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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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In Jerusalem, a Space for Healing

Micah Hendler, Founder & Artistic Director, The Jerusalem Youth Chorus

02-04-2026

The Jerusalem Youth Chorus (JYC) is a music and dialogue program for Israeli and Palestinian teenagers in Jerusalem. We bring young people from East and West Jerusalem into the same room each week to sing together, practice structured dialogue, and build the leadership skills needed to navigate a deeply unequal and polarized reality.

If you work in music for social change, none of that is conceptually new—“music builds connection” is something we all believe. What has surprised us over time is how much the container matters.

An International Exchange Program Shifts Power Through Music

Siri Syverud Thorsen, Project Manager for Musicians and Organizers Volunteer Exchange (MOVE) at Jeunesses Musicales Norway

02-04-2026

While our daily lives are rattled by increasing global instability, polarization, and apathy, culture workers working toward youth empowerment and social change share many of the same questions. How do we empower young people without transferring unreasonable responsibility? How do we equip and motivate while acknowledging legitimate, sometimes harsh realities? How do we facilitate interconnectedness, in times of global dehumanization?

Applications Open for Kuonyesha Art Fund

02-04-2026

Applications are open through February 28 for the Kuonyesha Art Fund, which welcomes proposals from artists and groups in Africa for creative projects that promote community collaboration and address social issues.

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.

Suggested Reading: The Social-transformative Potential of Music Mediation

12-03-2025

How are musicians creating social impact across European communities?

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.

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.”

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