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The Ensemble seeks to connect and inform all people who are committed to ensemble music education for youth empowerment and social change.
 
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Free Digital Arts & Health Resources

02-04-2026

Musicians in healthcare settings will benefit from this boatload of resources, shared via the University of Florida’s Arts in Health Today newsletter.

GUEST PERSPECTIVE
A Foot in Both Worlds: Mentorship and Maturation at Sistema Ravinia

Guadalupe Ramirez, Sistema Ravinia Alumna and Intern

02-04-2026

As Sistema Ravinia prepared for in-person learning after the pandemic lockdowns, I attended a Zoom meeting with other incoming high school freshmen, most of whom were good friends. A manager asked us, “This is the first time we’ve had high school students in our program. What would you guys like to see happen?”

Raffi Releases New Song “ABC Democracy”

 

 

02-04-2026

Beloved singer-songwriter Raffi recently released a new song “ABC Democracy.”

Side by Side Applications To Open January 7

12-03-2025

From January 7–February 6, 2026, Side by Side will accept applications for their international music camp in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Genesis Inspiration Foundation Arts Education Grants for U.S. Nonprofits

12-03-2025

The Genesis Inspiration Foundation funds U.S. nonprofit programs that improve access to arts education for children, both in and out of the classroom.

Suggested Reading: The Social-transformative Potential of Music Mediation

12-03-2025

How are musicians creating social impact across European communities?

Young Musicians Celebrate Sephardic-Latino Connections

12-03-2025

Over 1,000 students will perform on December 8 with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony for the closing concert of the multi-week program “A Patchwork of Cultures: Exploring the Sephardic–Latino Connection.”

Arts Communities Drive Manchester Forward

Sam Davies, Founder, The Untold Orchestra; Alumnus, Global Leaders Institute

12-03-2025

“We do things differently.” That’s the motto of Manchester, England—and if you’re walking through the city, it doesn’t take long to see that it prides itself on its innovation and creativity. I’ve been fortunate to spend my 20s here, learning from the legacies of changemakers both past and present. So many of the city’s most impactful figures have been—and still are—artists working directly with communities.

Inspired by the people, creatives, and communities around me, I spent the second half of my 13 years in Manchester founding The Untold Orchestra, a “non-classical” collaborative orchestra that centers community engagement. But this piece isn’t about Untold. It’s about an Art City—that is, a place where arts interventions are prioritized and supported by the people who live there, and then rewarded with community, creativity, and positive social change.

From an Empty Airport to Downtown Berlin, a Music Program Still Soars

Tricia Tunstall, Co-founder and Advisory Editor, The Ensemble

12-03-2025

In a white-walled, sunlit room with arched ceilings, an El Sistema-inspired youth orchestra plays Gustav Mahler’s well-known “Bruder Martin” (“Frère Jacques”) theme—the third movement of his Symphony No. 1—under the direction of teaching artist/conductor Leila Weber. The two double bass players are six feet tall, around sixteen years old; the youngest cellist might be seven, and this is the second time she’s held a cello. Embedded among the second violins is a guest teaching artist from an orchestra based 500 miles away.

New Report: “Why Making Music Matters Now”

12-03-2025

A recent report from Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute and WolfBrown proves that making music creates a number of positive outcomes, especially in early childhood.

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