He was trained from a young# age through El Sistema,## a highly regarded music program in# Venezuela, before He has played for several orchestras across# the country and mentors at Play On Philly,## providing music education to underserved# students in the Philadelphia area.

Tonight, he shares his Brief But Spectacular# take on how music empowers communities.

ANDRES GONZALEZ, Musician and Teacher:# For me, making music is joyful.

When we## become professionals in music, we# forget that part, the joyful I grew up in El Sistema project in Venezuela.# It's is a free tuition program in classical## music training that provides access# to instrument, classes, and ensemble## experience to children in the country.

My# mom and my dad was also part of El Sistema.

And I start conducting my first performance# right before I turned 3 years old in front of## the children's orchestra in my hometown.# My dad taught me the conductor protocol,## how to get into the stage, how to bow.

Being part of El Sistema for so many y we were playing together for over# 20 years.

When I moved to the U.S.,## I started looking for community-based music# programs, and I found that Play On Phi also looking for a new music director.

Play# On Philly is an organization that provides## transformative music training experiences# to children in the area of Philadelphia.

POP's mission mirrors El Sistema advocacy for# social justice.

It felt like it was an extension## of my work in Venezuela.

Over 90 percent of# the students identify as a student of color,## and we as a community of color have been lacking# access to this type of education historically.

There are so many barriers that have created# lack of access to this type of education,## not only in the U.S., in the entire world.

One# of the ways that we are removing those barriers## is providing free tuition classical music# training in orchestra and ensemble setting.

The most capable teachers in the city are# teaching our students every week.

We also## provide instrument loans at no cost for# our families and also private lessons.

When I see a student gain confidence after a# performance, I feel very rewarded as an educator## and as a conductor that all the effort# that we put throughout the preparation,## it paid off.

Access to music education and arts in# general could be transformative for the students,## but also for the people around them,# like their family, like their peers.

They can translate that into life# skills.

You need to dedicate a lot## of time to learn to play the violin, for# example.

You need to develop patience.## It's really hard to play every# single note on tune, for example.

So those are skills that you learn# through the music.

We want them to## see their life in a different way# through the lens of the music.

My name is Andres Gonzalez,## and this is my Brief But Spectacular# GEOFF BENNETT: And you can watch more Brief But## Spectacular episodes online# at P