As a social practice, music works as a vehicle to promote citizenship and social inclusion in the sense of belonging and developing group identity. It has been repeatedly proven musical projects that encompass populations in situations of exclusion or groups that face severe social disadvantages have the power to bring new perspectives to life.

Revolutionary musical projects

Nietzsche used to say that we hear music with our muscles. Some projects show that music entrails life and can revolutionize anything, including the world.

Usability of Music for the Social Inclusion of Children (UMSIC)

The goal of this project, Usability of Music for the Social Inclusion of Children (UMSIC), from collaborative research supported by the European Union in the scope of the Seventh Research Framework Program (FP7), consisted on developing contemporary music, supported in technology, to aid in the social inclusion of children.

Although destined for every child, UMSIC (2008-2011) envisioned support, particularly, through music, for children with a high risk of being marginalized: with social or emotional disorders (or both), with moderate learning difficulties, and immigrants with few or no linguistic abilities in the hosting country. At the core of the project, a tool focused on music was developed: JamMo (Jamming mobile).

There is growing evidence from neurological research that reinstates the concept that promoting musical and linguistic skills is interconnected. With UMSIC, music was designed to aid children in developing linguistic skills while simultaneously reinforcing, with a positive approach, their emotional, social, and intellectual skills.

El Sistema

Ever since its founding in 1975, El Sistema, the National System of Juvenile and Childhood Orchestra and Choir of Venezuela, has resorted to musical education as a vehicle for social change, being a never-ending source of hope, joy, and positive social impact to 400.000 children and their families, and communities all over the country. It’s a cultural, educational, and social program whose mission seeks to promote social involvement and youth empowerment through musical education in a group setting. From the founding principles, we highlight the collective and cooperative education approaches, set on trust, discipline, empathy, commitment, structure, and reinforcement of self-esteem.

The unprecedented success that defines this system has inspired hundreds of similar programs encompassing around one million children in at least sixty countries. This global movement is defined as the Global System and is growing. Teachers, leaders, and volunteers of the System work tirelessly to support children’s musical, cognitive, social, and creative development. Their positive impact, which includes musical excellency, social and emotional development, increment of their aspirations, and involvement in the community, has been documented by a series of studies.

Founded by the musician and economist José António Abreu, El Sistema, has been growing in the form of “cores,” or music learning centers, in places where children live in poverty situations. Contrarily to other music programs for youngsters, El Sistema’s mission is fundamental of a social nature: in its essence lies the conviction of its founding fathers that the experience of making music in a group setting, being immersive, ambitious, and joyful, may help young people developing not only their musical domain, as well as their self-esteem, respect and cooperation skills - qualities that may change their lives and the lives of their families and communities.

El Sistema inspired projects worldwide, some larger ones, such as the Orchestra of Dreams, in South Korea, and other smaller ones with scarce financings, such as the case of the one born in Srebrenica, in Bosnia.

Social Inclusion for Refugees and Young people through Music (2021-2022)

In 2021 and 2022, El Sistema Greece (ESG) - which, throughout the years, has become a reference in the field of musical education and social inclusion-, with the support of Alta Mane (a Swiss Foundation founded by privates in 2005), has developed several educational and musical activities, in double modality, in person, and at a distance, offering music classes (woodwind, percussion and strings instruments, choir and musical theory) to hundreds of children and youngsters, among which are migrants and displaced people.

The goals have essentially consisted of the creation of opportunities for integration and inclusion through the practice of collective music; alleviating children suffering that have been forced to run away from their homes and countries, making accessible art and beauty; helping migrants and refugee children become valuable resources in their fostering communities, leading them to act as positive members of an open, multicultural, and welcoming society; enable and support the learning of new artistic and educational tools and skills for life, by developing their talents and fighting for a better future.

Taller Obert and the Cabal Musical

Directed towards adults at risk of exclusion, with skills and vocation for music, that have been targets of the social system and institutionalization, the project Taller Obert, in Barcelona, supports social reintegration through a program of musical activities in training, creation, relationship, and empowerment. The participants share spaces with professional musicians to improve their musical skills and their possibilities for social integration.

The Cabal Musical, also located in Barcelona, is a project of social innovation for inclusion, based on the artistic monitoring of young musicians, that promotes the propelling of young musical talents (in Franja del Besòs). The participants receive training, guidance, and professional resources to transform their creative worries into entrepreneurial projects and enter the musical sector. By supporting musical talent, they are contributing to the transformation and revitalization of the hoods and their residents’ empowerment.

Orquestra Geração, or Orchestra Generation

It appeared for the first time during the 2007/2008 school year.  Since then, there has been a development of activities in schools in the areas of Lisbon and Coimbra in Portugal. It has already reached quality and success levels while being a social intervention project through music. It has become a recipient of several invitations from national and international institutions.

The project’s development is grounded in two fundamental vectors: skilled training and trainers to apply the Venezuelan methodology of El Sistema, and the search for financial partners to ensure the project’s continuity.

The Orquestra Geração has, as a purpose, the development of children and juvenile orchestras, composed of young people attending compulsory education (especially ETPI school-types - Educational Territories of Priority Intervention, or similar), working towards the broadening of the children and young people’s perspective of life, and promoting higher social mobility. Their impact is equally felt in promoting more inclusive families and communities, having already been supported by the EDP Foundation.

In 2010, the Orchestra was honored by the Ministry of Education with the National Award for Teachers (innovation). In 2013 and 2014, the European Union considered it one of Europe’s best social intervention projects. In 2018, it was considered the best social intervention company by the AGEAS group and was awarded the gold medal celebrating the 50 years of the Human Rights Universal Declaration by the Republic's Assembly.

Orquestra Energia Fundação EDP, or Orchestra Energy of the EDP Foundation

This project for social inclusion through music involved children and young people, from 6 to 16 years old, from the schools in the counties of Amarante, Murça, and Mirandela. Promoted by the EDP Foundation since 2010, and with the artistic and pedagogical direction of the Casa da Música, or the House of Music, since 2015, Orquestra Energia, or Orchestra Energy, promotes the social integration of children and young people coming from vulnerable social and economic contexts, by giving them access to musical education. This way, academic success is propelled, fighting against school withdrawal and contributing toward children's and young people’s life projects.

Teaching music is a tool that promotes teamwork, discipline, and responsibility, improving the self-esteem of students and their families and bringing parents closer to the educational process. Over 100 students have participated in the Orquestra Energia, or Orchestra Energy, of the EDP Foundation each school year in Amarante, Murça, and Mirandela.