The orchestra as a place where people come together: potential of music projects to promote social inclusion

Ever since the international success of 'El Sistema', at the very latest, the socially integrative aspect of music has come into focus for many music educators. In this context, the orchestra has also taken on ever greater significance as a medium for social integration. But are orchestras and music projects really suitable for achieving such goals? Is Western orchestral music a suitable means of social integration, or would it be better to opt for a different genre? In this paper, Timo N. Kapelari reports on his personal experiences as a trumpet teacher in the social music project Arpegio, which has been running successfully in Trujillo, Peru, since 2004. The characteristics of this project are critically discussed in the light of the considerations put forward by G. Baker in his book 'El Sistema - Orchestrating Venezuela's Youth'. The author draws on his own observations and the findings of an interview with the project's artistic director, Tatjana Merzyn, as the basis for this discussion.