José Antonio Abreu

José Antonio Abreu
Abreu at TED in 2009
Born	José Antonio Abreu Anselmi (1939-05-07) May 7, 1939 (age 77) Valera, Venezuela
Alma mater	University of Michigan
Occupation	orchestra conductor, pianist, economist, educator, activist, and politician.
Known for	founder of El Sistema

José Antonio Abreu Anselmi (born May 7, 1939) is a Venezuelan orchestra conductor, pianist, economist, educator, activist, and politician best known for his association with El Sistema. He is Catholic. He was honored with the 2009 Latin Grammy Trustees Award, an honor given to personalities that have contributed to music by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.

Born in the city of Valera, Abreu graduated ¨Summa Cum Laude¨ as an Economist at Universidad Católica Andres Bello and he was awarded a PhD degree in Petroleum Economics from the same university in 1961. Abreu also did some graduate work at the University of Michigan. He served as a Deputy at the Chamber of Deputies in the Congress of Venezuela (1959-1964). After his political career, he also worked as a professor of economics and law at Universidad Simón Bolívar and his Alma Mater. He would return to politics in 1983 to serve as Minister of Culture and president of the National Council of Culture. Abreu even served as president of the Economic Planning Commission but a combination of disillusionment and health problems made him leave politics and "devote myself entirely to music".

Abreu began to study music with Doralisa Jiménez de Medina in Barquisimeto. Later, he attended the Caracas Musical Declamation Academy in 1957, where he studied piano with Moisés Moleiro, organ and harpsichord with Evencio Castellanos, and composition with Vicente Emilio Sojo. In 1967, he received the Symphonic Music National Prize for his musical ability. It was in 1975 that he founded El Sistema, formally known as the Foundation for the National Network of Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela.