Community Building

When you hear the phrase “social change through music,” what comes to mind? For many in our field, it means ensembles of student musicians learning to play and sing together.

Sometimes, though, it can mean people of all ages coming together and forging new communities of belonging through music. That’s the nature of my organization: Lavender Light, in New York City.

Big Noise Raploch recently embarked on a big experiment…by handing over their jobs to students as part of their “Big Takeover.”

Many of us have witnessed the arts’ positive impact on the health and wellbeing of our communities. The Jameel Arts & Health Lab invites you to share your experiences as a practitioner, educator, or researcher as part of their annual symposium “Re-Imagining Health Through the Arts” on September 22 at New York University.

When trying to renew an initiative that has existed for almost a decade, our great challenge is to find that precise balance between valuing tradition and proposing something new. At NEOJIBA State Nuclei for Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Bahia, this balance is fundamental to our continuous search for improvement—praising what already works, recognizing what can be improved, and having the tranquility to suggest something innovative without losing the essence of an idea.

It was in this spirit that in 2023, on a sunny afternoon during Bahia’s “eternal summer,” we began to redesign PROCEC, our collective teacher training program.

European musicians and music organizations are invited to attend the 13th annual European Forum on Music in Brussels (June 11–12) under the banner of “Celebrating Musical Diversity.”

Post-Carnival, Brazil is showing no signs of slowing down in celebrating its rich musical and cultural diversity.

Teaching artistry is the sleeping giant of social change. 

And that giant is waking up. At least that’s what I claim, in my relentless advocacy for the global field. 

The Ensemble was featured in the latest journal (page 24) of the International Alliance for Women in Music, underlining our commitment to music programs that champion female participation and leadership around the world.

For many organizations outside of our shared community, leadership is viewed as a title or formal role—something to aspire to professionally. When it comes to youth empowerment, though, it means a bit more. We see it in the everyday actions, habits, and mindsets that empower individuals to make a difference. Leadership, for us, is about inspiring others simply by living your values.

At Enabling Leadership (EL), we strive to support young people as they find their way toward those actions and values.

Applications for the 2025 Music Cities Awards are now open through April 28, honoring music initiatives creating social, cultural, and economic impact on a local or international level.