space for these children, and thus, the Dream Orchestra was born in 2016 with thirteen musicians.
Overcoming Challenges
The journey was not without its obstacles. Álvarez faced rejection and skepticism from those who believed that the priority should be providing food and shelter to these children, rather than music lessons. However, he persevered, driven by his passion for music and his desire to make a difference.
A Hero to Many
Today, Álvarez is a renowned conductor and music teacher, known for his tireless efforts to bring music education to underprivileged children around the world. His work has inspired countless young people, and his dedication to his craft has earned him recognition as a 2024 CNN Hero [[2]]. Through his music, Álvarez has created a sense of community and belonging among those who need it most.
Conclusion
Ron Davis Álvarez’s story is a testament to the power of music to transform lives and bring people together. His journey from a young boy in Venezuela to a renowned conductor and music teacher is an inspiration to us all. As a CNN Hero, Álvarez’s work will continue to inspire and uplift, leaving a lasting impact on the world.
You can learn more about Ron Davis Álvarez and the Dream Orchestra on his Instagram account [[1]]and YouTube channel [[3]].
