Yorgelis Aponte (R) and classmates attend violin lessons at a youth orchestra music school in the neighborhood of Carapita in Caracas June 3, 2008. Gun-blighted Venezuela's youth orchestras and choirs have helped thousands of children resist thug life in some of South America's toughest slums, and now wealthy countries are lining up to emulate the system. Close to 300,000 Venezuelan children, many from deprived city barrios, others from distant Amazon towns, now choose violins and trombones over guns and drugs, proving Mozart and Berlioz can be as fresh as sampled beats even to 21st century youths. Picture Taken June 3. Reuters Pictures logo Reuters Pictures 47 months ago

Yorgelis Aponte (R) and classmates attend violin lessons at a youth orchestra music school in the neighborhood of Carapita in Caracas June 3, 2008. Gun-blighted Venezuela's youth orchestras and choirs have helped thousands of children resist thug life in some of South America's toughest slums, and now wealthy countries are lining up to emulate the system. Close to 300,000 Venezuelan children, many from deprived city barrios, others from distant Amazon towns, now choose violins and trombones over guns and drugs, proving Mozart and Berlioz can be as fresh as sampled beats even to 21st century youths. Picture Taken June 3.

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