Was at last night's Royal Albert Hall prom (5 Aug): an electrifying performance of Mahler's 2nd Symphony (Resurrection) by the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra - a product of Venezuela's extraordinary experiment in working for social change through music. The programme, El Sistema, has 250,000 students actively engaged in pre-school orchestras (4-6 age group), 90 children's orchestras (7-16), 135 symphony orchestras (16-20) and 30 professional adult orchestras. Threequarters of those involved are living below the poverty line.

Under their conductor Gustavo Dudamel the Simon Bolivar SO, which was originally a youth orchestra, has become truly worldclass, as might be confirmed by anyone who saw tonight's broadcast (6 Aug) on BBC2 of last night's performance. Dudamel, who is also musical director of the LA Phil, has extended the Venezuela scheme into the USA and is supporting its implementation in Sweden, Scotland and England.

El Sistema must go down as a major item on the plus side for Hugo Chavez's sometimes controversial stint in office.

Sorry for drifting a little from the subject, if not the title, of this thread.