Cidadania e projetos sócio-orquestrais: um estudo a partir das perspectivas dos egressos do Prima

Abstract

The Inclusion Through Music Program (Prima) is an educational development project sponsored by the Paraíba State Government. The project exists in 16 cities, serving more than 1200 students, with the goal of using music as a driving force for citizenship through the formation of orchestral ensembles in areas of social vulnerability. The present study sought to understand how youth participants of the Prima project perceived their experience and its effects on the course of their lives. This research was interdisciplinary in nature, embracing other fields of study such as education, philosophy, and law that have been devoted to the understanding of citizenship and music and informed by the work of Marilena Chauí and Paulo Freire. The following were discussed in this study: human rights (citizens conscious of rights and duties); cultural citizenship (culture as a right rather than as a form of entertainment); education as means to increase awareness; emancipation and empowerment; music as a social phenomenon; and music education in social projects as a decolonizing practice (breaking with conservatory-minded education). Data was collected through narrative interviews with ten participants of the Prima project who have since been admitted to public universities in the state of Paraíba. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with two Prima directors as well as the analysis of primary source documents of the project. In parallel, in order to understand collected data, a review of the literature was conducted. Data revealed the relevance of the Prima project in participants’ lives, as the project was seen both as a way to achieve professionalism and socialization through music, and as a way to demonstrate new perspectives of life, self-esteem, empowerment, and respect for human differences and diversity. However, participants’ narratives also revealed deficiencies among the teaching staff, indicating the need for a more rigorous selection of teachers and of continued professional development, and calling into question the role of college education as an initial training. In light of the findings, one could conclude that Prima had an important and positive influence in the lives of participants, contributing to their awareness of their role as citizens