Martha Argerich has made public a letter expressing her concern about the “suspended” Martha Argerich Scholarship program (Argentina). In it, she also denounces the non-renewal of contracts for half of the teachers in the Youth and Children’s Orchestra Program, which currently lacks a director. She also points out that support is being withdrawn from numerous cultural spaces and states that “if culture is not supported, the future of children and youth, and of the entire people, is in danger”.

Here is the complete letter:

“In March 2021, Maestro Rolando Goldman proposed to me, with the collaboration of Eduardo Hubert, to create the scholarships that bear my name (Martha Argerich Scholarships), within the scope of the Ministry of Culture of the Argentine Nation. I thought it was a good idea to help young musicians from the youth and children’s orchestras in the popular neighborhoods to be able to receive intensive training with their musical instruments.

From that moment on, 35 young people were chosen by a jury of recognized figures in our country. Some of the students from the First Biennial Martha Argerich Scholarship later were hired and became teachers in the orchestras. In this way, they were able to pass on what they had learned to other young people. And it noticeably changed their lives in terms of their future.

In 2023, a new group of 40 young people from all over the country joined the scholarships. The work they have done is very important, and a number of teachers are training them with undeniable seriousness, dedication, and much love.

Unfortunately, the authorities of the national government of my country decided to interrupt the scholarships (which were supposed to start in February of this year) and dismissed those, and other teachers from the children’s orchestras. In this way, they are depriving young people of the opportunity to have a brilliant musical future.

I myself received support from the Argentine State when I was young, and that was fundamental for my training and subsequent artistic career. If the State does not support and contribute to culture, the future is truly dangerous.

I deeply regret that now many are left without that possibility. I know they are also withdrawing support from numerous cultural spaces.
If culture is not supported, the future of children and young people, and of the entire people, is in danger. I trust that the authorities will reconsider continuing in some way with these programs.”

What are the “Martha Argerich Scholarships”?

The Martha Argerich Scholarship project is intended for members from all over the country of the orchestras linked to the Social Program of Children and Youth Orchestras of the former Ministry of Culture of the Nation (currently Secretary), and aims to promote training in the fundamental aspects for performance as teachers in similar type orchestras, through two mechanisms: participation in workshops addressing essential pedagogical and musical aspects; and participation in an orchestra composed of the 40 young people who access the scholarship this time.

These 40 young people are committed to completing the training cycle provided for in the call regulations, participating in workshops, meeting minimum attendance requirements, and undergoing the corresponding evaluation. In addition, their participation in the “Martha Argerich Scholars Orchestra” is contemplated.

The renowned Argentine artist, Martha Argerich, offered her support and interest to be the godmother based on her own history and experience, in which the Argentine State played a decisive role in promoting her own training and subsequent career.

State support for Martha Argerich

With state support, in 1955 Argerich was able to travel to Europe to continue her musical studies. Two years later, she won the piano competitions in Bolzano and Geneva, and in 1965, the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw.

In 1954, she had met with President Juan Perón at the presidential residence. “I was a little over twelve years old, I had played at the Teatro Colón, and Perón had given me an appointment at the presidential residence,” revealed the artist in 1999, in Clásica magazine. “Mom asked if she could accompany me and they said yes, of course. I wasn’t very Peronist; I remember that I was always sticking papers everywhere that said ‘Balbín-Frondizi.’ It was very nice, he was very charming, he was very sympathetic and understood people a lot, he had a lot of empathy. At one point my mom said to him, ‘It would be nice if Marthita played for the concert of the Union of Secondary Students, the UES.’ He looked at me and saw that I made a face that I didn’t want to. So under the table, he gestured ‘no’ to me, and to my mom, he said, ‘Of course, madam.’ And it seems that I must have made a quite revealing face that I didn’t like the idea because Perón started to go along with my mom, telling her ‘of course madam, we will organize it,’ while winking at me and, under the table, gesturing ‘no’ with a finger. He was teasing my mom and reassuring me. He realized that I didn’t want to. Fantastic, isn’t it?

Source: Página 12 and La Nación