The opinions expressed in this opinion piece are solely those of Leon Botstein.

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He performs the piece at New York's Lincoln Center with world-class violinist Guillermo Figueroa and The American Symphony, conducted by Leon Botstein.

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Although Leon Botstein, president of Bard College and music director of the American Symphony Orchestra, finds the Venezuelan state-funded, national system of youth orchestras admirable, he does not believe the model can be identically copied in the United States.

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