Harmony or Discord? Understanding children’s valuations of a Sistema-inspired initiative

This article explores children’s reflections on the value of their participation in In Harmony, a social and music education programme whose approach and philosophy derives from the Venezuelan ‘El Sistema’ (‘The System’) model. More specifically, through an analysis of participating children’s accounts (n= 111) and an exploration of the key patterns evident within children’s attribution of value to their In Harmony participation, the article highlights a series of ways in which the initiative’s approach to music and musical learning threaten to undermine its core aims.