The program will take place in the cities of Caracas and Mérida. With five professional symphony orchestras, the capital city of Venezuela, Caracas, is one of the most musical cities in Latin America. In addition to state of the art performing venues, the city boasts the Center of Social Action for Music, two conservatories for the training of professional musicians, and dozens of centers for after-school music instruction.
Six-hundred miles southwest of Caracas, the Andean city of Mérida is home to one of Latin America’s oldest universities. The city is also known as a popular tourist destination for its geography, climate and history. The aerial tramway in Mérida is the world’s highest and second longest, ascending eight miles to Pico Espejo at fifteen thousand feet in elevation.
For the current projected costs for this program, please click on the following link to the Fees for JMU Study Abroad Programs page.
Students will stay in hotels for the duration of the program. Some meals will be provided (several lunches or dinners per week).
For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.
In addition to the oIP application form, students are required to attend an Interview with the program director as well as submit a Faculty recommendation form which can also be found by following the link to Applications and Forms.
"El Sistema" is a social program that has attracted significant attention not only among music educators but among social workers, anthropologists, and educators in general.