Co-Founder and Artistic Director Emerita

Margaret Gonzalez, a musician and educator from Venezuela, is a product of El Sistema. She grew up in Caracas, where she was immersed in the program’s core values and its belief in music as a catalyst for social change. Through these formative experiences, she developed a strong sense of self-worth and resilience—qualities that continue to shape her work today. Inspired by the profound impact El Sistema had on her own life, Margaret is deeply committed to providing similar opportunities for children in San Francisco.

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Margaret earned a Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance, with a minor in Violin and Piano, from Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, where she studied with violist Doris Lederer of the Audubon Quartet. Prior to her studies in the United States, she performed with the internationally renowned Simón Bolívar Orchestra of Venezuela under the direction of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel. She has since collaborated with a variety of professional chamber ensembles and symphonic orchestras in the United States, and remains an active teacher, working with both children and adults on a range of string instruments.

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Continuing the legacy of El Sistema founder José Antonio Abreu, Margaret uses music as a vehicle for social change. She travels locally and internationally to share her vision and passion, empowering communities through access to high-quality music education.