Musician, conductor, teaching artist, and social entrepreneur Safira Antzus-Ramos (GLI 2018 & 2023) has developed her artistic impact on a personal, collaborative, and communal level. She has worked as a conductor and teaching artist in orchestras in Spain, Greece, England, Chile, Mexico, and Argentina. She has been the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra throughout 2019. In this interview, she shares her musings on developing artistic impact into social impact and what this means for her: keeping music’s awakening power alive.
What brings you to The Global Leaders Institute?
The world has changed; it is no longer valid to be an instrument player, or a pianist, to offer a concert. You could be an incredible pianist, and you may even get called often to perform, but as soon as the show is over, you go home, and that’s it. It is hard to reach many people at once, at least within the concert format.
Now I study orchestral conducting. It has always been natural to me; now, I conduct many concerts. I am in my fourth year of studies and will be finished within a year. I might not be able to change society entirely, but conducting does put you in touch with larger groups of people, and there is great potential for influence.
What impact would you like to have on your community?
I want to keep directing young musicians. Youth orchestras are full of fire and energy that I feel is sometimes lacking in the adult world.
How could we change that tiredness?
By teaching young people to love what they do. I was in love with the piece when I started working on it. I might not be studying my favorite composer, but when I’m working with music, not only am I fully committed, I show the orchestra that I am in love with the work. My favorite composer is whichever composer I am directing presently. Studying awakens this love, and you delve into the composer’s world to become one with music.
I strive to avoid feeling tired, so these young musicians won’t ever feel weary. I’m convinced that loving what you do makes a difference, and that spirit is highly contagious. My son Apollo (almost two years old) learns not what I say but what I always do.
That’s right, you’ve become a mother! How would you like Apollo to experience music?
I would like for Apollo to experience a musical community that respects each musician’s talent and individuality. Comparing musicians to one another is a mistake, I believe. A musical world with hyper-developed specializations and competitiveness is not worthwhile.
What do the Global Leaders Institute courses mean to you today?
It is undoubtedly awakening me. This first happened in 2018 when I did the Executive program. Right after this program, I started working with El Sistema Greece. Now, returning to GLI to do the MBA is very significant, especially considering this is the aftermath of the coronavirus experience. We’ve been put away for almost two years without seeing anyone, losing touch and in so much fear. GLI gives me the energy to come back and rethink this new reality we’re in. The voltage of reaching people from different parts of the world is recharging and revitalizing. GLP gives me the boost to trust myself again. A lot of people are struggling. The GLI community not only gives me strength but the know-how to continue. ▣
