Relatives and colleagues paid tribute to the great Venezuelan maestro Jose Antonio Abreu during his funeral that began on Sunday afternoon in the Eastern Cemetery, located in the southeast of the metropolitan area of Caracas.
The funeral followed the wake earlier this morning in the room Simon Bolivar of the National Center of Social Action for Music.
An urn was placed on the stage, surrounded by the Guard of Honor and the musicians who accompanied him at the Orchestra the great maestro founded.
El maestro Abreu soñó y trabajó por la masificación de la educación musical a través del Sistema de Orquestas Simón Bolívar, en revolución se incorporará próximamente al niño, niña o joven 1.000.000. Gracias maestro. QEPD pic.twitter.com/Ezhwwgxcz3
— Cilia Flores (@ConCiliaFlores) 25 mars 2018
President Nicolas Maduro participated in the ceremony, offering the national flag and a reproduction of Simon Bolivar's sword to the altar.
Defense Ministry Vladimir Padrino Lopez also paid tribute to the maestro on Twitter, in the name of the Venezuelan Armed Forces.
La FANB rinde homenaje ante el féretro del Maestro José Antonio Abreu. Es un honor!! pic.twitter.com/tNWziH8iWR
— Vladimir Padrino L. (@vladimirpadrino) 25 mars 2018
The conductor’s expansive career in music was balanced with his dedication as a social activist. Abreu had in mind a mission: to democratize music for social sectors, as well as age and skill levels, El Impulso reports.
Abreu created 'El Sistema' (The System) 40 years ago in a garage with just nine musicians as "a social project because it aspires to apply music to the development of man, and national because it aspires to get the whole country to participate in it."