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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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Attention of a Different Kind

Patrick Scafidi, Executive Editor, The Ensemble

04-05-2023

Think about how much time you and your team spend fighting for attention—from funders, from government officials, from community members. Working so hard to keep your programs going and growing. You put in that time because it’s necessary; programs can’t thrive without it. But all that management and self-promotion can deplete our ability to forge the connective pathways that sustain and push our work further.

The Ambassadors’ Exchange: (Re)Introductions

04-05-2023

Since this month is about introductions and reintroductions, the Ambassadors played multiple games on Discord to help the team coalesce. For example, we played Skribbl.io (a drawing-based guessing game, like Pictionary) and “Would You Rather?” One revelation from “Would You Rather?”: the Ambassadors would all prefer to see a popular music concert over a classical concert. To cap off the month, the Ambassadors were tasked with writing a short introduction about themselves as an exercise in self-reflection and community.

National Thinking, Local Impact

Lauren Shelton, Executive Director, Indianapolis Center for Arts Education and Innovation

03-01-2023

Though still in its pilot year, the Center has been five years in the making, thanks to a strategic plan relying on input from a Steering Committee composed of representatives of over 20 Indianapolis organizations. During my individual meetings with each committee member, one concern kept coming up: a fear that the Center would be going after the same local funding sources they rely on for operations and programming. It became clear to me that arts organizations in Indianapolis were jockeying to drink from the same pool.

The Ambassadors’ Exchange: The Ensemble Ambassador Spotify Playlist

03-01-2023

This month, The Ensemble Ambassadors got together and began our first project with our new cohort leader: The Ensemble Ambassador Spotify Playlist. Each Ambassador was asked to submit three songs: a “hype” song, a song we love, and a song that represents our culture or country of origin. In addition to creating the playlist, each ambassador reflected on why we chose our songs; read those perspectives below. Sharing music is an amazing way to connect with new people, so we hope you can check out our playlist!

The Ambassadors’ Exchange: Introducing Your New Ambassadors Program Manager!

02-01-2023

Hello, everybody! My name is Pedro Ramos, and I am The Ensemble’s new Ambassadors Program Manager. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, and my parents are from Honduras and El Salvador in Central America.

Intergenerational Co-Mentoring Project

Zoey Peacock Jones, senior BFA Student, The New School; aspiring clown, actor, and teaching artist, and Jean E. Taylor, teaching artist; Director, Lincoln Center Education; Professor, The New School

02-01-2023

What if we borrowed a principle from our shared love for the artistic discipline of theatrical clown, and adopted the position that we were both experts and that we both knew nothing, simultaneously? This dichotomy balances the resilience of the expert with the vulnerability of the newcomer. Our clowns know how to negotiate the movement from one to the other and back again.

We Are All Contributors

Dr. Daniel Bernard Roumain, Associate and Institute Professor, Arizona State University Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts; Resident Artistic Catalyst, New Jersey Symphony; Board Member and Vice Chair, Association of Performing Arts Professionals; Board Member, League of American Orchestras

01-04-2023

I have asked contributors (students) to replace the words “music rehearsal” with other words of their choice that better reflect their values. Their responses are always varied and fascinating; they have ranged from “music jam,” “musical experience,” and “discovery session” to a “deep conversation” and “an exchange of ideas between my friends.” Words matter.

The Ambassadors’ Exchange: Improvising and Composing through an Online Relay

01-04-2023

During the call, we attempted a composition relay where the entire group tried to create a melody by “passing the mic” to each player. Each participant could play as long as they wanted or bring back tunes from a previous musician. After a few trial rounds and a slight learning curve, we were able to record two of our compositions.

Challenging Education and Nonprofit Systems through Youth Leadership

Liz Moulthrop, Executive Director, El Sistema USA

12-07-2022

Recently, I was asked, “What are your hopes for the El Sistema field in the future?” All the obvious answers came to mind—grow the field, serve more students, increase funding. But what really excites me about the future of El Sistema and the larger equity-based music education field is the potential for our students to take on leadership roles within the field—both now and as they begin to enter the workforce.

The Ambassadors’ Exchange: December 2022

12-07-2022

We Ambassadors are closing out the year with our Pen Pal Project, featuring 30 participants from all over the world! Outside of our shared activities, however, here are three ways we’re keeping busy in our respective programs.

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